FATHER KEVIN BATES SM  FATHER KEVIN BATES SM
”What is the unforgivable sin?” - Mary Hello Mary, and thanks for your question. Knowing that God is absolute and unconditional love it is hard to imagine that there is anything at all that is unforgivable. Thomas Aquinas spoke of this unforgivable sin as being the sin of despair at the moment of death when one gives up on the possibility of life or salvation - the sin against the Holy Spirit that is referred to in the gospel. The Church does not and cannot teach that anyone has not been forgiven, because forgiveness of course is totally in God's hands and if that's the case we can be sure that even the most recalcitrant of us will get a compassionate hearing at the end of the day. Purgatory is not relevant to this question as it is regarded as a state following death where a certain healing of the soul takes place before we can come fully into God's presence. It's a bit like getting our hair done and our clothes sorted out before a big family event like a wedding - we want to look our best! Good wishes. - Father Kevin Father Kevin: Dear Lisa, Thank you for sharing your story so beautifully and openly. First of all I think it would be good if you let go of the idea that you were sinful previously because of the circumstances of your first marriage. It sounds as though you were under tremendous pressure there and your "going along" with the first marriage was the best you could do at the time. Thank God for your second husband who supports and loves you so well. How wonderful too that he is growing in faith with and wants to join the church's community. There are number of issues involved in your problem and I'll mention a couple here, and more privately if you wish. Firstly, is it possible/feasible to get your first marriage annulled? Was it a marriage conducted in the Church that means it would require an annulment? The annulment process while being challenging and sometimes painful, can also be a very healing process in my experience of journeying with people through it. If you were not married validly in the Church's eyes in the first place of course an annulment would not be necessary. Simply a Declaration of your freedom to marry is required which is a much easier and quicker process. Secondly, there is the quesion of compassion and understanding that is far more significant than any legal issue. It seems absurd that someone would agree for your husband to be received into the church and then refuse him communion. That is quite an illogical, not to say, bizarre and confusing stand to take. As for your man "sprinkling his magic dust" - talk like that would make me look to another parish for a more compassionate and sensible response to your situation. At the end of the day there is God and there is you and your husband loving God and loving each other. Nothing else matters really and you need to find a place, a community, where you can celebrate this openly and gladly. If you'd like to reflect with me more on your situation you are very welcome. The publisher, Kathy Bernard who operates this site, is welcome to give you my email address if you would like it. Wishing you God's peace at this challenging time. - Father Kevin ”How many times in the Bible does Jesus tell us not to be afraid?” - Kathleen Father, Could you please tell me
how many times in the Bible Jesus tell us not to be afraid?
Thank you. - Kathleen Hi Kathleen - I don't know!! I have read that it is the most repeated phrase in the whole of the Scriptures, but as to how many times, I don't know. You could probably chase this up in a Lexicon of the Bible somewhere. It's a good call though - I reckon it means that God understands us well and how easily we get trapped in our fears. Kind regards, Father Kevin
Father
Kevin: Hello Robin, The Church teaches that if we are in a state of mortal sin then we must confess our sins in the Sacrament. Having said that, it's very hard to be in mortal sin - you have to be something of an expert to get completely out of range of God's love and grace which is what mortal sin means. The main point of the sacrament, of course, is that it is an act of worship where we celebrate God's unconditional love and mercy and our main focus in attending the sacrament is God rather than ourselves. Our sins really are just an excuse for God to show off how merciful He is as His mercy always has the last word. Nothing we come up with is beyond God's reach. Good wishes. Father Kevin
“Under pressure, I had a Tubal Ligation. What should I do?” -
Michele Father
Amaro: I'm a
35 year old female. I am married with 2 biological children and 2 stepchildren. ages
of children are 18, 16, 8, and 7 years old. My question is when I was 7 months
pregnant with my last child the doctors and friends and family really pressured me into
having a tubal ligation. When I say pressured, my friends and family said we had
enough children and the doctors said that too. So after my c-section they tied my tubes, I
have regretted it ever since and have researched a reversal, I now find myself with the
extra money to have it reversed, I have even paid the $1000.00 non refundable deposit,
it’s 18 days from my scheduled date of reversal and I'm terrified, I don't know if
I'm making the right decision! My husband is 41 and he supports me because he wants me to
be happy and doesn't want me to live with regret, but he is also scared too because he has
been raising babies since he was in his early twenties, and I feel like I am not being
fair to him I don't want him to feel like a geriatric dad. I also feel like I have made
myself incomplete by allowing them to sterilize me and I want to make myself whole again
and return my fertility to God. What should I do? – Michele Dear
Michelle, Yours
is a sad story that I’ve heard so many times. It’s sad because those who say
that they believe we are made in God’s image seem so ready to change what He made.
