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NEW MESSAGES/HOMILIES CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS DEFENDING THE FAITH
Fr. Joe
About 25+ years ago I stood in proxy for a Godparent at baptism. However, that man was not at the time, nor is now, a Confirmed Catholic. Was that Baptism valid? And if not would that make the subsequent Sacraments invalid? And if so, would he need to receive the sacraments through RCIA now?
Thank you.
Hello Father – I was raised in the Roman Catholic Faith, my partner was raised in the Church of England. We are discussing our options for Marriage, and I was hoping for your guidance.
I would prefer to give an undertaking (to be prepared to avoid the dangers of abandoning the faith and to do all I can within the unity of the (marriage) partnership to have all the children of the marriage baptised and brought up in the Roman Catholic Church). I do not wish my partner to convert to Catholicism.
What law / rules / steps must we be aware of going through this process? Does a Catholic Priest need to make a request for dispensation on my (our) behalf? What does the marriage ceremony look like to be respectful of both faith traditions?
Any clarity would be greatly appreciated. And I thank you for your time.
I just wanted to know if I can break my 12 year fast from pork as I made a promise not to eat pork?
Revelation 22:18-19.
I’ve read 2 explanations so far.
1. The author is simply trying to protect his work by adding a solemn abjuration
2. The passage describes blasphemy – “Adding to or taking away from God’s inspired word is equivalent to saying his word is in error”.
Which interpretation is the correct one?
I have seen many psyc and psychologist..so would lessen my sins or not be accountable for these sins..i do have severe OCD AND SCRUOULOSITY. ANXIETY
AND COMPULSIONS ARE SO GREAT i did ha e a FransiscN moral theologian. I should not be contacting you but i do have same sex attratction
My SD is also a psychologist.
He said i am NOT FREE TO SIN BECAUSE OF MY SCRUOULOSITY AND LACK IF FREEDOM.
MY COMPULSIONS ARE SEVERE..NOW IF I WERE TO COMMIT SEXUAL ACTIVITY OF THR SAME SEX WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ME? REMEMBER I AM 72 YEARS OLD..THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.. CHARLES
Hello!
I my husband and I had full intention on going to mass on January first. We got ourselves and kids ready but when we got to our church we discovered that the mass time had changed and we had missed it. I then received holy Eucharist the following Sunday. Did I commit mortal sins?
I gave up pork about 12 years ago
Now I’m thinking of bringing it back into my diet
Just wondering since I gave it up as a personal promise to the lord if I can start eating it again?
My husband and I would like to offer ashes on Ash Wednesday at our business. It is in a poor underserved area. I find many people feel unworthy/unwelcome at church, plus there are Covid concerns.
As lifelong Episcopalians we know the blessing by heart.
I understand it is not a high holiday and lay people can administer ashes.
Is our plan okay?
Can scented candles be blessed and used privately.
Here in Southern California (January 4) the pandemic is raging and there is a stay-at-home order in place for the State. Our parish has instituted a communion service each Sunday for those who watch Sunday mass on TV and then attend a brief, outdoor communion service. I have been using this option.
Now that the Covid conditions are at a critical level, I am very concerned about attending the communion service (I am 74). As a senior citizen categorized as “most at risk” I am at a loss in how I should proceed. While I trust that God would not permit a person to be infected while attending a communion service, I struggle with a go/no-go decision to put myself at risk.
Is my trust in God’s intervention to protect me against Covid enough to give me confidence to attend a communion service?
Would I be better served by simply saying the prayer shown on the mass telecast to ask for God’s grace in Communion?
Hello there! I am a Catholic can I still watch Danny Duncan?
Hi Father,
If I forget to confess sins of my past(not intentionally) are they automatically forgiven and do I have to confess them when I remember them in the future.
What is your take on the Covid-19 vaccines using aborted fetal tissue and the Vatican saying it is okay?
01-12-21 FATHER JOE:
The USCCB has stated: “Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccine involved the use of cell lines that originated in fetal tissue taken from the body of an aborted baby at any level of design, development, or production.”
Pope Francis has stated, “I believe that ethically everyone must take the vaccine, it is an ethical option; otherwise, you risk your health, your life, but also the lives of others.”
