Ask a Priest

5,442 Responses

Anonymous, on May 23, 2013 at 12:13 am said:

Dear Father Joe,

Thank you so much for your reply, it was very helpful. I hope I didn’t make you to uncomfortable with my questions.

What I’ve been reading is online articles and blogs. I haven’t heard a priest say this kind of stuff personally, but people online have posted stuff about how their getting married and their priest told them this. I realized this was probably the priests personal opinion, and not actual church doctrine. I wish I could remember where exactly I read these things but unfortunately, I can not. The rest is just different things I’ve heard and wanted to clarify on. I actually should have said religious people because one of the people I was talking about is a nun. Her name is Sister Margaret Farley. She wrote a book on sexuality called ‘Just Love.’ After posting this I found out that she had actually gotten in trouble with the Church for what she wrote. If you Google her name you can read about it for yourself.

Thanks again Father for taking the time to reply and for the reading list I really appreciate it.

God Bless.

FATHER JOE: Yes, Sister Farley’s book, Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics was formally censured by the Holy See as in conflict with Catholic teaching and as unsuitable for instruction in Catholic schools. She dissents on many issues, including contraception and the prohibition against women’s ordination. God bless and take care.
Anonymous, on May 22, 2013 at 2:30 pm said:

Dear Father Joe, recently I’ve been reading a lot on marriage, specifically the parts on conjugal love, and it all sounds so beautiful and good. But honestly, Father, I’ve been left feeling rather confused about it. Nobody seems to be able to agree on what’s right and what’s wrong in the marriage bed. Some (priests included) seem to think that there are no rules, that whatever is done in the bedroom is all good and dandy.

FATHER JOE:

What are you reading? Can you name the priests who see no limits? A blog can only say so much. There are renegade priests who say all sorts of nonsense. There are good and bad books on the subject. I would recommend:

Catholic Sexual Ethics: A Summary, Explanation, & Defense by William E. May, Rev. Ronald Lawler O.F.M Cap. & Joseph Boyle Jr.

Good News About Sex and Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions About Catholic Teaching by Christopher West and Charles J. Chaput O.F.M.Cap.

Sex and the Marriage Covenant by John F. Kippley.

Things have become so deluded Father, I just want to make sure I’m getting the right information. If you could please clear a few things up for me it would be really great.

FATHER JOE: Not being married ourselves, celibate priests increasingly prefer to pass these types of intimate questions to Catholic lay ethicists or teachers. We are intensely aware that book-learning or insights from counseling are not the same as actually living out marital love. We would also hope that married laity would respect our celibacy just as we grant married people their privacy as couples. However, you are right; there are certain important principles of right and wrong for believers.

1.) Is it okay for a married couple to use oral sex as a means of stimulation during intercourse as long as the male doesn’t ejaculate?

FATHER JOE: Many Catholic moralists would argue that oral stimulation is permitted as either a preparatory act to vaginal intercourse or as a means to facilitate its closure to the satisfaction of the wife. However, like digital manipulation, it cannot be pursued as an ends all to itself. Having said this, accidents happen given that the human body is not entirely under our control.

2.) Is it okay for the female to orgasm before and/or after intercourse? If so, how many times.

FATHER JOE: Authorities usually limit their discussion to the male where climax results in ejaculation. As long as female excitement is immediately contingent upon the marital act, I doubt that the Church would have any major concerns. It is my understanding that there is some wide variation in how this intimacy is experienced.

3.) Is it okay for the male to enter his wife’s vagina from behind? I personally have always found this to be demeaning. I think to have sex from this position makes it more mechanical and animalistic, than unitive and marital.

FATHER JOE: Because of the intensely personal elements, face-to-face is preferred. Given body-shapes and logistics, I doubt there is anything absolutely definitive about this. But you are correct, that we must steer away from an animalistic or strictly mechanical understanding of the marital act. There is donation and reception between persons, not things or animals. The face is a major indicator of identity. Spouses chose to love each other and no one else. Bodies are not interchangeable.

4.) Is it always wrong no matter what to have anal sex? I do not agree with this act, but have heard from some that it is okay as long as used as foreplay.

FATHER JOE: The preferred act for homosexuals, anal sex is deemed unnatural and demeaning to the human person. Physical harm can also come from the misuse of the body in this fashion.

5.) What is the Church’s stance on sex toys?

FATHER JOE: The Church’s stance is generally NEGATIVE. They tend to reinforce the mentality that the body is just a machine that can be manipulated for pleasure or recreation. The body itself is not a toy. Your body is YOU.

6.) Is it okay for different nationalities to intermarry? Like a black man and a white woman? I personally think it is fine as long as you both love each other and want to know, love, and serve God together. But I ask this because I’ve heard some people say that it’s not right— that God doesn’t want us to marry other nationalities.

FATHER JOE: There is no prohibition about racial or ethnic intermarriage. We are all members of the human family.

7.) I would also like to know if it’s morally sound for a married couple to touch themselves (breasts and genitals) for the gratification of the other or as a way of showing the other how they would like to be touched, as long as it doesn’t lead to male ejaculation. If so, can the woman climax from this kind of stimulation? If considered moral, is it okay for the female to orgasm from this kind of stimulation? Please Father, I know these questions are a little weird, but I would greatly appreciate both your advice and the Roman Catholic Churches teachings on these matters.

