Ask a Priest

5,442 Responses

Mel, on January 29, 2017 at 3:21 am said:

Hi father I’m a catholic married to an ex divorced mormon. We have a child that i would like to be baptised into catholic. We got married in a universal life church 10 years ago a non denominational church. We both haven’t been to church for a while but wanting to go back. He talked about wanting to be converted to catholic. Is there a way for him to be converted, needs his prior marriage annulled? We just need answers to these questions. Thank you.

FATHER JOE:

Even if you cannot now receive Holy Communion, you can start your healing by a return to participating at Sunday Mass. The Eucharist is both a supper and a sacrifice. The sacrifice of Jesus is what makes possible the forgiveness of sins and our spiritual healing. Bring your husband with you. Talk to the parish priest. He can work with the two of you, both to get the child baptized, and possibly to regularize your relationship.

The priest and Marriage Tribunal would need to explore your husband’s first bond and his religious faith. Catholics who marry in the Church and baptized Protestants who marry either in church or in court both need to explore a formal case annulment. Mormons would also have to bring a case to the Tribunal but there may be a means for the Catholic Church to dissolve his first bond since it was not a sacrament. Catholicism does not accept Mormon baptism. His desire to become a Catholic and to marry you in the Catholic Church would also be a positive factor. Was his first spouse also Mormon? If he married a baptized Catholic out of the Church, then a simple declaration of nullity could be pursued. Do not delay. Find your local Catholic church and see the priest as soon as possible. (Non-denominational churches are regarded by Catholicism as Protestant churches that do not want to be called Protestant churches.)

If you have no prior bond, and if he can be released from his, your marriage could be convalidated in the Catholic Church. You would repeat your vows before a priest and two witnesses. Again, do not delay— for your own good and the good of the child!
Charlie N., on January 28, 2017 at 11:46 pm said:

Hi Father Joe,

While lapsed from the Church, I married an “unbaptized” Christian woman in a Protestant church without dispensation. I desire to come back to the Church, but can I ever participate in the Eucharist again?

God bless,

Charlie

FATHER JOE: Are you still with her? If not, and given a divorce, you can apply for a declaration of nullity because of lack of canonical form. This would free you to date and to marry again. If you are alone, then all you need do is go to Confession and return to Mass attendance. Peace!
Jeff, on January 28, 2017 at 6:09 am said:

Father Joe, I was skiing today and I met a girl. She was very annoying and wouldn’t leave me alone. I was nice to her, but then she asked me for my number and if she could go skiing with me. I then made up a lie to get out of it. I later felt really bad about it. Then I felt worse when I found out she was mentally ill.
If I ever have to handle a situation like this again, how should I handle it differently? Also how can I repent for lying to her?

FATHER JOE: You ask God for forgiveness. You pray for her.
Caleb, on January 25, 2017 at 5:38 am said:

Dear Father,

I read some stuff about reprobates, and now I’m scared I will never be forgiven no matter what I do from here on out. I swear, I’m not trolling you. Is it true that after a certain amount of mortal sins, God eternally damn the individual prior to death?

FATHER JOE: Where do you get this crazy stuff? No, it is not true. As long as you have breath and a heartbeat, God can forgive your mortal sins. There is no number limit.
Donna, on January 23, 2017 at 6:28 pm said:

I have struggled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and OCD my entire life. I am a faithful Catholic and have prayed for help over the years for these mental issues. The hardest part is the obsessive thoughts and worries. They never go away and some of the thoughts that creep into my mind are hard to deal with because I know that I don’t mean them yet they continue to torment me anyway. To cope, I say “Jesus loves me. Satan stay away.” to myself about 100 times a day. But I’m constantly scared my thoughts are going to unintentionally sell my soul or become possessed or hurt God. I am doing my best to perform actions that are holy on a daily basis. I pray every day. I pray the Rosary once a week. I try so hard to do good and be good and loving and compassionate. Do you think God understands my mind has these diseases and will understand and have mercy on me? I’d like to think my thoughts don’t have any power unless I act on them. Is this also true?

