Ask a Priest

5,442 Responses

Melissa, on May 22, 2017 at 12:42 am said:

Father Joe:

I am confuse with the words in THE NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE:

1 Kings 15:1-2 In the eighteeth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah and reigned ofr three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah descendant of Absalom.

1 Kings 15:9-10 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah and reigned for forty-one yrats in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah descendant of Absalom.

1 King 15:13 He even deprived his grandmother Maacah of the dignity of Great Lady for having made an obscenity for Asherah; Asa cut down her obscenity and burnt it in the ravine of the Kidron.

Father, I am confuse over this: Maacah supposed to be the grandmother of King Asa or mother? Who is King Asa mother?

Thank you very much, Father for your time. Melissa

FATHER JOE: Maacah was the daughter of Absalom, the select wife of Jeroboam, the mother of Abijah and the grandmother of Asa (his immediate mother is not named and had probably died early on). The confusion in the text is probably due to the fact that Maacah served as the Queen Mother of Judah until Asa deposed her for idolatry. (See also 2 Chronicles 11:20-22 & 2 Chronicles 15:16.)
Jazmin, on May 21, 2017 at 3:22 am said:

Hi, I have a question.

My husband and I tried hard to get pregnant but it didn’t work.

So we decided to do IVF and at the same time I was praying so hard and asking God to give me a child.

I also asked some friends to pray for us too.

The first embryo transfer didn’t work, and we went to a second try.

Fortunately, the second one worked and now I’m 33 weeks pregnant. And I’m sure that he is a gift from God. While we were thinking to give our child the name Giovanni (God has shown a favor), a friend’s mother-in-law dreamed that God wants me to give the name Samuel to our boy.

I thought to myself that I could give him the first name Giovanni and make Samuel his middle name. Nevertheless, the lady insists that I give Samuel as the first name. Am I disobeying God if I give Giovanni as a first name and Samuel as the middle name?

FATHER JOE:

If God were going to directly name your child, then either you or your husband would have had the dream— not the mother of a friend. She is deluded and I would pay her no mine. Name the child whatever you please. New Testament names, particularly saints in the liturgical calendar, usually take precedence over the Old Testament when it comes to Christians. Giovanni is the Italian version of St. John. That signifies a great patron saint.

St. John gives us a wonderful prologue in his Gospel from which we derive much of our theology about the identity of Christ and the meaning of the unity in the Trinity. The Word became flesh. God sent his only son into the world to redeem us. The Gospels of Luke and John speak in a powerful way about the meaning of the incarnation and the sanctity of human life, from the womb to the tomb. It may be fortuitous because of the manner that your child was conceived. You may not be aware, but the Catholic faith forbids in vitro fertilization. While the Church permits various treatments against infertility, IVF violates a number of important Christian values. Read the universal catechism (CCC 2373-2379).

(1) The Church is very sensitive to the suffering of couples who want families but are struggling with infertility. The one reason most often promoted for opposition to IVF intervention has to do with the status of the embryos. Each and every conceived embryo has an immortal soul and is a human being. It is immoral to freeze and store them (most do not survive the process) and once an embryo is successfully embedded in the womb, remaining embryos are frequently destroyed. This is condemned for the same reasons that the Church opposes abortion.

(2) Should there be infertility, the Christian vocation of marriage is morally no less a covenant or blessed by God than those with children. Every child is a gift. Parents are entrusted with children but they are not property. No one can deserve or demand a child. IVF wrongly reduces the child to a commodity produced by laboratory technicians for a profit.

(3) There is also an issue with the acquisition of the sperm for IVF and artificial insemination. It is usually collected through masturbation which is an immoral act.

(4) Compounding the moral issues inherent in this approach is that eggs and sperm might come from outside sources. This adds the sin of adultery to the equation.

(5) Spouses are called to live out their baptismal vocation and that of marriage, their calling within a calling. Couples should cooperate with God in the creation of new human persons. They must always accept providence, both in an unexpected conception and when none takes place. Every child should be conceived in a loving and human way— the marital act. IVF and artificial insemination imply the intervention of a third party. This violates the immediacy of the couple in normative vaginal intercourse. We are talking about more than a physical or mechanical act. The marital act is a loving self-donation (as gift) of the spouses to each other. Every child should be conceived within this act of love and not in a test tube. A child has the natural right to be conceived in the marital embrace of his or her parents. IVF wrongly separates the unitive from the procreative element of human sexuality.

What is done is done. Children are innocent even when parents and others are at fault in how they were conceived. Go to Confession. Raise your child in the faith. Love each other.
chris, on May 20, 2017 at 2:38 pm said:

Shalom. If the person has full knowledge about masturbation and the next day, the person masturbates even though he knows that masturbation is a grave matter but at the same time he forgets the reason why masturbation is a sin, does that person commit mortal sin or venial sin? Thanks and God bless!

FATHER JOE:

There are a few inherent problems with your query.

First, the definition of what constitutes “full consent” must be drawn out.

Second, culpability can never omit the subjective elements that impede free consent.

Full knowledge implies that (1) the person knows what he is doing, (2) he knows from moral authority that the action is wrong or right and (3) that he appreciates in conscience why the activity is immoral or moral.

Free consent can be damaged by coercive factors like vice (bad habit), passion, external enticement or manipulation, emotional states, immaturity, fear, etc.

We can know from just moral authority (like the Church) or from divine positive law (Scripture) or from philosophical reflection (Natural Law) that certain activities are good and that others are bad. However, there is a difference between knowing something is wrong from a stark precept (as we often render to children) and from a truth that is explained and accepted in detail.

Your question seems to be asking the following: are we fully culpable for a sin if we do not understand WHY it is wrong?

We are obliged as believers to follow just authority, both civil and religious. This is a basic given of Catholic social teaching. A child may not know why he or she is obliged to do some things and to avoid others, but the obligation or duty remains. Our obedience honors parents and it honors God. The backdrop to all this is that the parents and God are legitimately communicating what is good and true. No parent or teacher can demand that a child do an immoral act. They would forfeit their overall authority. The danger here is that a child may be innocent and not know what is right or wrong apart from the parent. Similarly, religious people can be deceived by their clergy about the rightness or wrongness of acts. That is why the Catholic Church maintains exclusive claims since we feel that the Holy Spirit has preserved the Church in the truth. Other churches or ecclesial communities do not have such protection. This is also why the Church is often counter-cultural and argues that truth is objective and lasting, not capricious and vulnerable to the fads of the day and/or the accompanying legislation of politicians and rulings from the courts.