When we destroy, corrupt, mutilate, or disfigure this creation, we often have
regrets later. Obviously, you’re now having an appreciation for God’s handiwork.
And the fact that you’re about to make this sacrifice to restore it speaks volumes
about your faith. Your husband also is to be applauded for this very virtuous support. As far
as him being a geriatric dad, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He’s in good
company, if you read the scriptures. Look at Abraham and Zechariah! And they were
overjoyed at new life. But as
controlling the size of the family to your means is concerned... Although we don’t
believe in “artificial” or man made birth control that makes us less than human,
we can participate with the nature God gave us in a proper way. NFP (Natural Family
Planning) has proven to be even more successful than condoms when done properly.
Don’t confuse this with the old “rhythm method” which actually helped
populate the Church. But if God should happen to bless you with the trust in the care
taking of another child along the way, use your faith and joy to receive it. God bless, Father Amaro ”Am I condemning myself because I am afraid to go
to confession?” - Josie Father: I have
not lived a good life and am worried I will go to hell, but am afraid to go to confession.
I have had 3 abortions in my past and now am having an affair on my husband. I truly love
my boyfriend and wish to leave my husband to marry him. He is a catholic and will go to
church with me, while my husband is an atheist. Is this grounds to leave him and start
over on a holier life? Or am I condemning myself more? - Josie
Dear
Josie, Yours
is a rather complicated situation. Yes, there is a lot of sin in your life, even to the
point of a present adulterous relationship now. You didn’t say whether you were
married according to your baptism (a church marriage) or if this present marriage is
invalid. You also didn’t say how you know you would be faithful to this relationship
when you were not in the previous one. There is so much to explore. I would highly recommend two things. The first one is to contact your church and find out where the closest “Project Rachel” is in your area to bring you to healing after abortion. You also need to speak to a good parish priest to help you walk this journey concerning your marriage. Specifics are very important and they could not begin to be covered in an Internet question and answer forum with any quality. But it does sound like you’re in earnest. You’ve done a lot of things the wrong way. But there’s hope. You can begin doing things the right way. It’s up to you. God bless, Father Amaro ”Can my daughter go on “the Pill” for acne? - Carol
My
21-yr-old daughter asked me if she could go on "the pill" to clear up her acne.
She is a good, solid Catholic and isn't sexually active....she just has horrible skin and
wants desperately to "fix" it. Many of her friends are on the pill for acne and
are pressuring her to get a prescription too. Is it permissible in the Church to go on the
pill for reasons other than birth control? - Carol Dear
Carol, Thanks for being so clear. If your daughter, as you say,
is not sexually active, and the hormonal treatment is for complexion, I see no problem.
But personally, there are many other types of care for this type of problem that will not
toy with her reproductive system that should be explored. The medical profession has done
much in experimentation on woman’s bodies that I find quite questionable. I am so
surprised that women will submit to it. I would highly recommend that you find a good
dermatologist to seek alternative methods. Not to scare you or to say that my
experience is the only source of information, but every stillborn child that I have ever
experienced was one from a woman that had previously taken birth control pills. I
don’t think it’s worth the risk. If I were a woman, it would never even be
considered. It’s the only body she has. God
bless, Father Amaro “Is it a sin to work on Sunday?” - Toni Father: Is it a
sin to work on Sunday? I ask this question because during our church community
penance service, the priest does an examination of conscience before confessions are
heard. One of the things mentioned are "did I work on Sunday" which leads one to
believe it is a sin. My situation is I am a working wife. I work Monday thru Friday, leave
the house at 7:00 AM, get home from work at 7:10 PM every night. Needless to say, I am
beat at the end of the day. When I get home I am rushing to make dinner for my husband and
care for our pets, and I try to get in a couple of hours of quality time before we retire
for the day. Saturdays are filled with cleaning house, shopping, banking, etc. Sometimes
on Sundays, I am dusting the house, or folding laundry, or cooking meals. Am I committing
a sin doing this? Some weeks there just aren’t enough hours on a Saturday to do it
all. I don't want to offend God, but I am confused. I know there are other women out there
like me, so please consider answering this question. Dear
Toni, I tell
my parishioners that same thing. I remind them that Sunday is the “Lord’s
Day.” It’s sad, but one day, very early in the morning, I had sort of an
emergency. I actually put some stuff in the clothes dryer and got caught. What an
embarrassment! But you know something? I had it coming. We need to practice what we
preach. Now I’m caught with two different motivations for not doing such things on
Sunday. There should only be one. I’ll
bet that, since you both work, the domestic duties around the house can also be shared so
that on Sundays the two of you could share your sacrament of matrimony with the Lord in
giving Him the whole day by living your marriage rather than domestic chores. You’re
helping him support the household. He can be supporting you in what you see are your
chores too. If at
all possible, try to live on one income. Suppose a child comes along? You want to be free
to be a mother to that child and not make that child a subordinate to a job, right? Can
you imagine what that would be like? Thank about it. It makes sense. Are material things
that important? You’re working to live, not living to work. God gives you the means
to work. He has made all the things around you. One day is not too much to ask in
Thanksgiving, in Eucharist. God bless,
Father Amaro ”Why does it seem that Catholics are drifting from Jesus' central message.” Paul Father: The
Church seems to spend a great deal of time focusing on abortion and gay marriage and
taking political action to combat what it sees as evil. Why do we not see the same kind of
fervor applied to speaking out against war or poverty? Violence and helping the needy are
issues Christ had clear teachings on in the Bible (if we're using biblical literalism as
basis for an argument), but his teachings are not so clear on these other issues that have
recently been at the forefront of Catholic political discourse. Why does it seem that
Catholics are drifting from Jesus' central message, to love and care for one another?