FATHER JOE: God knows your heart. He also understands mental illness. Put aside your anxiety. You cannot accidentally damn yourself. His mercy and compassion is boundless!
Scott, on January 23, 2017 at 12:06 pm said:

Hello I am in a multi denominational college studying applied theology. I am a Catholic Anglican and a lot of the people have a problem as to why Catholics and catholic Anglicans pray to Mary and to the saints because they say that you are putting Mary higher than God and they call it heracy . Please could you exsplain simply why we pray to Mary and pray to the Saints and if you have time their issue with transubstansiation where the bread and wine is the body and blood of Christ. I belive it to be true but they keep trying to deny my view just because it does not say it in the bible therefore it is not true.
Thankyou in advance
SC

FATHER JOE:

As an aside, Catholicism would not recognize the designation of being “multi-denominational.” Indeed, it would fall under the sin of religious relativism. Having said this, there are former Anglicans who rightly worship as Catholics according to their traditions within the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter or the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Devotion to Mary and the saints is an acknowledgment of the Church’s unity. The saints are in glory, they are a part of us and they pray for us. Transubstantiation is just a Thomistic term for the change of substance at the consecration. Our Lord took bread and wine and changed them into his body and his blood. The substance or reality is the fully present and risen Christ. The accidents or appearances remain the same. Jesus established a new covenant in his blood. A covenant could not be made in fake blood or a fake sacrifice. Jesus gives himself to us as our saving food. The Mass is the clean-sacrifice that re-presents the one-time oblation of Jesus on Calvary.
Nneka Emeka, on January 19, 2017 at 7:44 am said:

Good day. Please my friend is in a dilemma. She is in love and planning on getting married to a Muslim man. However she is a Catholic and so is her family. They are very much against it. She would like to know if it is genuinely accepted by the church for her to marry a Muslim. He has agreed to allow her carry on in the Catholic church. Will she still be allowed to receive communion? These questions have been troubling her. Would appreciate an answer.

FATHER JOE: The answer to this question depends somewhat upon the country in question and the social relationship of Islam to Catholicism. In the United States, a Muslim can marry a Catholic if they take Catholic preparation, procure the needed dispensation from the Bishop and have the ceremony before a priest in church with two witnesses. The dispensation requires that the Catholic will do all in her power to practice her faith and to raise any children as Catholics. The partner must agree. Otherwise, there can be no dispensation. No dispensation… no marriage. Some countries would promote forced conversion to Islam. If that is the case then there can be no Catholic marriage. Dispensations are not easy as there is a high divorce rate between Catholics and Muslims. I usually urge against such marriages. But if the priest marries them then she will be allowed to continue in receiving Holy Communion. Anyone who marries outside the Church is no longer in good standing. There can also be no prior bond. I have known a Muslim man who kept three wives. Such relationships are regarded as adulterous and not true marriages in the eyes of the Church.
Donald Z., on January 18, 2017 at 9:28 pm said:

Hi Father Joe,

Thank you for answering my question about Anglicanism on January 15. It helped me understand a lot. Not being a theologian, I didn’t entirely grasp your explanation at first, but I tried reading Pope Leo XIII’s 18 Sept 1896 Papal Encyclical that you shared, and thinking about your words. Pope Leo XIII is very clear (and you cite this line too): the Anglican Rite is “absolutely null and utterly void.” He writes that the Anglican Rite is defective in both form and intention. I believe I grasp the meaning of “form” and “intention” here:

1.) Form: So the Ordinal is defective in form because, literally, the words indicating the sacrifice of the priesthood were lacking for over 100 years (till they tried to mend the Edwardian form). Or as Pope Leo XIII writes in the encyclical you shared:

“…in the whole Ordinal not only is there no clear mention of the sacrifice, of consecration, of the priesthood (sacerdotium), and of the power of consecrating and offering sacrifice but, as we have just stated, every trace of these things which had been in such prayers of the Catholic rite as they had not entirely rejected, was deliberately removed and struck out.”

When you read the words “sacrifice…of the priesthood,” what are you thinking? Does this mean, at Mass, when the priest offers the Eucharistic sacrifice, he’s offering himself—and that the Anglican rite excised that understanding, and is therefore void? [Is this related to Anglicans not believe the bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood? I didn’t realize Anglicans don’t believe in transubstantiation—this is still the case?]