Returning to the immediacy of your question, full knowledge would also imply for adults a certain awareness of why masturbation is wrong. As to the gravity of the sin, that can only be known in conscience and between the person and almighty God. Mortal sin implies a lack of love or giving God and his Church their due— not just the benefit of a doubt but that of belief. If it stands to reason that God is right, even if we do not fully understand, then we are still obliged to obey. This is under pain of mortal sin. As we mature, our appreciation of our faith and values should also expand. This is what best fits the human condition.

Why is masturbation regarded as wrong and as a sin? Here is what the universal catechism says about the sin:

[CCC 2352] By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.” / To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety, or other psychological or social factors that can lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

Intentional sexual self-gratification (sometimes termed as self-pollution) is contrary to the natural purpose for the human sexual power or act. The Church contends that sexual activity must always be in terms of congress between a man and woman within the holy covenant of matrimony. Outside of marriage— in masturbation, heterosexual fornication (according to nature) and homosexual acts (contrary to nature)— the activity is wrong and sinful. Sexual expression is directed toward marital intimacy and the act of propagation (non-contraceptive vaginal intercourse). Masturbation short-circuits the whole meaning of human sexuality. Instead of expressing love and unity with another person, a narcissistic self-absorption is pursued instead. Pleasure or gratification is targeted for its own sake instead of as an enticement to be shared in furthering the fidelity and unity of spouses. In contrast to the donation of self to another, masturbation or Onanism is inherently selfish. Masturbation can become an addictive behavior, turning one increasing in on oneself and away from healthy relationships and prospects for marriage and family. This is the very opposite of what true love is about. Young people, given immaturity and the changing hormones or body chemistry, frequently fall into masturbation in their teen years. Here it is most probably a venial sin. However, if left unchecked it can become habitual and/or mortal. What the body does has an effect upon the soul. Given how it feeds selfishness and self-absorption, this wrongful activity has an intrinsic gravity toward mortal sin. The heart becomes hardened. What should be good and wholesome becomes something bad and sordid. It can become a sickness of the soul.

Masturbation and sexual addiction has often been compared to alcoholism. It often becomes difficult to stop. There is a sense of being evacuated of grace. The person will often feel a terrible weight of shame. This profound sense of guilt will either bring one to the sacrament of Penance (so that the work of healing can begin) or there will be a further turning away from virtue toward vice. The man or woman will rationalize actions and seek to justify his or her immoral and sexual license. The person denies to himself that he is doing anything wrong. This leads to the handmaid of masturbation, the use of pornography to fuel lustful fantasies. Our society has made this jump very easy and the media has attempted to make pornography mainstream on television and the internet. The high of sexual gratification in masturbation and pornography can poison relationships and create seeds for destruction in subsequent marriages. Not only is the sin of coveting another’s spouse violated, but pornography and sexual fantasies encourage virtual adultery. The bodies of others, frequently those of women, are dehumanized and treated as meat for hungry dogs. There is a general loss of respect for persons and their bodies. Some have even noted correlations to physical and sexual abuse of others. Every man and woman is someone’s son or daughter. We are all children of God— not nameless flesh to appease the beast.

Finally, the marital act (the use of the sexual faculties in marriage) is rightly directed to the unity in the sacrament. Both fidelity of the spouses and the generation of new human life are at the heart of this wonderful gift of sexuality given by God to men and women. Masturbation by comparison is not life-giving. This should be the clearest natural indication that there is something wrong with it. As spiritual-corporeal composites, we are our bodies. The human body was never intended as a plaything. Indeed, it is so precious that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity took to himself a full human nature and body in order to redeem us. As Catholics and Christians, we should never overlook this fact that with the incarnation our humanity is raised to a higher dignity. We should always honor this truth by how we treat our bodies and those of others.

Chastity is real and possible, both within and outside marriage. Modesty and purity should again be encouraged for teens and adults, men and women alike. It is no wonder that at a time when marriage as an institution is in trouble, that both virginity and celibacy find themselves ridiculed. If we are to reclaim our culture for Christ then we must not neglect the issue of human sexuality. We must also address the sense of alienation that growing numbers of modern men and women feel. Many fall prey to the sin discussed here because of loneliness. But like drinking, you cannot appease your thirst by drinking polluted water. We need the clean and refreshing water the Jesus offers from beside the well. If any should struggle with such sins, please do not despair. Invite God’s mercy and grace into your lives through frequent Confession and the reception of the Eucharist.
Alexia Ter Hark Emerson, on May 20, 2017 at 12:33 am said:

I am not a Catholic but I have a question for you. My great grandfather was an active practicing Catholic until he suffered a stroke which left him completely unable to communicate or care for himself. He was in this state for 20 years or more.

He died 32 years ago but was not given a Catholic funeral- because his caretakers did not request one. His Catholic family members had already died. I think about him in Purgatory and I wonder how I can help him. Do I need to be Catholic to request a Mass and offer a stipend? Should I have a Catholic friend request this instead? I don’t want to offend God or make things worse for my relative.

FATHER JOE: You do not need to be a Catholic to request of a priest (or a parish) that a Mass be said for an intention (in this case for the dead). We frequently pray for the dead by name (prospective souls in Purgatory). If he should already be in heaven then the fruits of the Mass (graces) would be applied to some poor soul who has no one to pray for him or her. Nothing is wasted in the Lord. Stipends for Masses vary, but in the Archdiocese of Washington, the usual donation is $10. Mass intentions are usually published in the Parish bulletin. You can also get a Mass card, either for yourself or to send to someone else.
Collie, on May 18, 2017 at 5:04 am said:

Father Joseph,

I have asked of your thoughts before, and this matter is especially serious, as I do not know what to do or think of my sister’s coming out as transgender. Before she told me, I figured out her identity when I noticed she created a male nickname on a card she regularly uses and then upon discovering a transgender-based paper handout. I have never suspected her of identifying as male, but that she scored high on a tomboy scale. She does not participate in sports, as is a common association with tomboys, but art. I now see it can be difficult, as well as surprising, to identify one who is transgender. My sister will undergo hormone treatment.

My concern is “what does she face now as a Catholic?” Will she still be able to participate in sacraments? Since gender within the Catholic Church is considered a gift, I would be most interested to draw anything from your response. I am very confused, as well as concerned about any discrimination my sister might face in the future.

FATHER JOE:

First, it is wrong to say as many do that God made a mistake. We live in a broken world wounded by sin. The Church teaches that disharmony, suffering and death entered the world because of the fall. Second, identity should not be utterly defined by disorientation or disabilities. You are much more than your sexual orientation and your physical abilities. Third, it is wrong to equate a disorientation or disability with normalcy or as a value that must be affirmed with the whole person. This third element is often debated because many people with gender confusion and/or same-sex attraction demand affirmation and do not view their status as either a defect or mental illness.