Dear
Paul: My
question to you is this. If you already know about war and poverty, you’re
doing something about it personally, right? Are you involved in feeding the homeless
and hungry? Are you caring for your neighbor? Since you know about these needs, you
probably are and that’s why they are not preached about. Your obvious concern tells
me that you’re personally addressing these problems. Remember how Jesus’ parents
had to cross the border into Egypt to protect the Christ child? Remember how the
Jews had to illegally cross the borders to escape the Nazis? There are two different
situations that today seem to cause a lot of distress. There are two situations that give
us insight into how we receive the stranger. There are two situations that tell us about
how humanity addressed violence and injustice. There’s a lot of thinking and action
to do there. Always
remember that the poor we will always have with us. They are poor. We can serve. They are
not discarded. But we can’t even have the luxury of being our brother’s keeper
if we destroy them in the womb, can we. Life always precedes issues. Life itself is not an
issue. here would be no such thing as AIDS if we lived according to the order of
God’s creation. There is no such thing as “gay marriage.” A red balloon can
be “called” blue, but that doesn’t make it so. And people who really love
another would never indulge on dangerous behaviors. Yet people continue with behaviors
that are known to destroy life. That’s why there is so much focus on this at this
time in history. Be
proud of your Church. While you’re addressing poverty and war as one of its members,
your parish is obviously covering other ground. It all needs to be addressed one way or
the other. What you’re saying is that it is... one-way AND the other. Thank God it
is. ”How does the Church feel about donating to other religious charities?” - David
Dear
David, Is the
Salvation Army merely a “religious organization?” Let’s reverse this a
little. Is it right for us to accept money from other churches in our ministries? Is good
being accomplished by your donation? Even
though we don’t share the “fullness” of the faith with some of these,
again, remember the parable of the talents. One might not have the fullness of the
measure, but if they invested that measure more, they shall be given more. You’re
just helping them a little with their investment. They are our brothers and sisters in the
Lord, aren’t they? Just by virtue of the fact that you’re even considering this,
you must see some good coming out of their ministries. Go for it! ”Would helping foreign born adults speak English be
considered a corporal work of mercy?” David Father
Amaro: Would
helping foreign-born adults to speak conversational English be considered a corporal work
of mercy (sheltering the homeless)? - David Dear
David, Well, let me answer with a couple of questions. Does it come from the compassion of knowing that it will help him to make better choices for food in feeding his family? Will it help him do better in his work to support his family? Will it help him understand better the environment in which he lives so he can participate in his community? Just because someone has a roof over their head doesn’t mean they’ve found “home.” In a nutshell, “yes!” it would qualify. But don’t confuse that type of work of mercy in the same way that you would as illness or death in missing mass. :-) Hope this helps. You’re surely be passing help on. God bless, Fr. Amaro Father
Amaro: Father,
I'm looking for the original meaning of the word 'liturgy' or 'liturgical'. I understand
the usage now, but where did it come from and in what context was it used? Am I right in
thinking it began in our Jewish roots? - Patty Dear
Patty, Oh! I
can come up with many things. But to be honest, none would compare to the definition given
by the “New Advent” web site. Cut and paste this into your browser. Plan on
sitting there for a while. Here it is: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09306a.htm God
bless, Father Amaro
CatholicView Staff: Dear Phyllis: Thank you for your question. The Catholic Church would never say or teach
that abortion is acceptable or morally correct under any circumstance. To
make sure that we truly understood the depth of your question, we have done some research
on the subject of THALASSESMIA. As we understand it, there are two types
of Thalassesmia, a blood disease; Alpha and Beta and both types
of this disease are inherited. The condition causes varying degrees of anemia
that can range from insignificant to fatal in some cases. Because Alpha
Thalassesmia Major is most often a fatal condition in the prenatal or newborn
period, treatment has previously been focused on identifying affected pregnancies in
order to provide appropriate management to reduce potential maternal
complications. According to our sources, abortion of the fetus provides one
form of management. Increased prenatal surveillance and early treatment of maternal
complications is an approach that is appropriate for mothers who wish to continue their
pregnancies with the knowledge that the baby will most likely not survive. We
believe that your professor was referring to the Alpha Thalassesmia and
not the Beta form that is a carrier disease with its own complications such as blood
transfusions, etc. With that in mind, let us make it clear that