2.) Intention: In writing the Edwardian Ordinal, the Anglicans were intending to subvert apostolic succession, basically creating their own succession (you use the illuminating image of cutting of the umbilical cord). So in that very intention, they’ve rendered a sacrament un-sacramental, and their rite is therefore null and void. Correct?

I’m thinking through all this, and asking questions, because I was trying to understand this sentence you wrote: “You cannot both claim a priesthood that offers a real sacrifice while denying such an oblation.” So basically: the Anglicans cannot claim a priesthood that offers a real sacrifice because they denied the existence of that sacrifice (for the over 100 years after the Edwardian Ordinal was in place) by omitting mention of them in the Edwardian Ordinal. Is that correct? The “real sacrifice” that the priesthood offers is Christ: his body and blood… and Anglicans don’t offer a real sacrifice because they deny that the bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood. Is this reasoning correct?

I apologize for all the questions: understanding this correctly means a lot to me, and I want to get it right. Thank you for answering questions so thoroughly.

FATHER JOE: How you read me in your clarifying questions is essentially correct. While there are some Anglicans that have a Catholic view of the priesthood and Mass, their “church” is not consistent because others reject such views. Their ecclesial community is a forced communion of a high (approaching Catholic) and a low church (like the Scottish Presbyterians). But whatever their views, their prayer book broke apostolic succession and an authentic episcopacy and priesthood died out. Anglo-Catholics speak of a real change in the Eucharistic elements and may even use the word transubstantiation; however others reject it for either Luther’s consubstantiation or for a spiritualized presence. They fight over the Anglican prayer book and do not even agree on the number of sacraments. The high church seeks to keep the seven, but by demoting five to sacramentals. The 39 Articles of Anglicanism only recognizes the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Recently the Anglican church in Australia has even questioned the need for priests and many have suggested that the laity, men and women, could offer the Lord’s Supper. The topic is confusing because the Anglicans are confused among themselves.
Rena, on January 18, 2017 at 6:16 pm said:

Father, I’ve been struggling with porn and masturbation since I was 13, and now I’m 21… it has done a lot of damage to my health but yet I can’t stop. Please advice what should I do… I know it’s wrong, I hear my conscience telling me to stop when I’m doing it, but yet I still continue. Part of me feels like I’m not doing anything wrong because I’m hurting no one, but the other part of me knows what I’m doing is wrong and God would not like that, but still I do it. I am afraid of being barred from heaven if I don’t repent… how do I solve this problem?

FATHER JOE: Porn and sex addiction is not without a victim. You are certainly harmed, but so are those in the images. Human beings are wrongly objectified. Confused, misled and weak people are exploited. Their dignity as persons is destroyed. They become objectified as pieces of meat, as things to satisfy the lusts of others. Women are especially wounded. The purveyors forget or do not care that these girls are someone’s precious daughters or even mothers. The boys are someone’s sons and (potentially) fathers. While there are subjective elements like youth, addiction, the erotic environment, etc., the matter is indeed grievous. Pornography signifies a type of virtual prostitution. Lustful thoughts can also constitute for married people (on either side of the wrong) an adultery of the heart. Go to confession. Avoid as best as you are able the occasion of sin (temptation) and if need be, get counseling. Try to form a healthy and holy relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Redirect your passion to courtship and marriage. Pray for chastity. Peace!
eric, on January 17, 2017 at 5:33 pm said:

Dear Father Joe, Recently I was searching online for a copy of the Knox Bible – hoping to find it at a discount. I did – through a family owned Catholic store online. It was mentioned that a certain percentage of proceeds from purchases go to various religious orders. 3 of the religious orders were official and in union with the Church, however, one is not (SSPX).Would it still be permissible to make the purchase knowing that donations would be going to an SSPX affiliated group?

FATHER JOE: Yes, you can still buy the Bible.

Second, should this be brought to the attention of the online store owner in case they are not aware that the group is not in communion with The Holy See? Thank you Father.