I need to insert that orientation cannot be determined simply by occupations or activities. There are men and women who like art, cooking, sports, music, dancing, camping, science, teaching, etc. I suspect that many activities that we associate with one gender over another are simply the result of social stereotyping. Even playing with dolls finds correlation in both boys and girls, although as a boy my plastic army men were constantly burying my sister’s girlish dolls as the casualties of pretend wars. She would dig them up— zombies!

In all seriousness, what you mention is a dilemma that has only arisen as an issue in recent days. Gender confusion in the past was ether regarded as a perversion or as the subject for comedy. I am unsure as to whether the increased numbers of such disorientations are entirely due to genetic predisposition or whether there are factors in modern culture and society that have precipitated such awareness and the accompanying public revelation.

Frankly, priests and seminarians were never prepared to deal with gender dysphoria. I cannot recall the topic ever coming up in discussions of moral theology. We figured that it was very rare or else just a remote category of the homosexual question. The Church does not accept the transition so a transgendered person could worship and pray as a Catholic, but the sacraments become more problematical. I suppose, after the fact, a person might enter the Church and receive Holy Communion and absolution for other sins— however, such a person could not marry in the Church, would have to live a celibate life, and would not be a candidate for the religious life. Despite hormonal treatment and surgery, the Church would regard them as their birth sex. The prohibitions against same-sex intimacy would apply.

The Church values persons but not disorientations. We have a commitment to what we believe is the truth. Just as the Church opposes amputations for those who suffer a disassociation with the body and want legs and arms removed to fit their image of themselves as handicapped; the Church would similarly oppose those who want hormonal treatment and possibly surgery to more closely identify their external physical gender with how they psychologically view themselves.

Answering your question is difficult. We must sometimes make the best of situations that are not ideal. We do not want to needlessly hurt people or make transgendered persons feel as if they have been rejected by the Church and orphaned by God. We want them to find Christ in us as well as to witness the Lord in their own lives. The story of Jesus includes sadness, suffering, companionship and joy. Even if disagreement should remain, we should nevertheless listen to the stories of transgendered persons. They relate serious struggles with an alternation or lack of correspondence with their natural body gender to their interior sense of sexual identity. Their testimonies are often so powerful that you want to weep with them. When they have pursued hormonal treatment and/or surgery, we might sometimes be too quick to condemn without fully hearing them out. Further, I am told that once synthetic hormones are taken, there is no turning back. Surgical removal of healthy genitalia would traditionally be condemned as mutilation of the body. But I suspect it would be interpreted as final and irreversible. Withholding immediate judgment towards them, believers among transgendered persons often speak of this process as a journey of spiritual awakening. They feel that they are embracing a more authentic life for themselves. We might feel just as strongly that it is wrong. We might further believe that they are seeking to flee some measure of the Cross. However, we must grant a certain degree of appreciation or empathy as to how they see themselves within this transition if we desire to make room for them in the Church. Otherwise, we will be showing them to the door. Christ was all about opening doors to conversion, healing and acceptance. He reached out to sinners, the poor, the marginalized, etc. The measure here is love. We might not agree. We might not understand what they are feeling. We might feel hurt and grieving ourselves over the person who was and the person who is emerging. All the same, we have to love them as persons with infinite value— the measure assigned to them by divine love. Life is messy. This is an element to Pope Francis and his notion of accompaniment. There are some matters that cannot be immediately fixed. There are some messes that must even wait for the life-to-come in order to be cleaned up.
chris, on May 18, 2017 at 3:00 am said:

Shalom Father.

Just now I copied this from internet: “Mortal sin always requires three essential elements: grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent of the world.”

FATHER JOE: No, not exactly. You made an error in your research or at least made a typo at the end of the list. The three elements for mortal sin are as follows: (1) grave matter (the act itself must be seriously wrong); (2) full or sufficient knowledge (the person must be aware of what he or she is doing and the severity of the act); and (3) deliberate or willful consent (the person must freely will the act or plan to do it).

Let say, if a person has no full knowledge about masturbation and freely chooses to do it any way, does that person commit mortal sin? Is masturbation always considered a mortal sin? Thanks and God bless.

FATHER JOE: When we speak of certain things as mortal sins, we are usually addressing the first part of the definition (grave matter). Most sexual sins, given the integrity of the human body, constitute grave matter or the “matter” for mortal sin. However, ignorance or a lack of consent can render such a sin as venial or as no sin at all. For instance, you cannot sin while you are sleeping and dreaming. There is a lack of full consent. Your faculties are hampered. Some people are delusional or have a very low intellectual capacity. If they do not know what they are doing then they cannot sin. I have known adults with the minds of infants. They might touch themselves for pleasure but there is no sin because they do not really understand what they are doing. The defect can also come in the consent or will. Coercion or force mitigates against mortal sin. Juveniles often go through a growth period of hormonal fluctuation. The passions and chemistry become difficult to control. Such teens, who try to be good but fail, are probably committing venial sin even though masturbation is grievous in matter. Other factors like depression, addiction, loneliness, stunted maturation, the erotic saturation of society, etc. can also make modesty and sexual control difficult. One has to discern in conscience if one has committed a mortal or venial sin in masturbation. If one knows that it is seriously wrong, freely does it and does not care what the Church says about it then the person has probably committed mortal sin. The sacraments help us and give actual grace in overcoming sin, especial habitual sin.
Ritz Serr, on May 18, 2017 at 1:26 am said:

Hello Father, does God forgive fornication? I already confessed and repented but I can’t forgive myself. I have a lot of bad thoughts about hell. Thank you.

FATHER JOE: You should not question the efficacy of the sacrament of Penance and the priest’s absolution. If we come to the Lord with contrite hearts then we are disposed to divine mercy. Christ can forgive anything. If almighty God can forgive us our sins, then who are we to doubt his power and not to forgive ourselves?
lulamile, on May 16, 2017 at 11:14 am said:

“Hi, I’m a Catholic from RSA. My mother is Catholic and my father never went to church until he passed away in 2004, and because of this they never had sacramental marriage. Though my mother was a baptised catholic she only went to church sometimes. After my father’s death, she became more serious in church and she was trying join St Anne’s sodality. The then Priest in my parish of St Alphons told my mother a month before the official welcoming of new members that she can’t join the st Annes because her marriage was not recognised by the church. And if she wishes to join the St Annes she must get married and she told the priest that her husband has been dead for 3 years how can that be possible. the priest told her to bring her boyfriend or go wake his husband and get married in the church. And That broke my mother she was constantly crying because she had just started healing from the passing of my father. Then she just stopped going to church, my sisters also stopped and my brother left the church, because of what the priest / church said to mom. And they were also telling me that I should be siding with my mom instead of siding with the church. But I was not siding with anyone I was just going to church every Sunday bcz that is how I was raised. Even though I thought that the issue should have been handled in a better way. I am the only member of the the church in my family because of an inconsiderate person in my opinion. Was there any other way in which the situation should have been handled rather than “get a boyfriend or wake your dead husband and get married “? I am still in the church because I told myself that was not my battle to fight. I can’t say the same about my siblings. It hurts because I don’t know when I die if they will let the church celebrate the in my funeral. What was the right way to handle the issue”

FATHER JOE:

Are you sure about everything he said? If what you say be true, then the priest is utterly incompetent. Are you sure he is a real priest? If so, you are within your rights to take the matter to another priest or even the bishop.