the Catholic Church would never morally accept abortion as a primary action in regards to
the health of the mother. In your research, you stated that nowhere did you find any
reference that the Church, either Catholic or Orthodox, would accept as morally correct
a decision for an abortion. You are correct! The Greek Orthodox
Church and the Muslim leaders on the island of Crete would never accept abortion as a
primary effect. But your professor has made an interesting reference to the moral
principle of DOUBLE-EFFECT. The principle of DOUBLE-EFFECT states that the
primary action must accomplish a greater good than the evil that it will
cause (the secondary effect). I know that this is a very simplistic
definition, but it will serve for a quick discussion on this issue. An example
of DOUBLE-EFFECT would be this: war. War is evil and sinful. It
causes death and destruction that is against God's Will. But sometimes, war must
be engaged as a defense against an enemy that wants to destroy a nation. World
War II was a war with much destruction and millions of lives destroyed. Yet,
the European, American, Canadian, and Russian allies had to make war against the
Axis powers that sought to destroy freedom and many nations' way of life. The
primary action was DEFENSE OF THE PEOPLE AND FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY. The secondary
effect was the death and destruction of so many. The greater good was the defense of
the people, freedom, the release of political prisoners and captured European Jewish
people from certain death. That primary effect was so much GREATER than the
evil that this particular war could bring. Nonetheless, evil was done, but the good
outweighed the evil. In this case, war was an acceptable moral decision on the
behalf of many good people at that time and for future generations. A case could be made that the life of the
mother is a greater good than bringing the unborn child to term if the mother and child
both have ALPHA THALASSEMIA MAJOR. But the primary effect must
be to save the mother's life, not the abortion. In our research, we have stated
that abortion of the unborn child is ONE FORM (and not the ONLY form) of managing the
blood disease that can be fatal to the mother. But increased prenatal surveillance
and early treatment can bring a child to term. So, a mother's life can be saved so
that the unborn child can be saved. So, the principle of DOUBLE-EFFECT cannot be
evoked in this particular case since there are other options that can save the life of
both mother and unborn child. It would be hard to make a case for abortion in
this situation because abortion of the unborn child becomes the primary effect, not the
secondary effect. As long as abortion of an unborn child is the primary effect
(action), then it is the GREATER EVIL, not the greater good. If the death of an
unborn child is a secondary effect of a greater "primary effect" good,
then it is tragic death but something that must be done for the greater good. This answer is basic in form but we only have a
limited amount of time and space in this forum. But this answer is to give you
direction in regards to the moral questions that modern medicine can present to us as
believers in the Lord Jesus. Remember, the Church WOULD NEVER APPROVE of an
abortion. And the Church WOULD NEVER APPROVE OF WAR. Yet, there are
circumstances beyond our control that dictate that a decision must be made that is in the
best interests of all involved. In making such decisions, we must ask the Holy
Spirit for direction in doing God's Will. This demands our own personal honesty,
time, and prayer. In all our decisions, the GOOD must always OUTWEIGH the evil
that also comes with our decisions. Sadly, moral decision-making
isn't always "black and white." Such decisions are gut wrenching
and demand our careful deliberation. May the Lord help us always in what we
say and do in His Name. - CatholicView
Staff ’Should I warn
people about “Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda”?
- Kale CatholicView Staff:
Dear Kale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Luis_de_Jesus_Miranda CatholicView
did some research in reference to your letter you sent to us. See the link above. Do not
concern yourself with things that appear to be what they are not. This person, Jose
Luis de Jesus Miranda cannot touch those who love the Lord for Jesus Christ
Himself lives within all who believe in Him. Jesus Christ is Lord! There is only one Lord and He and He
only paid the price for our salvation over two thousand years ago. Just
keep moving within your faith and leave Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda to our
Heavenly Father to handle. Jesus spoke of false prophets in Matthew 24:11 "Many
false prophets will arise and will mislead many." and also in Mark
13:22, "false prophets
who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.". Read
also Luke 6:26, 2 Peter 2:1, and 1 John 4:1. There are many,
many references to false prophets if you make a bible search. Read
and know the Lord is at your side. If you see someone who is a Christian getting anywhere near this false cult, warn them. Show them what you know about this false prophet. Do
not be alarmed or afraid. Take heart and continue to serve the Christ Who
set you free from sin by dying for you. Know that He has Divine plans for all
who remain in His friendship. Keep growing in your faith and trust in Him.