FATHER JOE: I really think the store owner knows already.
Donald Z., on January 15, 2017 at 11:34 pm said:

Hi Father Joe,

I’m Roman Catholic, but I was talking with an Anglican priest once, who vehemently argued that Anglicans were Catholics (not sure if it’s a big or little “C” here, when he said it) too. He said his Church (capital “C”) follows the Church of early Christianity, and follows all apostolic teachings. He also emphasized something called the “1928 Book of Common Prayer,” and vehemently said it was better than any revisions. Are Anglicans Catholic too? How, as a Catholic, can I respond to these kinds of assertions? I’m not a theologian like this priest, but I’d like to get a better understanding of these kinds of arguments and how the Catholic Church frames these assertions.

Thank you for all you do.

FATHER JOE:

The Anglican priest probably meant Catholic with the little “c.” But while there are many Catholic elements, much of the underlying substance is missing. The Apostolic lineage is not simply a historical appreciation of the early Church but rather an umbilical cord going back to Christ and his apostles. The Anglicans cut the cord with the 1552 Edwardine Ordinal. You cannot both claim a priesthood that offers a real sacrifice while denying such an oblation. A defect of form and intention was introduced. Efforts to later correct it came too late. Apostolic succession in the Anglican church was lost. This was clarified by the papal bull Apostolicae curae issued in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII, declaring all Anglican ordinations to be “absolutely null and utterly void.” (The only possible corrective today is the involvement of Orthodox bishops in ordinations and the numbers of Catholic clergy who have defected to the Episcopal churches.)

The 1928 Book of Common Prayer states in the Articles of Religion:

“The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.”

Does that sound Catholic to you? No!

“Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.”

Does that sound Catholic to you? No!

They might claim to be Catholic-lite but appearances can be deceiving. Similar trappings do not mean the substance is identical. The Orthodox churches are defective but real. The Catholic churches are licit and real. Anglican churches are really ecclesial communities and do not represent a third “Catholic” way.
Zach Rose, on January 15, 2017 at 3:03 am said:

Father,
I have a question about certain verses in the Bible. The verses are Matthew 12:31-32 and the verses leading up to that. As you know, these verses pertain to the unforgivable sin. I was wondering, if the Pharisees who made the accusations against Jesus later on repented would they have been forgiven? Is it because they disliked Jesus so much, they would never even entertain the thought of seeking forgiveness? Thank you

FATHER JOE:

“Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

If one were to attribute to Satan what is the work of the Spirit of God, then the person closes all the doors to divine mercy. You cannot be absolved or healed by the very power you curse. Such a person is not disposed to mercy. But note the works for which Jesus was condemned. He gave consolation to the oppressed. He healed the hurting. He gave hope to those who felt unloved and unwanted. He freed the possessed from demonic bondage. He forgave sins and even raised the dead. Jesus was condemned for doing good, not evil. This says something about the negative or twisted character of those who judged him. Indeed, they wanted to trap him in his speech and ultimately sought to have him killed. There was murder in their hearts and this made them spiritually blind. Such persons would have to recant all this so as to appreciate the truth about Christ. Salvation is not impossible, as long as they have the breath of life, but it may become increasingly unlikely. Of course, even St. Paul who approved of the stoning of Stephen is eventually converted. God’s grace can overcome the thickest walls.
Albert, on January 14, 2017 at 10:02 pm said:

Father that was an interesting question and your explanation was awesome. Thank you .
Mohamed Yaseen Khan, on January 14, 2017 at 9:59 am said:

Dear Priest, Peace be with you.

I hope you can help me with a theological issue.

In Islam there is a mentioning about a book that literally descended from God upon the Beloved Prophet Jesus (Peace and Blessings be upon him), and not a compilation of letters which were written by his disciples.

Does this concept also exists in your writings? If so, how is that particular book called?

This would help me a lot with the translation of the word “Injil” which refers to the book of God descended upon the Beloved Prophet Jesus Peace and Blessings be upon him.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Yaseen Khan (islamic theologian)

FATHER JOE:

No, there is no such book. The Gospel for us is the basic revelation that God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to save us. The kingdom of God breaks into the world, first through the incarnate-person of Jesus and then through the vehicle of his Church. Jesus is the revelation of God. He shows us the face of the heavenly Father. The Christian faith is Trinitarian. There is ONE GOD (one divine nature) but from all eternity, the Father knows himself and generates the Son; the Father and Son love each other and generate the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He comes to heal the rift caused by sin. He dies that we might live. He offers us a share in eternal life.