They have been judged as ethically permissible because there is a remote (not direct or immediate) connection to abortion.
https://www.ncregister.com/cna/us-bishops-approve-use-of-coronavirus-vaccines-with-remote-connection-to-abortion?fbclid=IwAR13KfgiSPUyOqhv5ulMBgG4A54MaMeGFMMq3_sXsLPXD4-hM5IyLPZwx5A
In the Catechism it says that the second precept of the Church is, “you shall confess your sins at least once a year.” Does this apply if you only have venial sins? Because I’ve read elsewhere in the Catechism that the confession of venial sins is not strictly necessary. Also, I’ve read both in the Catechism and canon law that you must confess grave sins once a year. If the second precept of the Church applies if you have only venial sins, why do canon law and the Catechism mention just grave sins, and not all sins, in the lines about confession once a year? Thanks.
Hello Father,
I hope you don’t think question is trivial but I’ve no idea where else I might find the answer.
I know that catholics are encouraged to obtain from eating meat on Fridays. But this year, Christmas day was on a Friday. Does that mean they should have refrained from eating meat even though it was Christmas?
Many thanks and God bless,
David
Hello I’m wanting to know can the devil or his Demons hear silent prayers coming a demon possed person?
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Hello, I want to know is it bad to date or marry ur gob siblings. That are not blood related?
Merry Christmas Father Joe and hopefully a very good new year ahead.
Thank you for your posts and responses.
Sorry to ask this of you, I have not heard back from the local parishes to which I’ve reached out. I am 51 but knew as a teenager I belonged in the Catholic Church. Because of family influence and other challenges, I started RCIA several times but never finished. I am now divorced and remarried and feel a distinct call from God to join the Catholic Church and fulfill God’s call I ignored so many years ago. I understand my situation can be problematic (my wife is not a Catholic) but I hope to find a way “Home.”
Hello Father, I understand that the Catholic Church would view marriage as a sin without the annulment of a previous Catholic marriage. And, I think this is because a Catholic is still considered married to the previous spouse in the eyes of the Church. But, I’m very confused and cannot find any written Catholic teachings or references about the following: Can a divorced Catholic man, after being denied an annulment of his marriage, just live as roommates with a person of the opposite sex with no intention of marriage?
A Catholic man, with a denied annulment, asked me to live with him as just a roommate. This is because of his loneliness. When he daily comes home every day it is to a very quiet and empty house. There is no one around to talk to, do projects together, cook together and clean the house together. He also wants a roommate of the opposite sex because he says that they can keep a “neater” household than a male roommate. He also wants to make money off of the rent that he would charge me to live with him. He said the rent money would be an investment just for him. Thank you for your time in responding to me, and God bless you!
Hello Father,
I’m a born into a Catholic family and lived as a Catholic for 63 years. Over the past month or so I have stopped attending Mass because of the Pope and the direction he is leading our faith. I cringe every time his name is mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer during the Liturgy. In addition to this, it has been disappointing to hear that some Catholic bishops and priests are saying it is okay for President-elect Biden to receive Communion, even though he is pro-abortion. By participating in all of this, I feel like I’m in a herd of swine destined for a cliff. I feel sick about not attending Mass, but I don’t know what else to do. I’ve been researching the Orthodox Church which celebrates the Eucharist, but denies the supremacy or infallibility of a pope. Any guidance from you would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Don
If you don’t have any mortal sins to confess is it a mortal sin not to go to confession once a year?
Hello Fr.
Hope all’s well on your side. Our little island nation is going through a cyclone right now. Please keep us in your prayers.
My question: has there ever been a moment in the history of the Church, where the devotion to Mother Mary has ever surpassed the devotion to Our Lord?
Reason for question: I always wonder why other Christian denominations condemn us for honouring Mother Mary. From my personal experience, the more I say the Rosary, the closer I feel to Christ. Whenever I am in doubt or in a situation that questions my Faith in God, in prayer I hear Mother Mary saying “Listen to My Son”… And whenever I look at the crucifix, I can almost hear a voice saying “Trust Me”. It’s like, the more I depend on Mother Mary, the closer I feel to Christ.
If heaven is paradise what happens if your loved one is goes to hell and your going to heaven? Wwould there be a clone of them in heaven or would they just not be there? If so can heaven be a paradise without your loved one? This scenario has been on my mind for a while… be safe.
Hello Father, hope all is well. I seen that you was a huge Joe E. Brown fan. Im trying to help a friend to find a movie for her father n law. He was over seas during the end of War War II. They were watching a movie, and they stopped it to announce that the war had ended. He never got to see how the movie ended and would like to. All he remembers is that Joe was on a rail cart, and there was a large train coming behind him. Had to be a movie from before 1945. Thanks for any help that you can give. Bill