God bless you always. ”Can I remarry without going though the annulment process?” - Paula
Dear Paula: Catholicview is so sorry to hear of your
unhappiness in your marriage. You have
invested so many years in your marriage and have produced 4 wonderful, grown up children. Sometimes though, marriages cannot be repaired. That is unfortunate. Please know that you are still in the married
state and if you have found someone else, you need to take steps to correct this by
visiting your parish priest and trying to seek an annulment. Please know there is hope for you. Go and talk to your priest as soon as possible. May the Lord bless you. – CatholicView Staff ”My
fiancé is non-Christian. Would being married
by a friend be acceptable?” - Mark
CatholicView
Staff: Dear
Mark: I
am sorry to hear of your problems concerning your possible marriage. I am sure you know if you marry outside the
church, it will not be valid. Having a
marriage officiated by a friend is not acceptable in the Catholic Church. But there is a solution. You can get a Dispensation from
Canonical Form. This you need
to discuss with your priest who will explain what this entails. Perhaps
these links may be of some help to you. These
show a Dispensation from Canonical Form and other
information you might wish to discuss
with your parish priest. http://www.milarch.org/resources/Forms/amsdisp.doc http://www.dioceseofraleigh.org/docs/for_parishes/marriage/automated_marriage_form.pdf http://www.nccbuscc.org/norms/1127-2.htm Have
you given thought on how your children will be raised?
This is also a valid point you must take into consideration if you want to
continue in your own faith. Please remember
the value of that faith and what it stands for before you enter into a marriage with
someone who does not share your beliefs. Remember
the Sacraments that you may forfeit and consider that you will not be in full union with
the Church unless you have that marriage blessed. CatholicView suggests strongly that you talk to your parish priest for more details. May the Lord bless you and give you discernment about this matter. CatholicView Staff
“My daughter married a fundie nut!!! How can I help her?” - Cindy
Dear Cindy: I am so sorry that you are having such worries about your daughter and her family. It is not an easy task to sit back and see what she and your little innocent grandbaby are going through. It is unnatural that a mother would let her husband deprive her baby of a crib to sleep in. This situation is intolerable. You must make it plain to your daughter that you will, as the child’s grandmother, report this terrible behavior to child welfare services if this man will not clean up his act. And should your daughter want to continue in this terrible setup, she is an adult and this is her right. But the child deserves better. Go and talk to your priest and ask him for suggestions. Pray hard about it. May the Lord give you courage. – CatholicView Staff
Catholicview Staff: Dear Annette: Your letter does not state if your present husband is Catholic as you are, or if you received an annulment from your first marriage. These are vital points. Also, have your children been baptized within the Catholic Church? In order to advise you correctly, you must go and talk to your parish priest for guidance. God does not refuse anyone who wants to come back to Him and worship. Do not be afraid, for the church is waiting to welcome you back within its fold. You have had a successful marriage and of this union you have two wonderful children. There will be an answer for you. We will pray that you find the courage to speak with a priest, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and get this matter taken care of as soon as possible. Do not hesitate. May God strengthen and bless you always. – Catholicview Staff CatholicView Staff: Marie: As a Catholic for all these years, I believe you know the answer to both your questions. They have not changed in the 46 years you were married. Yes, premarital sex is a mortal sin. And kissing and touching depends on if those actions lead to premarital sex. A kiss is permitted as long as it does not lead to sex. That means it will have its limits and boundaries. If you cannot contain your passion, I think I think it is time to plan your marriage to take place as soon as possible. Why not see a priest and arrange it? God bless your decision to marry. Much happiness to you both. - CatholicView Staff ”I am just
waiting on man’s law to be legally divorced. Would
it be a sin to have sex while technically married?” - Tim CatholicView Staff: Dear Tim: Thank you for your letter to CatholicView. I can sympathize with your situation but I think you are missing two vital elements here. There are two sins that would be committed: adultery for one, since you have not received your divorce papers yet as well as having unmarried sex with your partner. March 26th is almost here. Why not do the right thing in the eyes of God and wait until you are free, then marry this woman you love and start your life in God’s grace? Do the right thing. May the Lord strengthen you in your resolve and
bless your future union. – Catholicview
Staff
“I was molested when I was ten years old but am now married. I need to find a counselor?” - Dee