We view Jesus as the eternal Word that comes down from heaven so that God, the Creator, might communicate himself through our own flesh and the human family. This appreciation of the INCARNATION refers as well to the presence of Christ in the Bible (the message of God penned by men but divinely inspired by God). God is the primary causality. Men signify the secondary causality. Christ is present and active in the sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments. Christ is present in the priest who participates in the high priesthood of our Lord. Christ is present in the Mystical Body of the Church. Ours is not a religion of the BOOK; rather, it is a personal and communal faith-relationship in Jesus Christ that is lived out in charity and obedience. Historically, Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of the ancient prophesies and promise given to the Jews. He institutes a Church and establishes its leadership or Magisterium. He sends the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide the Church, giving efficacy to her sacraments or divine mysteries. The oral tradition of the apostles is eventually written down, forming the Scriptures and the non-canonical writings.

We have no evidence that the Islamic “Injil” ever existed. Indeed, given how the Church preserves religious relics, we regard it as certain that nothing written by Christ’s hand has passed down to us. If it were real there would be some scrap or fragment. We view it as a myth associated with the fashioning of Islam from Judaism, Christianity and local tribal religions. It was an attempt to substantiate Islamic claims over those of the Judeo-Christian inheritance.
John, on January 14, 2017 at 8:37 am said:

Dear Father Joe, I haven’t written for a while. I want you to know I often remember your presence ,and often your well being is prayed for .
Thank you for the enlightening blog.
Michelle Barber, on January 11, 2017 at 7:59 pm said:

Hello Father
My question refers to beliefs about the afterlife. If it is on judgement day God that decides who will go to heaven what happens immediately after death? When does a Soul reach heaven? Whats the difference between purgatory and limbo? Is my nanna in heaven?I am awash with questions . . .As an RE teacher of 5 years I have never encountered this problem before and through my own exploration and questioning I am just becoming more confused. I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school, i still consider myself to be Catholic, perhaps I missed that lesson at school, is it wrong to ask so many questions???

FATHER JOE: The particular judgment happens at the moment of death. If we have damned ourselves to Hell or if we are ready for Heaven then the soul is immediately translated to its reward or punishment. Souls in purgation will experience a “duration” of purification based upon the need for purification or healing. All souls that go to Purgatory will eventually reach Heaven. The Limbo of the Fathers no longer exists (the righteous dead awaiting the coming of the Christ). The Limbo of Innocents probably does not exist, but it was described as a place where unbaptized children went where they would be naturally happy but ignorant of God. At the final judgment Purgatory will cease and there will only be Heaven and Hell.
Joy, on January 9, 2017 at 11:01 pm said:

I have been a Lector at Mass for years. I am a female. I would hope to continue to do so for many years if possible. But reading this, am I wrong in wanting to be a Lector for as long as possible. Is it true that ONLY men should be permanent Lectors at Mass. What of places (like ours) where there definitely are NOT enough men who would come forward to be Lectors.

Quote:
Can. 230 §1 Lay men [Latin, viri] whose age and talents meet the requirements prescribed by decree of the Episcopal Conference, can be given the stable ministry of lector and of acolyte, through the prescribed liturgical rite. This conferral of ministry does not, however, give them a right to sustenance or remuneration from the Church.

Quote:
Can. 230 §2 Lay people can receive a temporary assignment to the role of lector in liturgical actions. Likewise, all lay people can exercise the roles of commentator, cantor or other such, in accordance with the law.

Quote:
But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved (v. 5).

FATHER JOE:

Given that they were once regarded as minor orders toward priesthood, the installed Lector or Acolyte must be an adult man. The temporary ministry of Server or Reader is open to men and women. They are commissioned, not installed. Outside of the seminary, there are very few installed Acolytes and Lectors. An exception would be the Diocese of Lincoln, NE where a higher number of men are officially installed. Most dioceses and parishes are happy to have men and women reading and assisting with liturgies. Too often we relegate the role of Server to children where adults (usually men) can bring both maturity and professionalism to the celebrations. Readers should be Catholic men and women in good standing with the Church. Continue to support your faith community.