FATHER JOE: I am neither prepared nor wanting to give you a spelled-out manual. Marriage is a covenant for human beings with bodies, not for angels and not as an institution that survives our translation into ghosts. Touch is a necessary component of the sacrament between men and women. This truth also flows from the Church’s insistence that true marriage is possibly only between spouses of the opposite sex. Women want to be held and men want to hold and touch. Such is how nature works and how people are made. I would prefer to avoid questions about female physiology and just urge our married couples to enjoy the married union and to remain open to life. A husband’s duty is to make his wife happy. She is his helpmate, and by God’s providence, the mother of his children. There is nothing wrong or dirty about bodily passion. It is part of God’s plan. It also defies absolute regimentation. The only caution has to do with the intensity of the passion. As with food and drink, we should always seek a healthy moderation and a respect for persons, our own and others.

Please Father Joe, I could really use your help and counsel on this. Thank you and God Bless.
John, on May 20, 2013 at 4:11 am said:

Father, I have a question about a confession I just made. I’m a scrupulous person and sometimes in confession I say sins “just to be safe” even If I know I didn’t commit the sin. I’m worried now that I told a lie in confession by confessing a sin that I didn’t commit and made a bad confession. Did I commit the sin of making a bad confession?

FATHER JOE: Confessing sins that you know you did not commit is not scrupulosity. The scrupulous person really feels that matters like fleeting thoughts or instinctive feelings are sinful. The sinful matter may indeed be missing, but the person does not understand this and feels guilty. Such a person might also give too much weight to venial sins, imagining that they are damning and mortal. Deliberately making up sins is not scrupulosity but lying. Did you make a bad confession? Well, you certainly did not do what you are supposed to do. While deception in the Confessional is serious, I am not sure if you are not suffering from some other disorder that would compel you to do such things. This might mitigate the gravity. But you should go to Confession, tell the priest what you did, and stop fibbing in the Confessional.
Carrie., on May 19, 2013 at 5:22 am said:

Dear Father. I was raised a Catholic and was quite devout until High School when one of my closest friends announced she was gay. I was devastated at the scorn she received both at Church and at school. My mother wanted me to stop being her friend. When we went college, we were members of a liberal Jesuit parish. There I became an activist for women in encouraging family planning and while not encouraging abortion, I worked to help individuals make difficult choices. I also studied evolution. Needless to say, my mother remained highly concerned.

10 years later, I am happily married to an honest and straightforward agnostic who seems to irritate my mother by breathing! After moving to a new state, I found an area Catholic church. The Priest at this church was nothing like the Fathers at my former church. Words without compassion were spoken about individuals like my friend who lives with her partner of many years and are raising two beautiful children. In further reading about the Catholic doctrine and engaging in several political arguments, I realized that I could not remain a member of the church. Instead, I’ve chosen to join the Unitarian church. While a painful decision, I felt I needed to make this change. I strongly believe that I am living a life consistent with what I’ve learned about from my mother and my former church. I’ve chosen a life of service and strive to be a compassionate, wise, forgiving, and gentle person.

With the recent birth of my son, and given that we are not members of the Church, we decided to let Lucas choose baptism later in his life. This is the tradition of my husband’s family. My mother, who has been chronically ill, has gotten irate. Calling me names, saying that I am a bad person and is asking what she did wrong. Please believe that I love my son more than life. He is amazing, and he makes me try harder each day to be a better person. It seems disingenuous to find a parish near my mother to ask for baptism, on one hand. On the other, I would never want to hurt my mother. I want her to live happily in her faith. Sorry to have made a short story long, but do you know of any options? According to your belief, will Lucas go to hell? Thanks so much.

FATHER JOE:

Dear Carrie, your life is your own. You and your husband have the final say about how you live out your family life and faith. You cannot get your child baptized in a Catholic parish just to appease your mother. I believe she is right about the importance of the sacrament, and I can well appreciate her sense of loss or remorse over your defection. Priests and mothers often weep over those who have abandoned the Church. We also frequently fault ourselves. What might we have done differently? What could have been better? Where did we go wrong? There is really not much you can do about this— just continue loving your mother and know that she will keep loving you, despite the differences and through the tears.

Nothing short of a reconversion would sooth her sorrow about this. And it would be wrong to feign such a return to the practice of the faith. Unless parents practice their faith and want to pass it to their children, baptism in the Catholic Church is not possible. Baptism is a sacrament that washes away original sin, making us temples of the Holy Spirit and adopted sons and daughters to the Father. Yes, it is the sacrament of salvation for it grants both sanctifying and actual grace. We die with Christ so that we might rise with him. We are born again as a new creation. God became a man so that we might share in the divine life. It also makes us members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Catholic Church. Unless you believe and accept such things, then baptism is not on the table. A child comes in the arms of parents and godparents who want to share God’s life with their children. We would not want to make liars of you and have you go through the motions.

Your story began with concern about the treatment of a gay friend. While the Church sees same-sex attraction as disorientation, this in itself is not the same as sin. In any case, we struggle to love and to make room in God’s house for all who believe. We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. We cannot compromise the truths transmitted to us through the deposit of faith, but we can always love each other. I am sorry if some forgot this truth in the life of your friend.