First, even if your father were alive, Pope Francis would insist that you have a right to belong to a parish and that you be welcome to attend Sunday Mass.

Second, any irregular union between your mother and father ended with death. Marriage is for the living, not the dead. Having a wake for your father will not make what they had into a retroactive sacramental marriage.

Third, widowed women (even if the unions were outside the Church) do not have to find a boyfriend to marry in order to join a parish or a parish sodality.

All your mother needs to do is go to Confession and return to the practice of her faith. If this priest tries to prevent her then there is something devilish going on. Tell your family that the problem here is not the Church but this peculiar priest. Report the matter to authorities. This is a primary violation of a priest’s duty as a pastor of souls. Tell your family that you explained the matter to another priest and he said (given everything is as you say) that they have every right to be angry. But the proper response is not to flee the Church but to make sure that the errant priest is corrected, and if need be, disciplined by his bishop.

I will be praying for you. Let me know what happens. God bless you!

Hi Fr. Joe

I sent you the above a while back, and thanks for your reply.

I spoke to my mother about the issue addressed above and fortunately after we last spoke, PE Dioces Bishop sent us a new Priest and when he had the story he was very suprised and dissappointed in the way the issue was handled. And he is the process of rectifying it.

All in all thanks for your prayers and advice Father it is much appriciated. May the Good Lord give us more Priests like you. Enkosi bawo(Thank you Father)
d3adxh4z3, on May 16, 2017 at 9:42 am said:

Good evening, Father,

I really need your advice. My girlfriend has been through hell her entire life. Since she was born, she’s had nothing but pain and torment. Her mother was emotionally and verbally abusive and her step father, with permission from the mother, constantly sexually assaulted and abused her for years until her real father won custody of her and took her out.of the situation. Not long after, she was raped by a stalker, who gave her oral herpes which she now has to fight with for the rest of her life. As for relationships, things weren’t much better. Her ex boyfriend have beaten her, threatened her, emotionally abused her, used her, assaulted her, and more. She’s 22. She has mild schizophrenia, mild sociopathy, anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and instances of self harm. However she still finds a way to laugh and smile. However, she has lost her faith. She wants to believe. She isn’t sure because of everything she’s been through. Last night was the last straw for her. Her cat, Samus, whom she had a very special bond and a very close connection and love for was hit by a car and killed. She’s broken.
She has told me that she feels like she’s being punished for being happy, and she’s asked me why God let these things happen to her. I don’t know what to tell her. I don’t know what to do. I love her and she is completely willing to convert to Catholicism should we decide to marry (she was raised Mormon). How do I show her that God is with her? That he loves her and wants her happiness?
how do I help her find faith?
What should I do

Thank you

FATHER JOE:

Speaking in a general way, we are all born in a broken world where there is both natural and moral evil. The faith tells us that sin brought suffering and death upon us. However, as believers, we believe there is hope in Jesus who comes to heal, to forgive and to restore our unity or friendship with God. The question of pain finds its response in the passion and death of Christ. While we are not protected from this brokenness, we have one in Christ who shares in our woundedness. We need to acknowledge this profound solidarity with Christ who transforms the Cross from a sign of defeat to one of victory. Christ is our sin-offering, the faithful oblation that restores honor to God and atones for the infidelity of our first parents and all the sins of the world. Love conquers death. Christ dies that we might live. He offers us a share in his life.

Referring to your friend in particular, there is a mystery as to why some seem to have more than their share of sorrow and abuse. Terrible things can happen to us and she needs to know that the fault is not hers. No one has the right to abuse and torment others. Even though a few years have passed, I would urge her to notify the authorities about the abuse and her mother’s enabling her step-father to hurt her. Sexual abuse against young people is a crime that cries out for justice. It is also my hope that the stalker who assaulted her was caught and punished as well.

It is common that those who have been wronged when younger often gravitate towards men who are also abusive. I do not know why this is. I suspect that victims suffer from a lack of self-worth and tolerate more than they should.

Bad things happen to everyone. It is not just her. But it is past time for her to take control of her life and to demand that others treat her with respect. It may be that God sent you into her life to assist her in finding a new direction and hope. I would urge you to move slowly on the question of marriage and possible conversion. Give her time to heal. She has known way too much pain and intimidation. Now is a time of rebuilding and finding hope. Has she received counseling? This is also something about which you can support her; but do not become a crutch for her. You want to be a friend, a fellow partner, and a beloved. Help her to find herself and her strength. Do nothing to instill dependence. You want to enable her to stand tall— not feeling sorry for herself but appreciating her gifts and ready to live, to fight if need be and to love.

You can invite her to pray and worship with you. But, whatever you do, nurture her freedom and sense of dignity. Peace!
Teresa, on May 13, 2017 at 1:22 am said:

It get so tiring the spiritual warfare of it was not for God’s grace I would not be here.
Diana Strauss, on May 12, 2017 at 1:51 pm said:

Hello, what are your thoughts on the following? Thank you.

“Thoughts On Religious Vocations: An Open Letter To Pope Francis I” by Michele Somerville (05/11/2017)

Shorter Version in Huffington Post

Longer Version in Indie Theology

FATHER JOE:

This letter appears in THE HUFFINGTON POST, hardly a newspaper sympathetic to Catholicism or religious persons. The presumed goodwill and objectivity is immediately called into question.

Our Lord works in conjunction with his Church, not in conflict with her. Men called to the priesthood in the West are given the gift of celibacy from Christ. The issue is what they make of it. God would not call men to ministry and then abandon them when grace is most needed. Those who do not have the gift of celibate love are not called to Catholic ministry as priests. The preference for celibacy is not capricious.

The learned authority Father Laurent Touze argues that celibacy has a close link to priesthood which the early Church recognized. When married men were ordained, it was generally expected that they would practice perfect continence. He contends that the Latin or Western rite will never change its practice because there is an integral relationship between the presbyterate, episcopacy and celibacy. When asked about exceptions and the Eastern model, he explains: “Historically because there has been a manipulation of texts and I believe a bad translation that the Eastern Church, which has separated from Rome and has recognized that what they had declared contrary to tradition, could be accepted.” The Church came to appreciate that exceptions could be made, for the Eastern churches and for men who come to the priesthood from other traditions (like the Anglicans and maybe the Lutherans) but a married priesthood would never be regarded as normative.