Dee: I am so sorry and concerned that your fifth grade teacher molested you. This was a life-defining moment, an experience that influenced your ability to be intimate with your husband. Having to see a counselor is not a sign of weakness but a sign of personal and spiritual strength. It takes human strength to admit that one needs direction and help to see how to resolve certain personal and confidential issues such as the ones you bring up here. First, it is time to turn to the Lord and place everything in His Hands through silent prayer. He knows your heart and knows your pain even though you may not be able to verbalize it. Sitting in the silence of your thoughts begins the spiritual healing you so much want for your life. Words can get in the way of submitting everything to the Lord. Sit by yourself, no words are necessary, think of the Lord Jesus with His open arms and rest in His love. Second, you must find a marriage/family counselor that is able to deal with sexual intimacy issues. These counselors are objective third parties that are able to see what you cannot see because our own personal emotional states blind us to the truth about ourselves. You may be even asked to name the fifth grade teacher who molested you as part of your healing. Doing so may insure that this fifth grade teacher will never molest anyone again. This may be difficult for you but it is important for you and others. Maybe your local priest knows a counselor that is able to help you. Just ask him if he knows any marriage/family counselors that specialize in intimacy issues. There is no need to explain why you are asking unless you feel comfortable telling him. Third, talk to your husband about your concerns about your intimate life. By doing so, he will understand your actions and will be able to proceed with compassion. My prayer is that you will find peace and healing in the Lord Jesus and experience fulfilling happiness in your marriage. Do not be afraid. The Lord is with you. CatholicView Staff Catholicview Staff: Dear Amy: The Church requires as a prerequisite for being a Catholic that we accept as truth the Nicene Creed (the prayer we say at Mass that begins with, “I believe in God….”), acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, risen from the dead, that the Bible is the Word of God, and that the seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders) are vehicles of God’s grace. Now, as to “political views,” what you accept as proper political agendas for the country are not dictated by Church dogma (accepted and eternal truths as defined by Scripture and the Councils of the Church). So, if you belong to any political party or hold particular political views, as long as these views are not contrary to the revealed truth, then that is your right. Now, since you brought it up, the Church sees political action, and comments on it, in our right to say something when we see something that is wrong or broken. The Church always asks the question, “What would Jesus do or say in this matter.” So, what would Jesus say about the USA concern about illegal immigration? Our USA bishops have discerned that in God’s eyes, there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant. The conclusion: the Church must treat everyone the same, no matter their immigration status. The USA bishops then make the recommendation that our government treat all people, no matter their immigration status, with dignity and with respect. So, that is how the local Church (meaning the USA Church) makes political recommendations. This political recommendation is not considered dogma but a way to put Jesus’ teaching into action today. So, I do not consider myself liberal or conservative. I consider myself a follower of Jesus Christ and if liberal or conservative groups do not like my “political views”, I really don’t care. I answer to God for my actions. So, here is another example. I am firmly against abortion. In this case, I am considered politically conservative, even radically so. I am firmly for immigration rights, and in this case, I am considered liberal, even radically so. As a Catholic Christian, I refuse to be placed in any political box. The Church will continue to ask the question,” What would Jesus do?” And the answers you may not like politically, but you have an answer and guidance. Do with it as you please. But what matters to me is that I am faithful to God’s Word. Catholicview Staff:
Dear
Madeline: I am sincerely sorry to hear of your spiritual
crisis. I am sure you realize that a child
being Jewish is dependent on whether or not the MOTHER is Jewish. The reasons are obvious. You will not be able to raise your child properly
in the Jewish faith unless you understand that faith. So ONLY
a Jewish mother can "hand" down being Jewish to the child, not
the father. This is why you are being asked
to convert and this will mean giving up your belief in Jesus Christ and your Church. If you believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, then why would you belong to a faith that does not have any room for the Messiah at this time? If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, why would you deprive your children the privilege of knowing Him? And yes, if you convert, you WILL be turning your back on the Savior Whom you profess to accept. Jesus Christ, a Jew, came to offer YOU and everyone salvation by dying on a cross. In accepting Jesus, you became one of the chosen people too. Therefore, not only would you be denying Him, but you will be responsible for denying your children the opportunity of knowing Him also. Remember if you deny the Lord on earth, He WILL deny you before His Father, Almighty God. See Matthew 10:33 in which Jesus tells us very implicitly , “But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” You say you want your children to have a good moral and spiritual background. Why do you feel they cannot receive this within your Church? Don't you think you should be an example by attending church yourself, thereby letting them see the spirituality of you? To imply that your children won't receive a moral background because they are Catholic Christians is insulting to your faith. Do not
concern yourself what other faiths want from you, be concerned about what Christ wants
from you. It is imperative that you talk to a priest
about your situation. You are not setting a
Christian example for anyone, particularly your husband, because your faith is in
limbo. I believe it is somewhat more
complicated than the facts you have provided here. You
also do not state what your husband has to say about these serious issues. CatholicView will pray for you during this spiritual crisis. Please be very careful in your decisions. Your eternal life depends on it. – CatholicView Staff
“Is
Jesus present in the Eucharist physically, spiritually, or sacramentally?” - Ralph CatholicView
Staff: Dear
Ralph: Yes,
all of the above. Jesus is present in the
bread and wine physically, spiritually, and sacramentally (sign). He is the bread and wine in Holy Communion.