It is true that the Church takes serious stands on issues like contraception and human life, the definition of marriage and the importance of the sacraments. There are also doctrinal tenets about God and our relationship to him. Speaking for myself, I fail to see how an authentic Catholicism of any sort, liberal or conservative, would have prepared one for such a break. The Unitarians doctrinally diverge from mainline traditions on many serious points. A universalism is embraced that makes definite truth claims incredibly relative or subjective. The Trinity is the most fundamental belief of Christianity and that is rejected. Indeed, their liberalism compromises any notion of Scripture as God’s inspired Word. They would neither accept Calvin’s predestination for judgment nor St. Augustine’s predestination to glory. Catholic soteriology speaks of original sin as the source of suffering and death. Universalism of any sort does not. Jesus is seen by Catholics as the Second Person of the Trinity. God comes to redeem and save his people. Unitarian doctrine does not regard Jesus as divine. The sacraments as we understand them are absent, particularly the sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharistic presence. Given that your current religion does not buy into either atonement or eternal damnation, I have to wonder why you would ask me about hell. Is it just because of your mother or is there something from your Catholic past nagging at you? The view of the earliest Church fathers was that unpatized babies went to hell. The pre-Vatican II Catholic view or theory (following the Scholastic philosophers) was that babies who died without baptism went to Limbo, a place of natural happiness but ignorance about God. I cannot tell you absolutely what happens to unbaptized children should they die, but I do have great confidence in the love and compassion of God. Certainly many of us spiritually adopt and pray for children, beseeching God’s mercy upon the innocent ones.

Here is what the universal Catholic Catechism teaches:

[CCC 1257] The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.” God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.

[CCC 1258] The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.

[CCC 1259] For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.

[CCC 1260] “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.” Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.

[CCC 1261] 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. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,” allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church’s call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

God bless you and your family… and also many prayers.
Sam, on May 16, 2013 at 7:14 pm said:

I am a married man in my mid-30s with one child, and I’ve lately been having trouble dealing with the issue of mortality (not enough time in life, etc.).

I was wondering the other day: Why is there a heaven? People usually seem to ask “What’s heaven like?” or “Do animals go to heaven?” but I was curious about the purpose of it.

FATHER JOE: God loves us and wants us with him and to share in his life. Sometimes the bad in this world flourish and the good suffer. Heaven and Hell speak to divine justice. Purgatory is linked to divine mercy.
maria, on May 16, 2013 at 5:21 pm said:

Dear Father, my son had asked me a question about Eden and the tree of knowledge which I was unable to give him a complete answer since I have also wondered the same thing before. The question was: if God knows everything including what is going to happen, why did he put that tree on Eden and why would he let the devil tempt Eve? Since I could not answer my son with a satisfying answer I decided to ask my husband whom I know has more knowledge on the bible. Unfortunately his answer not only startled me but confused me and my children, whom were present, even more. His answer was: that there was no such tree and that the tree was only used as a metaphor, he does not believe that there was a fruit and that there could not be such a almost like “magical” fruit. I know what the meaning of the tree is but now I am confused, he said that there are things in the bible that are like metaphors just stories to make a point like the grain and job’s story. Is this true and how can I explain this to my son?

FATHER JOE: Original sin is real but the Church would not insist on a literal reading of all the elements of Genesis prehistory. The proper question is not so much about a tree, fruit and a serpent but “why would God create us if he knew that we would sin?” The first part of an answer is that God knows everything in an eternal now, not sequentially as we do as creatures who live in time. Second, our freedom is real and while nothing will ultimately compromise divine providence, Christianity rejects the notion of fate or determinism. Third, our first parents did not have to sin, but given that they did, they were promised a redemption that was realized in Christ. God has written straight with our crooked lines. What was lost is regained with so much more, the profound unity of God with his creation in the incarnation.

As we were discussing this with our children it became an argument because I asked if all this time the catechism had been a lie about the tree and possibly other things? That I did not believe him. Of course this got out of hand and soon turn into a discussion, I have a daughter which will soon be 13 that was trying to understand what was being told to her and my husband told her that I didn’t understand because I had not taken classes at church like he had. Thus, making me me feel inferior and hurt, I know that I don’t know as much as my husband and that is why I ask him and try to seek help by reading and searching.My husband did apologize, but said he needs to remember to watch what he says around us. Although I cannot help but wonder if I am doing wrong in giving my children misleading advice. Was I wrong and how can I explain it to my children?

Thank you for all your help and taking the time to answer.

God bless you father.

FATHER JOE: Given that there is no news video of what happened in Genesis, it would seem to me that you are free to believe a more literal version of the story. Just be aware that fundamentalism is more Protestant than Catholic. Note that there are two creation stories in Genesis: in one woman is made from Adam’s rib and in the other they are created together. Genesis teaches truth but sometimes the Bible uses allegory and analogies to do so.
stuartahamilton, on May 16, 2013 at 11:54 am said:

My employers are having a staff meeting of site, and have hired a room in a spiritualist centre. Now I know that Deuteronomy 18 says that spiritualists are an abomination, so where do I stand when it comes to this meeting. Should I tell them that I cannot attend? Or is it OK to go. Thanks.