Along with the author of the essay, I would concur that sexuality is a gift from God. Further, while the Church deplores pornography and lust; she celebrates in the arts the beauty of human design and urges a holy passion in the various wholesome relationships that make up human existence.

Marriage does indeed bring certain important insights. Nevertheless, celibate love also brings with it a single-hearted love for the Lord and a profound sense of being a sentinel for the People of God. The Church presumes that this way of loving best fits the vocation of priesthood. It is for this reason that I would oppose a move toward optional celibacy. Indeed, the rule should be truly absolute.

Christian feminism must have a healthy regard both for the human condition and for the truth— both from nature and revelation. The usurpation of the priesthood would not be a genuine feminism. It would make no more sense than attempting to make the roles of mothers and fathers interchangeable. Equality here is not an equal sign. Rather, it is a profound complementarity. We have different roles to play. Men become priests to minister as servants of God and his community. We have priests for the sacramental forgiveness of sins and for the unbloody re-presentation of the sacrifice of Calvary. The altar-table is a nuptial banquet table. The priest is an icon that signifies Christ the groom. The assembled Church is his bride. A priestess at the altar would signify a bizarre sacramental lesbianism.

In any case, too much has been made of the Pope’s few words about married priests. The Church has long held the possibility of ordaining a few upright but elderly and stable married men if necessity dictated. This is not new. There will not be any wholesale welcome for married men to enter the ranks of the priesthood. Given Pope John Paul II’s infallible declaration, there will be no women called to priesthood either. A vocation or calling must be confirmed by the Church. Not all men are so called and many discover that they are mistaken when they think they hear such a calling. All women who imagine they are called to priesthood are in error or have been deceived. The Church has spoken and the Church has every right to regulate her own sacraments.

The critic urges a movement away from objective truth and toward a convenient subjectivity that would give the edge to modernity. We cannot do this. The sources for Christian doctrine would be brutally compromised. The edifice of the Church, her claims, her ministries, etc. would tumble down like a flimsy house of cards. The Pope is not God. He can interpret but he cannot fashion wholly new doctrines or reverse those of the past. Space is permitted for a certain organic growth, but our hermeneutics must always embrace continuity and development, not discontinuity and demolition. The Episcopalians have women playing priests and along with this concession has relinquished much of the traditional Christian kerygma regarding faith and morals. We want the Church that goes to heaven, not the church of anything goes.

The critic’s dissent is outlandish in that she professes little in theological learning and yet feels that she has a special divine enlightenment that has been denied Pope John Paul II and 2,000 years of sacred tradition guided by the Holy Spirit. While she feigns humility, what we really witness in her remarks is a frightful hubris that moves most if not all dissenters. Instead of faith seeking understanding, we discover human fancy making demands upon faith. So called conservative voices are demonized and yet they are the ones who are truly orthodox. They realize that we cannot force the hand of Christ. If it is not the will of Christ that women be ordained, then to do so would forfeit both the priesthood and the Eucharist. The more liberal voices do not care. They claim fidelity to the Catholic faith while in truth they have made themselves the enemies of this holy religion. Reformers of the past would make a break and start new denominations. Today they remain within the Catholic umbrella, working quietly behind the scenes as agents for the enemy. If there should be schism, it will not be because of men like Cardinal Burke. No, it will be forced upon us by those who have betrayed the faith and seek to covertly dismantle the Church. These so-called women who claim to be Catholic priests are a case in point. They are no longer Catholic. They are Protestants using the Catholic label to which they no longer have any right to employ.

Note that the critic attacks Church practice and beliefs as other dissenters frequently do upon other matters. If you oppose homosexual or lesbian marriages and sexuality then you are mean-spirited and homophobic. If you oppose abortion then you hate women and would rob them of their rights. If you oppose women’s ordination then you are a bigot who would violate justice. It is all nonsense. Regarding the priesthood, it is purely a gift. No one can demand it as a matter of any social justice addendum. It is given to a few celibate men and to no women. We all benefit from the priesthood by participation in the liturgy and the life of the Church. Most women involved with work in the Church have no desire to be priests. They can make a positive difference without ordination. They run our rectories, teach in our schools, form our children in the faith and do so much more. The priesthood is a special call to service but it is baptism that is our call to holiness.
Destiny Taylor, on May 12, 2017 at 1:17 pm said:

How do you know if you are being demonically haunted?

FATHER JOE: What do you mean? We must all battle powers and principalities.
Jamie herndon, on May 8, 2017 at 3:06 pm said:

The genesis 1 are they speaking about jesus? Cause i believe they are.they use the word human for the gen 1.

Adam was man. Made of dust.

God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them.

jesus:
Then God said, “Now let’s make humans who will be like us. They will rule over all the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. They will rule over all the large animals and all the little things that crawl on the earth.” So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself. He created them male and female. God blessed them and said to them, “Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26‭-‬28 ERV

adam:
So water came up from the earth and spread over the ground. Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and made a man. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living thing. Then the Lord God planted a garden in the East, in a place named Eden. He put the man he made in that garden.
Genesis 2:6‭-‬8 ERV

FATHER JOE: Are you asking a question? What is the point you are trying to make?
Teresa, on May 8, 2017 at 12:29 am said:

I understand what you are going thru see your doctor get a good confessor and spiritual director. Listen to what Father said but also realize you may need healing and deliverance from your diocese. Start with talking to a trusted priest be honest what you are going thru. I have gone thru the similar things it was confirmed I have a spiritual oppression and generational curse. I will pray for you. Another thing use holy water and St Benedict Crucifix
Renee, on May 7, 2017 at 1:57 pm said:

In March of 2015 in my home town I heard 2 LOUD BOOMS. Made the news and never explained. Not soon after I began to be spiritually attacked. Examples. Migraines. Anxiety to the point of panic attacks. Personality change. Anger. Rage. Irritated. Insomnia. Depression but I mean a sadness beyond anytime ever felt. Hopelessness. IBS. Went to my doctor. Then I went to God, asked for mercy and went to Mary for her intercession. Long story short. I say the Rosary and have changed my daily walk with God. Returned to my faith. The attacks have gone away. I take no meds. I get an occasional head pain. However now I can see and video odd things in the sky. I’m also harassed by black crows. Wasps. Black flies. Nothing in my home. I see black clouds among white ones and no rain. Images as well. They look Demonic. I was aproached by blue lights. Rebuked them and the fled. I was compelled when I went to Mary for her intercession to take 3 photos of a painting I have of her. With my iPad. These 3 photos look nothing like the original. They are comforting. She is smiling at me. I believe I am still under a form of spiritual attack but she is protecting me. I asked her for her intercession on behalf of an unsaved child. I see nothing with my eyes in the sky, other than it looks odd, however my iPod captures differently. Demonic faces looking at me. I have electric towers that do not blink on video but blink to the eye. 24/7. I’ve seen an ouroboros in my sky. A temple and a 12 yr old boy. Picked up voices. All on video. Not with my eyes. Only on review. It’s like the iPod see’s it. So my question is, am I being Demonically obsessed or harassed?? Possessed? No one else in my family see’s or will look at my videos. They are disturbing. I’m not afraid. However other people in the world are experiencing the same. Only to their eyes. They are non Catholics. Also before I went to Mary I saw evil faces when I closed my eyes at night. Screaming at me. I never did drugs or the occult or anything like that. Good childhood and life. It was after these loud booms. That made the news. No explanation that I started to be attacked. Something came at me. They still try but my life change/daily Rosary/walk in my faith has ended them harming me but I still see them. I fear for my family. Who aren’t as vigilant or close to God. My husband is. My children’s are young adults. One is living a unexceptable lifestyle. Does not live with me. What should I do without sounding crazy. Some people can’t see what I see. On the video.?Others see it right away. I’m more at peace now than ever. I trust Jesus and his Mother completely. Thank you. For your help. I see Demobs of the air and atmosphere. Rather clearly. On video.

FATHER JOE: If you are seeing demons and feel that you are being spiritually attacked then any peace you feel is illusory. Something is still wrong with you. Continue to see a doctor, tell him what you are seeing and experiencing. It may be due to a mental aberration of some sort. If there is a spiritual element then do not be deceived— none of it is from God. Remember, the devil can even pretend to be the Blessed Mother. What you describe is not how the Lord works. Do not become comfortable, either with mental illness and/or with demonic delusion. I will keep you in prayer. Peace.
John Flores, on May 7, 2017 at 2:09 am said:

Father Joe, I was born into a Catholic home, was baptized and for many of my adult years was very devoted. As life began throwing big hurdles my way like bad women, the death of loved ones, a period of poverty, and various other struggles, including being propositioned by priests, I began to doubt my faith. I relaxed my belief system. I had some on-and-off problems with alcohol, largely to deal with loneliness and a sense of alienation. Death is a terrible tax on the human emotions— especially as we recall who we were and face what we have become. The death of a close loved-one is most hard.

I want to deal with life in a positive manner; however, much of the time I find myself depressed and alone. While I am married I often wish I could have affairs with beautiful women— caring only about outer beauty and my own sexual fulfillment. It has been years since I was a serious Catholic. Now I want that back. Nevertheless, I look at porn on the internet, go to confession, swear off it for a while, and then you can guess what occurs next. It happens again. I am tired of this cycle. I want to feel right about myself and whole again. I know this is terrible. But I am trying to be honest.

FATHER JOE: We can find help for drinking and for grief management, but your remarks also touch upon the human condition and our fallen nature. The Church well understands concupiscence and the struggle with sin. That is why we have easy recourse to auricular confession. We can come to the sacrament again and again. The penitent must have a contrite heart and a firm purpose of amendment. We will earnestly try to avoid sin in the future. Nevertheless, because of habit, loneliness, passion, chemistry, etc. we might struggle with certain sins for many years. We should not despair. God knows our hearts.
Anonymous, on May 5, 2017 at 9:00 pm said:

I am 15 and I haven’t masturbated for about a week because after I went to confession I went cold turkey. I was tempted yesterday and searched porn but after a few seconds I stopped. Do I need to go to confession again? Just to clarify I can’t drive yet so I have to wait another 4 months for CCD class to go to confession. And also i was to embarrassed to specifically mention masturbation to the priest so I said “inappropriate acts” Does this count? Please respond soon! Anything helps!

FATHER JOE: The priest likely understood. Say a good act of contrition. Your parents have an obligation to get you to church and/or to confession. Indeed, it is recommended that whole families regularly go to confession. Parents can show by their example that we have nothing to fear. They also need divine mercy.
Anne, on May 5, 2017 at 5:05 pm said:

Hello Father,

I have an unquenchable thirst for my friends to know and love Christ but I don’t impose Him on them.I love our faith and I pray for them a lot because I long that they experience the same Joy too out of love for them. My heart breaks, it’s like a fire I can’t stop inside of me. I always promise myself not to meddle in God’s affairs and His plans for them but I can’t help it. What’s wrong with me? How do I approach this desire inside of me with wisdom. It burns my heart.

FATHER JOE: Witness your faith with courage and strength. Try not to be overly judgmental but give them the benefit of your good example. Pray the rosary openly. Ask them if they would like to go to church with you. If there is a fun church event, ask them if they would like to go. Peace!
Teresa, on May 4, 2017 at 9:54 pm said:

Very good explanation Father of this. Adultery and masturbation can open the doorway to demonic influence.
Gary, on May 4, 2017 at 2:16 am said:

Adultery has the same spiritual consequences as masturbation. So, why not adultery?

FATHER JOE: The consequences are not the same. In one you damn yourself, in the other you take someone to hell with you.
Alex, on May 3, 2017 at 1:59 pm said:

Father Joe I have a bit of philosophical scripture question. If original sin affects all mankind and the only way to cleanse it is through baptism, wouldn’t that then imply that those not baptized carry original sin and are forbidden from entering heaven? Following that train of thought if the Catholic Church believes that unborn children are in fact alive does that then imply that babies that pass away as a result of still birth cannot enter heaven as they have not been baptized and still carry the original sin? What does the church believe when it comes to this? On a related note if I as a Christian believe the that life begins with “sentience” or “person-hood” as opposed to consummation can I still consider myself a good Christian if I support the right to abortions during the first trimester before the unborn child reaches “sentience/person-hood” if I do not believe the child is alive yet at all?

Thank you for your time

FATHER JOE:

Strictly speaking, Original sin is not a voluntary sin but is a moral corruption that is contracted. It is a child’s state of the soul before Christian baptism. We inherit a fallen nature from Adam. Separated from God, we cannot save ourselves and we are left devoid of the original grace and holiness that our first parents enjoyed. Sin breached our friendship with God. The redemptive work of Christ restores this relationship. The sacraments, beginning with baptism, bring the paschal mystery of Christ to bear upon our souls. We have a fallen nature and suffer from concupiscence. Baptism brings spiritual regeneration; however, while there is forgiveness for Original sin, the effects have yet to be undone.

The question you ask is essentially this: can a person be saved apart from baptism and faith in Christ?