My
ex thought I was cheating on her because we had not made love in a while and I was
shutting her out after the death of my father. I
did not mean to but I was just in a lot of pain then. I still love her very much and want
her back but I don’t know how to get her to talk to me after the loss of my father
and now I feel like I am missing some thing. I
seem to be feeling more pain each day and I cry every day.
I cry myself to sleep at night. I
just can’t understand what I did to God for Him to make me feel all of this at the
same time. - Dan Dear
Dan: I
am so sorry that life has certainly been so difficult for you this past year. We, as Christians, do not know why such things
come to us. We can only stand firm in our
trust in God knowing that this earth is full of sorrows and pain. None can escape this. The only good thing to come of out all the bad
things is that you have a friend in the Lord Who will never leave you abandoned. God is well acquainted with your pain.
We are all facing trials in this life. The best we can offer each other is the fact that
one day, all these things will be made right. We
will have to depend heavily on God to carry us
through these bad times. He promised not to
leave us to walk through our lives alone, but will offer us the grace to get past the
things that plaque us in this sin filled world. Pray
and ask God to lift the heavy burden from you and send you a joy that will surpass your
unhappiness. CatholicView is sincerely sorry
you have lost your loved ones. If your
deceased family members died in Christ, the angels are even now comforting them. Let
go of the past. Move forward.
Perhaps the Lord has someone or something waiting to come into your life. But remember that you will want a clean
relationship, one that will be free from sexual indulgence until you marry. You do not want sexual sin on your soul. Move forward in your quest for peace. Go and speak to your priest, confess your sins and
become worthy of the blessings the Lord has for you.
– CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff:
Dear
A.J. What is the difficulty? No
one knows of your divorce? Are you sure? To the basic answer: the Church DOES NOT
recognize your civil divorce no matter what the reason was.
You are still sacramentally married. There
is no need for a church annulment since you are not marrying OTHER people. There is no need for any kind of dispensation. If you wish to have your marriage vows renewed on
the anniversary of your church marriage, then do so.
There is no impediment to your plans.
Dear
Jim: The Lord
knows your situation and knows that you cannot join the worshipping community on Sunday. There is no need to receive a formal dispensation
since there isn’t any for this type of situation.
When you are at sea on Sunday, make time to worship the Lord and read the
scriptures of that Sunday and pray together. That
will take care of your individual obligation to attend Mass on that particular Sunday.
– CatholicView Staff CatholicView
Staff:
Levi: You
are correct that the Church recognizes your marriage before your started the RCIA process
as valid. But usually, after a couple is
received into the Church, we would like to formally recognize your marriage as a
sacramental marriage by convalidating (solemnly blessing) it and asking God’s
blessing on your marriage. This is usually a
simple and dignified ceremony. Please talk to
your priest about it. – CatholicView Staff
Dear
Steven: Stipends are your gift to that celebrant for services rendered,
similar to a “tip” at a restaurant or other service. You give from your heart what you want. There is no set amount for such things. With that said, when the local bishop comes to my parish for the Sacrament of Confirmation, he
is
usually given $400.
Nothing is given
to the concelebrating priests and assisting deacons.
I wish I knew more about what you were planning to give a better answer. – CatholicView Staff CatholicView
Staff:
Dear
K.D. You are
certainly welcome to be a member of our Church! Come
on in. You have had a hard life and the Lord wants to
heal you. He wants you to live free from the
past! Jesus wants to live in your heart,
home, and be part of your life forever! Let
Him in. He will take care of your past by
forgiving it. You have made destructive life
choices, but it is time to start again. Come
home to the Church and come to Jesus. He
awaits you with open arms. –
CatholicView Staff
Amanda: You are always welcome in the Catholic Church and you are welcome to be a practicing member of it. You do not need to be confirmed to go to confession. That is also the same practice in the Episcopal Church in the USA where you are a member. You do know that you can make an appointment to see your priest about confession. Also, taking medications, even for depression, is not a sin nor is it a sign of your lack of faith. We all need help at some time in our lives and God gave us the ability to use medical discoveries for our welfare and health. May the Lord heal your depression and fill you with peace! -Catholicview Staff
CatholicView
Staff: Dear
Michael: We
are all in search of God’s love. At
different times of our lives, we encounter that need for God’s love and peace and
search for it. Your daughter is searching for
that confidence and love of God that she needs right now.