FATHER JOE: If it is just a business meeting then you are okay. However, you are right, as a Christian none of us should be actively involved in false worship.
Ana, on May 15, 2013 at 5:21 pm said:

Dear Father Joe,

I’ve another relationship-related question (thank you again for addressing it; it took some weight off my mind), this time about my family.

I really feel I should move out, but not for the reasons I want to have (ie being an independent 24-year-old adult). We’re not a healthy family at all. There’s a lot of tension, being on eggshells, and my parents each used the word “divorce” not in reference to each other (though my mom threatens dad with divorce sometimes), but in reference to ME. “You can’t just divorce your family, Ana.” Recently, they and my sister said a bunch of things that made me really feel like I was cheating on them with my parish family. They don’t like my friends, and they don’t like anyone who gives me help and support. Mom even threatened a number of times to call my spiritual director’s (the priest I talked about in the question before) superior, planning to say all sorts of things on why he should stay away from me. On a similar note, she would tell me that talking to him as often as I did (ie outside from just shaking his hand after Mass) would “make people talk”. I felt like a slut. In ways like this, they make me feel bad for wanting to be with people I’ve come to love. They make me feel extra bad for wanting to move out, or even be sad or hurt about any of this stuff.

I know my options, Father, and I don’t intend to give up trying to move out. However, I’d like to hear your opinion on this situation. Am I doing the right thing? God said to honor our parents, but just how much?

-Ana

FATHER JOE: Ana, you are an adult, not a child. Parents have their role but friends and clergy also have their place in your life, too. You are old enough to make your own decisions without manipulation and guilt. It sounds like you may indeed need your own space. The commandment regarding honoring parents is often associated with small children and how they must behave. However, the roots of the commandment are in reference to adult offspring and the care of parents in their declining years. Also, the honor or respect works both ways. No one can be forced to act against his or her conscience. No one can be compelled to sin. Parents must be honorable if they expect to be honored. It sounds like your parents love you and are protective. But there comes a time when we must be free to find our own way even if it might mean mistakes. Love your parents. Treat them with respect. But know that your life is your own.
maria, on May 14, 2013 at 4:15 pm said:

Father,

I am sorry to bother you again. We had considered asking to meet this boy’s parents and begin courtship, but since we had already told her that she was not allowed to date, well, we could not go back on our word. The other reason being is that if there were dating in “secret” then she was obviously not ready for a relationship.

My oldest son is only 1 year older than her and they attend the same school, he has also not being allowed to date and he has chosen to listen to us. My son keeps an eye on her from time to time and in part he is the reason why we found out about her going against our decision. I believe in staying pure and want her to experience her future relationships the same way. We have given her many reasons to wait, but it seems that nothing we tell her is working. My husband is disappointed in her decisions and he says that we can not hold her by the hand and make her follow us everywhere that she needs to learn to make the right decisions, if she refuses to listen to us then there is nothing we can do.

As for the consequences, she was involved in an extracurricular activity at school and she in no longer allowed to be involved. We are a big family and only my husband works so we are unable to give them many of the things they want for ex; we have no cable (not only because of the money, but also because most, if not al,l the shows are inappropriate) we don’t give them money to spend on clothes, we just buy what they need and I buy things for them at yard sales. They do not have a phone, although, my daughter bought herself an iPod with her birthday money from her grandparents and that is what made things escalate because we took it away from her and she keeps arguing that is hers and she bought it she finds it and takes it regardless of what we say. I am also going to take her out of school this coming year and homeschool her, not because of the boy but because we had previously made an agreement that if she had good grades she could stay in school but she has brought only bad grades. Therefore, father there is not much we can tell her or have consequences for. I don’t know what else to do or tell her.

Thank you father I really appreciate all your help.

FATHER JOE: Since she is a minor, you still have a right to meet her friends. Peer pressure is real and the old catechism made a good point about the danger posed by bad companions. Poor grades in school usually comes from giving too much time to distractions and not enough emphasis on study. Try not to get overly stressed out about it. Kids go through phases. The situation may not be all that serious. Keep explaining things to her and dialogue calmly. You do not want to fuel the fires of rebellion and resentment. I will keep you all in prayer.
maria, on May 14, 2013 at 3:23 am said:

Father, I come to you for advice. Although I am aware that my problem is not nearly as great as that of others I did not know to whom else to come. I have a 15 year old daughter. Recently, we found out that she was dating a 15 year old boy without our consent. We have repeatedly spoken to her about our reasons for not letting her date at this time. She complains to us about not being able to do what her friends are doing like going out and being more “free.”

We have tried to guide our children through our faith and letting them know the importance of waiting. My husband has told her that since she has chosen not to listen to us that she can do what she chooses and he will no longer be her father. I, of course, do not agree with that decision and I am very worried for her, especially since it seems that she does not care at all; on the contrary, she seems quite content. Please help me Father. Thank you.