Except for the doctrinal prohibition against women’s ordination, the Scripture verse refers to a disciplinary matter (decorum) open to modification or abrogation. There was also a concern in the early Church, particularly among pagan converts, that certain women were seeking to manipulate the communities or to introduce the ecstatic and prophetic elements from their prior religions. There would be no place for female oracles in Christianity.
Adam Kirkeby, on January 9, 2017 at 10:41 pm said:

Hello,

I have two questions, which I hope you are able to help me with.

I am of Danish descent and growing up I had a book of stories by Hans Christen Andersen including of the Little Mermaid. A couple of years ago I visited Denmark and stayed with family while over there. While there I visited the famous Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen and took photographs with myself and a family member beside the statue. I also bought a miniature version of the statue to take home. However, I recently became concerned that as the Little Mermaid statue is of a bare figure it may be immoral. For me the photos and statue serve as reminders of my trip and as links to my ancestoral homeland not for immoral purposes. My first question is should I throw the statue away and destroy the photos from my trip or is it legitimate to keep them? I would be sad to get rid of them because of the memories they provide, but if I must I will. Also, if I must throw them away, do I have an obligation to suggest to my relative who also bought a Little Mermaid souvenir to also throw theirs away given that they are most likely to object?

My second question is regarding recycling. Is it sinful not to recycle. There is a recycling station about twenty minutes drive from my home, which I have often taken recycling to, but often to save time and to avoid the trip I have also often just thrown recycling out with the regular rubbish. Is this sinful? Also, would it be sinful to throw recyclables out into a regular rubbish bin if you were say out on a picnic lunch at a park?

Thank you very much in advance for your help.

FATHER JOE:

Should we whitewash St. Peter’s in Rome because of a similarly misplaced modesty? Catholics are not puritans. The human body is worthy of art. The Little Mermaid and similar stories of myth are part of our cultural inheritance. There is nothing wrong with the statue, if properly understood. There is a difference between such depictions and pornography. I would not worry about the souvenir.

Recycling may or may not be required. There is no specific teaching on the matter. Rather, I suspect that each of us has to ask himself, “Am I being a good steward of God’s creation?” If not, then we should seek to do better. I suspect for most people a possible transgression would either be no sin or a venial sin, depending upon the materials thrown away and access to recycling facilities. Many may not have easy access. The issue could quickly become mortal as in a corporation poisoning a community’s ground water or food supply.
Steve Williams, on January 9, 2017 at 8:36 pm said:

I’ve always been confused about this: We as Christians strive to keep Christmas holy, but we teach our children about a fictional Santa Claus that was inspired by pagan traditions, rather than teaching them about the REAL St. Nick, the Greek Bishop Niklaus of Myra. I’m guessing this is because teaching them about a real Saint that died would immediately confuse them into either thinking Santa Claus had died, or lift the curtain on the fact that Santa Claus isn’t real. This, I presume, is why we avoid this. However, isn’t that hypocritcal for us? Shouldn’t we teach our youngest children about the real St. Nick, a christian figure that represents all the virtues and values the holiday embodies, rather than perpetuating a pagan-inspired, commercialized lie?

FATHER JOE:

The first stories about Santa Claus had to do with St. Nicholas. I would hesitate to use the word LIE because behind the fantasy (if not the commercialization) are many metaphors and analogies for truth. Catholicism is not a form of fundamentalism. We are quite comfortable with imaginative art, poetry, stories, etc. as a means to protect innocence, to teach truth and to give joy. We as believers should be creative in keeping Christ in Christmas. The crèche and Christmas tree are already Christian symbols. As I child I delighted to learn from my parents that Santa Claus or St. Nicholas was a bishop and priest. We recall salvation history by making reference to a cyclical liturgical year… reliving and making present the stories of promise, birth, adoration, betrayal, suffering and resurrection. I suppose in that sense St. Nicholas becomes an eternal symbol of love and generosity… from God and from loved ones. Jews and early Christians also developed their own folklore. They knew that some stories were fanciful but they also added to the cultural richness of a people. For example, when I was in Loretto, PA, I discovered a small grotto or cave with a statue of the Holy Family hidden inside. At the mouth of the cave was a wire web with a plastic spider hanging from a thread. I asked around and some of the religious brothers chuckled. They recounted to me the Legend of the Spider. Supposedly the Holy Family was fleeing for their lives and Herod’s soldiers were catching up. They hid in a cave. And then, according to the myth, a spider miraculously spun a web at the entrance. When the soldiers found the unbroken web, they figured it was impossible for anyone to hide inside. They passed by and the family were spared. Yes, the story is likely fiction, but it reminds us that Jesus was Lord and that he had joined himself to his creation. That creation included even the smallest of his creatures, the little spider. A similar fable would be the animals of the manger being given the gift of speech on that one special night. The Word became flesh so that we might truly know God and his will for us. The secular fables can also be turned around as teaching elements. Rudolph’s nose reminds us of the star of Bethlehem. Frosty points us to God as the author of life and how he entered the human family and has promised to return. And I have said many times before, my favorite depiction of Santa Clause has him kneeling before the Christ Child in the manger. The secular bends the knee to the sacred. I have known more Protestants than Catholics who oppose Santa and the various trappings. Catholicism has no issue with images, the Blessed Mother, and with a healthy use of the imagination. We can delight in the fiction and still proclaim the truth that Jesus is the reason for the season. I would urge you to watch the so-called Catholic version of Miracle on 34th Street. Catholicism is great at using symbolic language, and that includes transforming those of a secular culture so that they might embody something of the Christian kerygma. Peace!
Grace, on January 9, 2017 at 4:38 pm said:

Hi Father,

I need a bit of advice. My long term boyfriend broke up with me a few months ago, and since, I have tried to remain friends. However, I have found this very difficult so I decided that maybe it isn’t for the best right now so remain in contact. I just want to ask, is this a sin? I have always felt that I have forgiven him, but I I feel as though the hurt still comes back when we try to speak. I am unsure of what is the right thing to do in this situation.

Thanks you.

FATHER JOE: If the relationship were not headed in the right direction then it was proper to break it off. Depending upon the degree of intimacy, it is not always possible to remain just friends. Forgiveness does not necessarily heal memories. If he wronged you then he should have exercised contrition and amendment of life. Peace!
Terry, on January 8, 2017 at 3:45 pm said:

Is it really against Gods will to eat pork.

FATHER JOE: Christianity would say the Mosaic dietary law is no longer binding. It served its purpose. It was a test of obedience and fidelity.
MF, on January 6, 2017 at 12:00 pm said:

Good morning, Father!

Thank you for providing this wonderful service. Your blog is spiritually edifying, and helps lots of people in their journey. You are not taken for granted!

Anyway, I have a quick question–if a person is really struggling with a great deal of temptation, but hasn’t actually committed a sin, is that something that should be brought up in Confession?

FATHER JOE: Temptation is not sin but the question must be asked, do you unnecessarily place yourself in the way of temptation? Mentioning such struggles may make possible proper counsel. There is also grace given to deal with certain challenges.
LOUIE, on January 5, 2017 at 9:54 am said:

CAN A CURSE BE DEALT WITH BY EXORCISM?
THANK YOU

FATHER JOE:

You probably mean the effects of a curse and the answer is yes. However, maledictions or curses can also be rectified or healed by deliverance prayer and the Sacrament of Penance. Indeed, all the sacraments and the Mass can break a curse, if there should be a supernatural agency involved with it.

God answers all positive prayer, even if he says no or not now. The demonic does not necessarily respond to every curse. We might be dealing only with angry and hurtful words.

A curse might call upon God, but God will not be coerced to do evil. God is the judge of all things, not us. An attitude that seeks dominion over God and his providence is sinful. Even the woe statements of Scripture are a discernment of God’s judgment, not a control of his sovereignty.
Megan Keller, on January 4, 2017 at 8:07 pm said:

Hello Father,

My friend is getting married and I was asked to be a bridesmaid. It is a Protestant wedding and neither party has ever been Catholic. Is it okay to partake in the wedding? They are currently engaged, living together, and getting married in September of 2017.

FATHER JOE: Yes, it is okay. Witness the marriage and share their joy!
Roberta, on January 3, 2017 at 11:30 pm said:

I have been married for over 30 yrs, my husband is baptist and I am catholic. Even thought I go to church, I don’t know if I can still receive communion because I married out of the church?

FATHER JOE: See your priest and get your marriage con-validated. If there is no prior bond, it should be easy.