For some reason, her journey has taken her to this other Christian church as
she searches for answers. Please, do not
judge her so quickly and do not harass her on this issue of going to another Christian
church. But be ready to discuss your Catholic
faith and be ready to testify why your Catholic faith gives you the spiritual food and
support that you need in your life. You say
that she is receiving communion at the other church as well as receiving communion at the
Catholic Church. Here, I would say to her
that since she has made a “break” with the church, that she should refrain from
receiving communion at the Catholic parish. Receiving
communion implies a union and acceptance of our beliefs.
By her actions, she is saying that she does not accept everything and is not
in total union. So, going to communion is not
recommended here. But if she does go to
communion, that is on her conscience. She
knows what she is doing. Maybe, she will
return to the Church fully after her detour on her spiritual journey. That is what I pray for right now. – CatholicView Staff Catholicview
Staff:
Dear
Laura: There is
no problem with having a “maid of honor” that is not Catholic. If you are having Mass with your wedding
ceremony, remember that the non-Catholic parties cannot receive communion. – CatholicView
Staff CatholicView
Staff:
Dear
Hunter: Love all
life, and love your dogs! There is no
“sin” involved with that! I love
animals too! But, there is a priority of
loving. Loving your children should be a
priority. You do not mention how your
relationship with them is doing. You do not
explain why this question of loving your dogs is an issue with you now. Loving your pets is expected since they depend on
you for their sustenance. But loving your
children is even more important and life-giving because they depend on your love which
gives them purpose. CatholicView
Staff: There
is a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel in either the book or booklet titled "Saint
Michael and The Angels". I am not sure if the prayer comes from the book or the
booklet or both. Here is the prayer: Deacon
Dan: I have never heard of this poem/prayer to Saint
Michael in regards to not being able to attend Mass and receive communion. The question about asking Saint Michael to receive
communion in your place is a strange one. Why
ask Saint Michael to receive communion for you when you can do it yourself through our
devotional practice of “spiritual communion?”
Spiritual communion is that prayer to our Lord Jesus to come into my heart
and soul when I am unable to receive communion for whatever reason. I don’t want anyone to receive
“communion” for me when I can do it myself and still receive the
“graces” of an intimate union with Jesus Christ whether it be physically in the
actual reception of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy being
refused be afraid
or spiritually by prayer and desire when I cannot be there in person. - CatholicView
Staff Catholicview
Staff: Dear Jerry: Yes, you may have a funeral mass even if your
remains are to be placed somewhere other than a cemetery.
The reason that the church teaches that our remains be placed somewhere is
that it is a testimony to our faith that Jesus will return and raise the dead at the last
day. Our burial or placement of remains means
that we await that day when Jesus returns. - CatholicView
Staff
Dear
Joe: Recently,
we wrote about the teaching of purgatory. Use
this link to find out more: http://catholicvu.com/june2006.htm The answer about Purgatory is at the very bottom
of this page. Once
again, purgatory is not a place but a state of being purified so that we can be totally
united with God (declaration and infallible definition by the Council of Trent). When I die, I die with the things that separate me
from a total union with my Creator. These
things will be cleansed and destroyed by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is what purgatory is, the process of
destroying all the effects of sin so that I can be united with God in heaven. Whether you believe that or not, it is going to
happen when we die. So, are you a Catholic? Of course, you are.
What matters is how you live your faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord will not ask you for theological answers
to test questions when you reach the gates of heaven.
Jesus will simply ask the question He asked Peter after His resurrection,
“Do you love me?” And with your
whole life, you will answer, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” He will reply with His open arms, “Welcome
to the kingdom that I have prepared for you.” – CatholicView Staff
Catholicview
Staff: Dear
Charles: People
are sinful. As human beings, we do things
that separate people because of our pride and selfishness.
Sin is the breaking of relationship between God and myself and others. Religion as you describe it is not the reason for
separation between peoples. People are the
reason because they do not follow the basic tenet of love of their fellow human beings. My Christian faith is not what ostracizes people
from one another. It is the evil that lurks
in the heart of human beings that is the cause of separation.
Margaret: There is nothing written in Canon Law concerning the refrigeration of wine to be used for the sacrifice of the Mass. In my parish, the sacramental wine is refrigerated to retain its taste, texture, and to preserve it. There is nothing “unnatural” about it. – CatholicView Staff Please use the link at the top left
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