FATHER JOE: It so upsets me that kids want to be lemmings in following the crowd. And like lemmings, they can end up marching into the sea or off cliffs. Parents have different views about dating and I hesitate to intrude upon matters that are at their discretion. Further, I do not know the character of your daughter or the young man she is seeing. Sharing my opinion, I believe that modern dating is seriously flawed. Gone is the notion of chaperones to preserve reputations and to help avoid the “near occasion of sin.” Kids date for pleasure or entertainment which is very different from courtship which is to find a life-long mate. Dating and male-female romantic relationships today are also highly eroticized. Instead of one-on-one dating, younger teens were once required to go out only with larger groups of friends, where girls could support each other against any aggressive males. Your daughter needs to understand that the psychology of boys is very different from girls. When I challenged a young girl for being flirtatious with boys, she responded, “Oh Father, I always stop before I get their motors running.” I corrected her saying, “Get some sense, boys’ motors are always running!” While there are nice young men, such is the nature of the beast given original sin and human weakness. I think you are within your rights for delaying any type of dating until she is older. Further, when a boy or girl does begin to “date,” the person should be introduced to the parents. Meeting the parents or having dinner at the house should be the first step, not the last. We both know that girls can pay a higher price for mistakes or bad judgment. Millions are born out of wedlock. Boys and girls are also unnecessarily exposed to deadly diseases. Dating can be very precarious. Sex kills. There is nothing more dangerous to a teenage girl than a teenage boy. Your husband should NOT disown his daughter. Indeed, her attitude requires both dialogue and sanctions. She is a minor and you take care of her and pay all her bills. Let her know that if she is going to play at being adult that she might have to start paying for some of the luxuries that she currently takes for granted. Does she have a phone? If so, that’s the first thing to go. What might be next? Internet access? Gone. New clothes? No longer in the budget. Cable television? Subscription expired. There are ways to get your point across. Whatever you do, make sure she always knows that you love her and worry about her.
Faye, on May 12, 2013 at 6:22 pm said:

What does the bible say about witnessing injustice?

FATHER JOE: Do you mean performing injustice or fighting it? The Bible says a great deal, more than a quick comment will allow. I will simply leave you with Psalm 37:27-28: “Turn from evil and do good, that you may be settled forever. For the LORD loves justice and does not abandon the faithful.”
Bob, on May 12, 2013 at 1:20 pm said:

Concerned Fellow: You presented some great questions to Father Joe, but I also read some criticism of Catholic teaching. How do you know you have the right way of believing and praying to God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus? I ask Pastors of all faiths or denominations to pray for me. is that any different than asking the Saints for help? I still ask my parents for help and they’ve been gone now for just over a year, is that any different? Spirituality is deep and personal in each and everyone of us that believe in God and Christ. I’m not the best Catholic in this world but I try to understand and accept others in their beliefs by asking questions to learn not to condemn..
Concerned Fellow, on May 11, 2013 at 6:57 pm said:

I really don’t understand how you guys keep forging stories.

FATHER JOE: Sacred Tradition going back to the apostles and Christ are hardly made-up stories.

Why don’t you accept the Scriptures rather than bending them to suit your doctrines?

FATHER JOE: Catholic teachings emerge from the deposit of faith as entrusted to the Church in Sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition. Catholics are the true Bible Christians.

Jesus handed Mary to John because he placed a higher value on his disciples than his family. That was why he even abandoned his mother and brothers outside while he was with his disciples.

FATHER JOE: Jesus did not abandon his family. After thirty some years of ordinary family life he engaged in his public ministry. Mary was both the handmaid of the Lord (first disciple of her Son) and his Mother. The greatest kinship is that shared by faith, yes that is true. But Jesus still followed certain conventions for Jews. Mary is entrusted to John as the Mother of the Church. It also points to the fact that the brethren of the Lord were not the direct children of Mary. Note also Jesus’ role at Cana. Joseph is gone and so Jesus takes his role as head of the household. Mary goes to Jesus when the wine runs out. As the good host, it becomes his first sign of his messianic identity.

And if those kids were his cousins then the Bible would have mentioned it.

FATHER JOE: The Bible does mention it. Four of the brethren are named and among these is James. We are explicitly told that “another” Mary was the mother of James the younger. Matthew 27:56 gives us the witnesses at the Cross: “among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.” Similarly, we read, “There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome” (Mark 15:40). Mary and the family, at least the mothers, follow Jesus to the Cross. John says something similar, “But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). The mother of James and Joseph was the wife of Clopas. Matthew speaks of James, the brother of the Lord, as the son of Alphaeus (rendered in Aramaic as Clopas). A second century author claimed that Clopas was the foster-father Joseph’s brother. The word for brother and cousin was the same and thus the cause for the confusion.

After all, the same Bible called Elizabeth Mary’s cousin and not her sister.

FATHER JOE: Actually, the word used is “syngenis” and while translated sometimes as cousin, it simply means a relative or kin. The linguistic problem with brothers also applies to sisters in that they were applied to cousins.

As for the worship of images, some of you cite when God instructed them to mold the cherubim in the temple. He never asked all Roman Catholics to carry miniature cherubim everywhere they go.

FATHER JOE: I suspect you mean the figures on the Ark of the Covenant. But there was also the image of a seraph on a pole for those seeking healing. The prohibition was never absolute. However, with the incarnation, there is now a new economy of images. The creature can convey something of the Creator.

As for Joseph being an elderly widower, I laugh because I can’t even believe someone would think that way.

FATHER JOE: Actually, many Protestant exegetes also believe that Joseph had died by the time Jesus begins his public ministry. The protector of the Holy Family would now have to step aside.