The Second Vatican Council teaches that everything necessary for our salvation “subsists” in the Catholic Church. This speaks to her membership but we are also reminded, as in the Good Friday liturgy, that the Church prays for Protestants, Atheists, Jews, Moslems and others. We would only do so if we thought that such intercession might be heard by God. The Orthodox Christians have authentic sacraments and are a “church” albeit defective. The Protestants are ecclesial communities that love the Lord, baptism, the Scriptures and so much more as an inheritance from Catholicism. These are saving elements.

The necessity of baptism emerges in the words of Christ (John 3:5 & Mark 16:16). He tells his apostles to go out to all the world and to baptize with water in the name of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19-20).

Your question really references those who are not Christian and thus not baptized. Vatican II made reference to the plight of non-Christians (Jews, Moslems and seekers of “the unknown God.” Lumen Gentium 16: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try in their actions to do His will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience those too may achieve eternal salvation.”

Lumen Gentium 14 states: “[Jesus] explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Hence, they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it.” Note the qualification. Those who KNOW that the Catholic Church is the true Church and who still refuse to enter it bring dire judgment upon themselves. But, most that do not join do not have this insight. Ignorance may be an important factor. The Church is bound to proclaim the Gospel and to dispense the sacraments. The Church is the great sacrament of encounter with the saving Christ. This is what we know and this is what Jesus has entrusted to us.

Nevertheless, God can save whomever he wills and is not necessarily restricted to the sacraments. That is why we do not condemn or judge those outside the strict or juridical confines of the Catholic Church. The truth remains that none are saved apart from Christ and none are saved apart from his mystical body, the Catholic Church. We as Catholics do not believe that once saved one is always saved. Instead of such a view of “blessed assurance,” Catholics believe that with baptism we are called to a faith that is lived out in obedience and charity. If this saving faith is sustained then we have every right to hope for our ultimate salvation. In other words, faith can sour, people can commit mortal sin, and even baptized Catholics can go to hell. It should be mentioned that the Church has also accepted two extraordinary cases of baptism outside the normative formula: baptism by blood and baptism of desire. They are technically not baptism but make possible similar effects and saving grace.

The early Church would know several centuries of harsh persecution. It was the age of martyrs. Catechumens preparing to enter the faith were sometimes tortured and executed by the Roman authorities. The Church always embraced them as her children since they died to uphold the faith and surrendered themselves with Jesus. This was baptism by blood (see Matthew 10:32 & Luke 9:23-24).

Somewhat controversial among certain authorities in the Church is baptism of desire. A basic truth has to be properly nuanced. Christ gives us a universal call to salvation. He desires that all would be saved. Nevertheless, this must be distinguished from the heretical position that all people are save in actuality. This would signify a false religious indifferentism or universalism. Hell is real. Not all will be saved. I would refrain from entering the debate as to whether more people will be in heaven or hell. I would leave such matters entirely to divine providence. Like the late Frank Sheed, we can pray that the devil is lonely. The saving effects of the paschal mystery of Christ (his passion, death and resurrection) cannot be contained by human history or locked into any one place. The very created order of the universe has changed. Thus, so the argument goes, even those who have not heard the Gospel may yet be saved. Gaudium et Spes 1260 states: “Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.”

The missionary mandate remains. We cannot trust that one might somehow find their way into heaven without the explicit help of the Church. Further, Christ alone is the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is saved apart from Christ. He is the only bridge to the heavenly Father. Pope Benedict XVI was wrongly criticized by the Jewish community when he reiterated the Catholic teaching that Jews in heaven will have to acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior— the true Messiah. Upon this point, the late Cardinal-priest Avery Dulles even corrected the USCCB document on relations with the Jews, our elder brothers and sisters called by God. There are not two covenants. There is one covenant and it has been fulfilled by Christ.

We should never water-down the importance of baptism and the graces we receive. There can be all sorts of speculation about how others might be saved, but we can have certainty in the efficacy of Christian faith and the sacraments, beginning with baptism. If we really care about others then we will never be silent in proclaiming the lordship of Christ and his desire for us to be in unity with his new People of God.

If babies should die without baptism, we entrust them to divine mercy. In days gone by we spoke about the possibility of limbo, a scholastic theory about a place of natural happiness but ignorance of God. The universal catechism says nothing about limbo. Our Lord called the children to himself. He says the kingdom belongs to “such as these” (Mark 10:14). We are also reminded of the Holy Innocents martyred in Christ’s stead. They are counted as saints. Maybe all children as reflections of the Christ Child share in their reward? The Church urges parents not to delay in having their children baptized. Jesus just never explicitly speaks about the urgency to baptize babies. Of course, the Bible tells us that whole households were converted to the Lord and baptized in the early Church. This no doubt included babies. The faith of parents was seen to suffice. We are connected. We are a family. Ours is both a personal and a communal faith. The universal catechism states: “As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. … All the more urgent is the Church’s call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism” (CCC #1261).

Turning to the subject of abortion and miscarriage…

Catholics believe that the incarnation began at the annunciation with the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. We also believe that Mary is the Immaculate Conception, preserved from sin from the very first moment of her existence in the womb of St. Ann. An argument for personhood based on sentience could arguably lead not only to abortion but infanticide and euthanasia. Indeed, a eugenics program might classify those with severe intellectual defects as non-sentient, and thus target them for mass extermination.

If sentience were defined as the age of reason, one could arguably terminate six year old children. I suspect you would not so loosely define it but the can of worms would still be opened. Catholicism would rather argue for personhood based upon the general humanity of the embryo. You are what you are throughout your developmental trajectory. Just as Jesus was God and man, as an embryo or even as a single-celled zygote, so we can speak about the humanity and personhood of all conceived of women. Everything genetically that will make us who we are (the whole organism) is present from the beginning— although immature. Even apart from religious teaching, Catholicism would philosophically renounce any argument for personhood based purely on current or immediate biological consciousness. Rejecting a stark mind/body dualism, we would stress the innate capacity to eventually develop into what we regard as a rational being. In other words, when it comes to people, “the tree is in the acorn.”

The Church would contend that if you support first trimester abortion, you are still involved with the murder of human beings. As for the religious element, we believe that those children have souls. No matter whether the physical life is terminated by therapeutic or spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), the child’s soul survives. We intercede as a Church for these children. The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen composed a prayer of spiritual adoption for children threatened with abortion. We earnestly try to save them. Failing that, we commend them to God. As for your personal question, think about it this way: can you kill children and still regard yourself as a good Christian? Could you even do so if there were the chance that you were wrong in your opinion and the Church were right?
Sean, on May 3, 2017 at 1:29 am said:

Hello Sir, I’d like to know what your position is on the subject of Pope Pius XI and his relationship with Adolf Hitler.

FATHER JOE: “Sir?”

According to public history he made a pact with the Dictator.