Mary was engaged to Joseph and was never handed over to Joseph to guard her virginity. He almost sent her away when he found out she was pregnant, save for the encounter with the angel.

FATHER JOE: The first tier of Jewish marriage was betrothal. It is possible that Mary was already consecrated to the service of the Temple. In any case, Mary was primarily the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Joseph respected this great mystery and honored her as the living Ark of the New Covenant.

Whether you like it or not, she was not a perpetual virgin. She performed her role [as wife] to her husband Joseph.

FATHER JOE: There was no shortage of love in their home; however, the Church would contend that theirs was a relationship more akin to a father and daughter. The Church has taught her perpetual virginity from the earliest centuries. It is only late critics like you who contest it.

And even if you pray from now until tomorrow, asking her to intercede for you, you are just wasting your time because she is oblivious of the happenings on earth.

FATHER JOE: Do you think the saints are asleep and/or unaware? Even Elijah and Moses appeared alongside Christ in the Transfiguration. There are no amnesiac saints in heaven. There is no breech with the earthly Church.

(READ THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE VISITED HEAVEN)

FATHER JOE: I would rather trust my Bible and the living and teaching Church.

Neither did any of the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus pray “through” her but they all did “through our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.”

FATHER JOE: The Church came to see a special role of intercession with the saints, particularly those who had suffered for the faith. Indeed, the few who were tortured and survived martyrdom were sought out for special intercession. Their appeals weighed heavily in restoring certain people to grace and full participation in Church life.

As for the apparition that appeared to those three kids, that is sorcery or witchcraft.

FATHER JOE: Private revelation is not mandatory; however, do you oppose the message of repentance, healing and forgiveness? Mary tells pilgrims to place their trust in her Son, Jesus Christ. Do you oppose this message?

I just pray the Lord will open your eyes.

FATHER JOE: My eyes are wide open.
Debbie, on May 11, 2013 at 3:05 pm said:

How does a priest leave the priesthood due to life-threatening ill health? What is the process? I am doing research for a book. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

FATHER JOE: He doesn’t. Priesthood is forever. It is not a job. He can retire from active ministry but is still obliged to keep his priestly promises. Priests are not laicized for poor health. He serves for as long as he can or until the bishop grants him senior status in a rectory or nursing home. Our retirement age in the Archdiocese of Washington is 75, but priests can serve in some degree until death. Even the dying priest relegated to a hospital bed serves the community with his prayers.
Renton, on May 10, 2013 at 2:41 am said:

A friend and I are going skydiving and she is wondering about the moral implications. Are we recklessly endangering our lives? Regardless of what the outcome is, is the action itself wrong? She would like to know if we’re sinning by going skydiving.

FATHER JOE: Tough question, I just do not know. How dangerous is it? I have a priest-friend who skydived as a hobby once a month. It got too expensive and so he quit. It is not a subject I have studied. I do question the morality of needlessly exposing children to danger, i.e. minors on motorbikes, sailing alone, etc. Pope Pius XII considered the sport of boxing problematical and yet Pope John Paul II was a fan. I guess factors have to be considered. If you have a family relying upon you then I would definitely reconsider unnecessary risks. Of course, there is some risk in almost everything we do, like getting into the car to take a drive or just stepping into the shower. I know we have done much to make baseball and football safer for kids, but still people get hurt and even die when playing sports.
Eric S, on May 9, 2013 at 4:06 pm said:

Thank you Father, I appreciate it very much… Now I just need to figure out where to start. Thank you again. Take care and God Bless you and your Parish.
Agnes, on May 9, 2013 at 10:45 am said:

Halo there, I’m in love with him for two years now. I’m 29. We are only kissing because we are not married. I believe in reincarnation, though I’m orthodox. I remember a lot of sins I have done in former lives. But my friend does not believe in reincarnation.(I have killed people, lots of people.)

FATHER JOE: Reincarnation is not compatible with Orthodox or Catholic Christianity. At the moment of conception a soul is infused. The person is immediately created. You did not pre-exist. Such is Eastern thinking and not Western. I would submit that you are imagining past lives.

Otherwise he would have left me already, because of my sins. He is orthodox too and has a very strong believe in God.Soon he may be experiencing a strong wonder, wich will make him believe in my sins. He will leave me because he will have to decide between me and God, as long as God does not forgive me. God does punish too, when he thinks it is right. As long as God did not forgive me, my friend will have to follow God’s opinion. There is no possibility for us to stay together.

FATHER JOE: Is English your first language? I only wonder because there is a certain incoherence in your words. Put aside the reincarnation nonsense, embrace the Gospel and ask for God’s mercy.

How can I deal with this divorce? Please do not doubt my story. It is true. Myrna from Damaskus visits the western Cities if she is invited by a bishop. She talks to Jesus and surely knows that reincarnation exists. She will be invited by our bishop soon. If you pray with her together there suddenly appears oil on the icons. This oil heals all wounds and illnesses within seconds. This will convince my friend, the story I told is true.

FATHER JOE: Reincarnation has more to do with Hinduism than Christianity. If the purported visionary is legitimate, she will not be able to substantiate false doctrine. It violates the Christian view of creation and basic soteriology.

Even if she will not mention reincarnation (because not everybody has to know) my friend will find out, he will anyway start to believe in what I told him, because inviting this woman was my idea. He will find out I know more than he could believe the first time I told him my stories. But he will start to think, if I know about the wonder beeing true from my former lives, he will know there are former lives.

FATHER JOE: If your friend is a faithful Christian, he will reject reincarnation as a devilish deception. We are conceived, born, live in the world and then we die. When we die there is the particular judgment. Some souls go to heaven. Others go to hell. And, still others on their way to heaven must first pass through purgatory. We believe there will be a last or general judgment. The dead will rise, body and soul. Then there will only be two realities: heaven or hell. There is no room in this story of salvation for past lives. It is a lie.

Her own homepage is caothic.Her husband is orthodox. Please don’t try tu persuade me there is no reincarnation. I know it is true.

FATHER JOE: I know it is false because I trust the teachings revealed by Christ to his Church.

The holy Myrna is recognized through a lot of catholic and orthodox bishops who saw the wonder and tested the oil on their own. It heals from cancer, aids/hiv, blindness and all wounds IN SECONDS. So you can see the wonder working. The oil apperas out of knowhere on the icons during prayer with this woman. Moslems attend baptism through this wonder. You can try it on your own by inviting Myrna to your City through a bishop.

FATHER JOE: The only help I will give you is to go to your priest and seek absolution from involvement with the occult.

Please help me to get through the divorce wich will come soon. There will be no possibility for him to love me any longer. Perhaps already during this or next year. How can I deal with it? I know it is because of my sins.

FATHER JOE: If you are not married, how can there be a divorce?

Please concentrate on my problem. There is no sense in discussions about reincarnation existing or not.

FATHER JOE: If you will not reject reincarnation then there is no use continuing this conversation. It disrespects the saving work of Christ on his Cross. You cannot have it both ways.

My friend will leave me and I will be too depressive talking to anybody and noone will help me. I do not want to discuss the problem of reincarnation. I want some guidance about the separation with my friend coming soon. Thanks.

FATHER JOE: Again, you have no special truth apart from the Church. Beware of spiritual deception. See your priest and seek guidance. Humbly accept, recant and seek divine mercy. That is where you will find hope.
Ariel, on May 9, 2013 at 1:17 am said:

That’s what I thought. Thanks, father! God bless you!
Ariel, on May 8, 2013 at 9:20 pm said:

Is it sinful to go to someone’s house if they live together before marriage? Even if these friends know you disagree with cohabitation?

FATHER JOE: We are talking about adults, right? The scandal is theirs, not yours. Yes, you can visit them. If you disown them then how can you continue to witness the truth to them.
ed, on May 8, 2013 at 5:33 pm said:

Thanks for the response; sorry about the long translation in which I made. I did not realize until later that it was so long. Another question I have about modern day Judaism and their belief in the Kaballah; isn’t this a satanic practice since it revolves around the oneness of God of coming from both good and evil? Also the coming Messiah in Judaism is not Jesus but rabbi’s who eventually will become the Messiah of Judaism and the world. There is also talk of Noahide laws which was given to Noah which forbids idol worship. They say Jesus would be considered an idol so what does all this mean to Christians?

FATHER JOE: The Kaballah is forbidden to Christians and there are cultic practices not universal to Judaism.I am not well versed to Messianic movements within Judaism.
heal1978, on May 8, 2013 at 3:06 pm said:

Thank you Father for your responce and kind words means alot.Justice has not be served,but I feel it may need to be aswell,as it was a family member it makes it hard.I started seeing a counselors a few months back.And am slowly trying to get reconected with god.Thanks again Father.
heal1978, on May 6, 2013 at 9:40 pm said:

Hi Father, Over the last few years I have been dealing with the after effects of being sexual abused as a child, and have lost a great deal of my faith and trust in god. Can I ever regain it? Or should I just relize that I can’t? Thankyou.

FATHER JOE: I hope that justice was brought to your situation. Just as someone can hurt us, sometimes we need others to properly heal. There are counselors out there who can make a difference in helping you. No matter whether the victimizer is a clergyman, teacher, friend or family member, the pain is terrible. But, the more trusted the person, the deeper the wound. Faith and trust can be restored, but we all carry our physical and psychological scars. It is like death. Everything changes. Nothing will ever be the same again. But that does not mean that everything is despair and sadness. We go on with a hope centered on the victory of our crucified Lord. There are still people who love and care. I have no magic wand to take away your hurt or to change your history; however, I will pray that God will give you the grace to persevere and to know happiness. God bless you!
Bob, on May 6, 2013 at 2:00 pm said:

Father Joe: I hope you had a great weekend and a blessed Sunday. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place over baptism of my great grandson. The mother is not Catholic. My grandson is not practicing. To add to this problem the parents though they were in love and produced a beautiful boy, their affection for each other as a couple disappeared. Can I use the Baptismal readings and spiritually protect him, following what a priest would say? I know the diocese would say no to baptizing him.