FATHER JOE: Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII) was the secretary of state for the Vatican. He and the German vice chancellor Franz von Papen signed a concordat between the Holy See and the German Reich on July 20, 1933. Pope Pius XI ratified the agreement on Sept. 10. The Concordat of 1933 delineated the Church’s rights under the Third Reich. Other countries had also made pacts or signed treaties with Germany. The Church had already condemned national socialism. The pastoral care of 20 million German Catholics was at stake. This is the root reason for the concordat, not approval for Hitler or his regime.

Public archived photographs are still in circulation showing the two men shaking hands and conversing.

FATHER JOE: We have photos of FDR and Churchill with the murderous Stalin and yet we would not condemn either of them.

FATHER JOE: The United Kingdom Prime Minister also shook the hand of Hitler.

In fact, the Church in Rome commemorated Hitler’s birthday every April 20th until his death by suicide in 1945.

FATHER JOE: The representative for the Vatican to Germany was Archbishop Orsenigo. He may have celebrated Hitler’s birthday as an expression of diplomacy, but the Catholic Church places no moral or religious weight upon the birthdays of political leaders. Today we might wish Trump or Obama or Clinton a happy birthday without subscribing to all their ideas and policies. I suspect that too much is made of trivial things while the Holy Father’s more important interventions are ignored or minimized.A distinction must be made between the Vatican State and the Roman Catholic Church.

Having full knowledge of his intentions concerning the Jews and world conquest certainly by 1941 or 42, the clear assumption is that the Church feared this man.

FATHER JOE: The Church would have been foolish not to fear him. Pope Pius XII was concerned that if he reacted too directly, the Vatican would be invaded and the Roman Jews would be deported (as elsewhere).

If so, wouldn’t that be a direct violation of Christ’s teachings. “Fear not those who persecute you for My name’s sake.” What is your take Sir? Thank you.

FATHER JOE: Our Lord also sought to protect his apostles when he was arrested in the garden. The Pope was less concerned about himself than he was for his flock and retaliation that would target both the Church and the Roman Jewish community. The chief rabbi of Rome at that time concurred that Pope Pius XII did all he could to protect them. Rabbi Israel Anton Zoller defended Pope Pius XII against critics. During the war, the Pope gave support and shelter to the rabbi and other Jews during the Nazi occupation of Italy from 1943 to 1944. Zoller was even hidden in the Vatican City State.

LINKS:

How to Manufacture a Legend

Pope Pius XII’s Defense of Jews and Others
Destiny, on May 2, 2017 at 3:24 pm said:

Hello Father,
Cutting to the chase, I would like to know if there is a demon in my house. I have been seeing strange shadows in my home, doors have swung open by themselves, objects appear in front of me after I have spent time looking for them, and for the first time in my life I slept 13 hours straight. When I woke I couldn’t remember the day it was or anything. I find when I pray bad thought about Jesus occur inside my head and I can’t help but to repeat my old bad habits.

FATHER JOE: Sorry, but based upon what you report there is insufficient evidence to say. People get tired and are sometimes forgetful. I would explore natural causes before jumping to the supernatural. Peace.
Rob, on April 30, 2017 at 7:12 pm said:

Hello Father,

I’ve wondered for a long time now about mystic gifts given from God. The most well-known gift being the stigmata. I have read a lot about the stigmata but I am very curious if there are other gifts like it. I know that there are those who have visions from God and experience miracles of all sorts, but are there other gifts that either grant someone a type of transformation such as the stigmata or an ability that is is supernatural? I know of an individual who is a very devout catholic who claimed to have had the ability to see people’s auras. Is this something the church recognizes?

Thank you for any info you can give me.

FATHER JOE: Some authorities suggest that St. Paul suffered the stigmata, as did St. Francis and Padre Pio. There was an Arlington (VA) priest a few years ago who claimed an invisible stigmata (only pain) and where ever he prayed religious statues and pictures would exude water. But I have heard nothing more about it for many years. As for auras, I am not sure what to make of them. When I was a young man I could swear that when I focused on people and prayed that I could see lights of various color and extension around them. It reminded me of the halos and lights around religious figures in pictures and holy cards. Nevertheless, I have always ignored it. Given poor eye sight, it may have just been a peculiarity of my bad vision. I would not be surprised if there was a medical reason. Similarly, except for certain notable saints, I suspect that most modern claims of the stigmata are either fake or also have a natural answer. We are often too quick to jump to supernatural explanations. I would urge not pursuing auras or other elements of the fantastic. At best it might be a case of delusion; at worse, doors might be opened to superstition and the occult. The recourse I would recommend is growing in holiness through a lived faith of prayer, worship and service. Peace!
catherine of siena, on April 30, 2017 at 12:17 pm said:

Dear Fr Joe,
I hope you are keeping well.
I am single, 40 and very lonely.
I have no friends but enjoy making general small talk especially with people I meet either at the supermarket or as I commute or at church. If anyone tries to get close or wants to visit my home I brush them off.
Since I was a child especially in my teenage years I spent alot of time talking to myself using a mirror. I still enjoy talking to myself but I would rather have someone else to talk with sometimes.
I am so lonely I sometimes feel invisible.
Were any of the saints lonely?
How can I handle being lonely as a catholic without giving in to despair and suicidal thoughts?
Sorry for the rumbling.
Thanks and God bless you father.

FATHER JOE:

Despite suggestions to the contrary, it is not always unhealthy to talk to yourself. But if such behavior becomes excessive and/or replaces real human communication and relationships, then it would be regarded as wrong or even sinful. Self-absorption is not genuine spiritual growth in the Lord. I am told that mirrors present a particular issue because extended use for such purposes might signify schizophrenia or some other ailment of the mind. As believers, we should also avoid any undue preoccupation with perceived images, real or imagined. (Some become obsessed with faces in the leaves of trees or images in clouds… treating them as ghostly appearances or omens.) The fairy-tale of Snow White references the evil stepmother seeking secret knowledge about beauty in her bewitched mirror. The mirror was literally under demonic influence. Scrying and similar activities with mirrors are condemned by the Church.

At forty years of age there is no way to regain the years and opportunities that are lost. If you need to see a therapist, do so. If you want friends then you have to seek the courage to make them. Libraries have reading groups. Parishes have fellowship associations. The public sector also has activities and opportunities to pursue. You want more than faceless online associations. There are also other lonely people looking for friends with whom they can talk and have fun and with whom they can pray. Take the chance. It will also help your spiritual life. God wants us to love him, both directly and in our neighbor. Build a circle of friends. You may not agree about everything but that is okay. Unlike the face in your mirror, these faces will have hopes, dreams and experiences different from your own. There is a world to know and to share. Put down the mirror. Turn off the computer. Take the risk of meeting new people and having new experiences— be ready for surprises. God bless you.