FATHER JOE: Are you asking if you might privately and/or secretly baptism him? I well understand your concern and the gravity of the matter. As a priest, there is only so much I can say. I am a man under authority. The immediate charge over the child still belongs to his parents, no matter how unworthy of their sacred calling. The sacraments are public acts of the Church. The ritual emphasizes a strong connection between faith and baptism. Adults can profess this faith for themselves. Children have this profession made by parents and godparents. In either case, we do not come to the baptismal font alone. In danger of death, knowing that such is the desire of at least one parent, anyone can baptize. But what is one to do when there is no pending threat to life and such a sacrament would be over the objections of parents? It seems our hands are tied. Knowing the wonder and beauty of baptism makes our pain for unbaptized children all the worse. The sacrament gives both sanctifying and actual grace. Original sin is washed away. We are made into temples of the Holy Spirit and reborn as new Christs. We are made members of the royal household of God: adopted sons and daughters to the Father, brothers and sisters to Christ, and spiritual children of our Queen-Mother, Mary. It is the doorway to the other sacraments. We are made inheritors of the kingdom of heaven and members of the Church. Baptism is truly the sacrament of salvation. Every baptized child is a saint. And yet, with this all said, it is not magic. Parents are admonished to witness and nurture the Catholic faith so that the child will personally embrace it and receive the other sacraments, particularly Eucharist and Confirmation.
ED, on May 4, 2013 at 11:38 am said:

Hey I have been reading through these questions and answers and I cannot believe how rude and nasty some of the question and comments are. It makes you wonder where people’s values have gone in not even having respect for a man of God. Anyways I just have a few questions.

FATHER JOE: I will respond to your questions, but please limit the length of future comments and avoid pasting long citations. Thanks.

The first is about the Latin Bible; I was wondering why it was not put into English right away or the language of the people so they could read it?

FATHER JOE: When the Vulgate was composed there was no English language in existence. The Bible was in Hebrew and Greek. Latin was the language of the people, the original vernacular. Of course, books were rare and expensive to produce. Many people were illiterate. Over the span of centuries, Latin developed into Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Even 90% of “written” English has Latin derivatives while 60% is Germanic. Catholic English editions today are translated from the oldest extant sources.

My second question is about the word “GENTILE”; Why in the Older English translation from the Latin is the word used quite frequently as opposed to the newer versions which replaced it with “NATIONS”?

FATHER JOE: The word “Gentiles” is a Latin term. There has been a move away from “contextual translation” to a more literal one, i.e. “Nations.” It came to signify non-Jews, a reference to the peoples of other tribes or nations.

I always thought that Jesus came exclusively for the JEWS but after seeing the word in its proper context I see he first came for the “GENTILES” and then for the remnant Jews who he said equal 7,000.

FATHER JOE: Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and the Savior of the World. He appeared to shepherds (Jews) and was visited by the wise men (Gentiles). The apostles were Jewish and the first Christians were Jewish (the Church in Jerusalem). However, Gentile converts would later outnmber the Jewish membership. Salvation comes through the Jews.

I really don’t understand why they changed the word Gentile to nations since it took away so much meaning…Jesus came specifically for the GENTILES first and then for the remnant of Jews…Why was it changed? IS there anything else which is different in the Latin version?

FATHER JOE:

Has there been an extensive change? The latest Catholic translation of Romans 15:12 reads as “And again Isaiah says: ‘The root of Jesse shall come, raised up to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope.'” (New American Translation) Compare it with your KJV below. The word GENTILES is still used.

As I said, the word GENTILE is a Latin word, not Hebrew. It is based on two words, the Hebrew גוי (goy) and נכרי (nokhri) in the Old Testament and the Greek ἔθνη (éthnē) in the New Testament. The original terms meant nations or peoples. Later English translations seek to be more accurate in their application, reserving the word GENTILES to when a distinction is being made with non-Jews. The Latin did not really change anything. The confusion, evidently, is due to a poor understanding of Latin and the history of biblical translations. The Constitution of the Church promulgated at Vatican II is entitled, LUMEN GENTIUM. The second word is what English sometimes transliterates as Gentiles. It is translated here as LIGHT OF THE NATIONS.

One of the many Catholic bibles is online at:
http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

The translation you use below is a much older one. Please note that it also appears to be the King James Version, a popular Protestant bible from the past but not one generally used by Catholics.

Here is some passages to highlight what I am saying:

Romans 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Romans 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Luke 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
3 John 1:7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
Acts 22:21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Acts 28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

Romans 15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

Hosea 8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

Matthew 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Luke 18:32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:

Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Romans 16:4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
Genesis 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Acts 21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Ezekiel 4:13 And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Acts 18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
1 Thessalonians 2:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Matthew 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
Romans 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Acts 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Acts 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Acts 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
1 Timothy 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Isaiah 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Judges 4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
Isaiah 60:11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
Lamentations 2:9 Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.
Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
1 Peter 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Isaiah 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Matthew 4:15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Acts 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Judges 4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
Acts 7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Matthew 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Romans 11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Jeremiah 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
sneacher, on May 4, 2013 at 10:17 am said:

Hi dear Father, I want to ask you something about my boyfriend’s dream [he had] about 2 or 3 years ago. My boyfriend was climbing up a mountain. After reaching the summit, he saw Jesus’ cemetery and Jesus too. What could it mean?

FATHER JOE: I am not much about interpreting dreams. What is Jesus’ cemetery? Do you mean his tomb? If so it sounds like a resurrection dream.