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NEW MESSAGES/HOMILIES CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS DEFENDING THE FAITH
Blogger Priest 
people that recently died sometime are brought into my life,i dont know how really but my guess is that God sends them to encourage me, and my guess is that they are in heaven, but how do I know for sure that they are in heaven? an example would be Michael Jackson, Ceasar Chavez, or my friend that recently died…but how do I know they would be in heaven or purgatory encouraging me and helping me? do I just judge on how good or bad they were with the faith I have? Usually whenever I see them I can tell if they were good by the grace I feel when I see a picture of them or that they make me smile…Just get to this when you can, thank you…
If A Catholic woman has an abortion , and has confessed it, will she still go to hell? Is there any hope of her going to heaven.
Hi, my brother is discerning his vocation to be a priest. Yet he has not said much about it, I can tell he really is looking within himself. I don’t know how I could help him however he’s a big reader; would you have any recommended books for aspiring seminarian young man?
I would recommend the following:
With God in Russia by Ciszek, Walter (SJ)
He Leadeth Me by Ciszek, Walter (SJ)
The Keys of the Kingdom by Cronin, A.J.
Would it be a sin if I were to read the apocryphal books? Thank you!
Dear Fr. Joe,
Our adult daughter has suddenly decided she no longer has to pay back her college loans which we, her parents, took out on her behalf, to pay for her college education. We told her when we took out Parent Plus loans that we would do so on the condition that SHE would begin to repay them upon graduation…..she agreed to do so. Now, she decided she no longer wants to keep up her end of the bargain. What recourse do we have? We cannot afford to pay them and her younger siblings will not be able to attend college if she does not pay what she owes.
Dear Father,
There’s a little girl who is facing possible hysterectomy. I won’t say much else about it, but that there’s a lot of abuse involved. Please help me pray for her.
-Ana
I am having a hard time still believing in G-D. If He is supposed to be all good and take care of those who can’t take care of themselves, then why does He let so many animals suffer. Especially in the cities, so many cats and dogs are just thrown away. How can He let this suffering go on? Please help me understand. Thank You, Al Tritt
I have recently developed a system of body concentration meditations based on some scientific evidence involving bioelectricty. I have been using this to heal myself of many ailments and it works like magic….which is what worries me. I have no spiritual intent with it, just that one study showed that focusing on physical ailments can speed healing by increasing neural activity. So is this witchcraft or am I ok? Please I need an answer.
Thanks for the info about the title of the title of the movie (the priest who adopted a child).
Dear Fr. Joe:
I know we are not to approach the alter of the Lord without forgiving our neighbor. I am having trouble with forgiveness and I don’t know if the trouble may stem from it being a call to stand up to a wrong that was committed so that others may not be hurt in the same way. A year and a half ago, my then four year old daughter was neglected at her Catholic school, left alone in a parking lot, and had to be hospitalized as a result. In an effort to, I can only guess, cover up their mistake, discredit my family in case we sue, or rid themselves of this “problem” created by the school’s actions, the principal made a false report to child protective services against us. She claimed that my husband beat her so severely that her face was a bloody mess and that I dropped her off at school in this condition. When they investigated the claim and saw my child was without any marks, they immediately dropped the investigation and reported back the claim was unfounded. Unfortunately, before I came home that day with my children, the police had responded and were very aggressive with my husband who answered the door. Our neighbors witnessed this and I feel we were viewed with suspicion for some time. I didn’t pursue a lawsuit, as I wanted to get my children past this, I’m fighting a chronic physical illness, and my husband wanted to put this behind him. But I regret that decision. CPS said they see schools do this from time to time when they’re in disputes with parents, thinking that it is as easy as an anonymous phone call to drive them away. But I feel justice should be done. I still don’t know if I’d want to put my family through all a lawsuit would require even if initiating one would still be possible. I also doubted the archdiocese would listen to us as they seemed to show such callousness and a notorious lack of cooperation in the child abuse cases. But this woman should not be allowed to run a school or represent Catholicism. I tried to discuss it with the pastor but he was already being transferred and downplayed the whole thing as silly women spatting. I now homeschool my children, but my youngest still resents being taken out of the school. I don’t know if she suspects that it’s her fault we left, though I’ve assured her it is because I don’t like the way it is run. This has been a major disruption in our lives, but also very discouraging when it comes to existing within such a troubled humanity. And yes, we are all sinners and I’m hoping not to hear “she was probably trying to help.” I have tried praying for her. I’ve offered masses for her. How does one let this evil go? Is there a creative way I can use this to help other families, prevent this from happening again?
this question is less about faith and more about morality. My wife braught a dog into our house without my permission. Since it has been here it had to have its leg removed due to an accident involving my oldest son. It now refuses to potty train due to its new disability. My children absolutely love the dog and play with it all day long. But i find myself cleaning up dog urine and feces 4 to 5 times a day. When I walk into my new home with new floors and carpets all i can smell is dog urine and it is infuriating. I cant even put her out in the garage. if she is away from people for more than a minute or two she starts howling. Hundreds of dollars of medical expenses and constant aggrevation make me want to “take it to the farm” but i am torn between my own aggrevation and my childrens happyness. I dont know what to do. I feel like if i destroy it or give it away I am not only hurting my children but turning my back on one of gods creatures that is obviously pathetic and is faultless in the circumstance. I am not an animal lover cant look at this dog without disgust in my heart for the inconveniance it places on me. I need some advice. Im sure there is no right answer, but i thought a priest would be able to tell me what god would want me to do.
Hello, Father,
I wanted to thank you for your answer regarding the invalid marriage ceremony between my comatose father and his ex-wife, my mother (11/19, 2:52). This event has troubled me for awhile and before I spoke with my sister about it, I wanted a well-informed and deeply Catholic response.
Jane M
To start off, I was raised by a Catholic father and a Lutheran mother so I have been torn between the two since I was young. I’ve tended to stay in the middle and be more of an agnostic simply because I am torn between the two and pulled towards both. My father recently gave me his rosary which he recieved from my great grandmother who was a very devout Catholic woman. My question is, is it ok for me to wear the rosary on my wrist? I don’t mean for it to be an accessory, or be sacrilegious. I want to wear it because I feel it reassures me of my faith in god by keeping me more intune with it in this busy world. Plus the nostalgia it carries aswell means a great deal to me.. I hope you can help me with this dilemma. Thank you, and God bless, Father.
I know of a person who is in a very bad phase in life and has lost all hope..he wants to commit suicide..how could I advice him out of it. Please help!
FATHER JOE: Without more details it is hard to say. If you really think he is self-destructive, I would recommend contacting the local suicide hotline and urge the authorities to intervene.
I was called to the priesthood but unfortunately I can’t do it. 3rd year in college but still taking the same math since freshman year because Ive always struggled with it. I don’t understand it. They say pray for young people to answer Gods call. I know so many people who thought about entering the relgious life but didn’t because of the schooling. I don’t need to take these college courses to be a Priest. It has nothing to do with the Priesthood, never once have I heard a priest say” Jesus was with 12 disciples but he needs to find the variable x.” It should just be 4 years in the seminary learning about the catholic faith. Like come on. And then philosophy doesn’t even make sense at all and has nothing to do with Catholicism, who the heck is Plato and Aristotle and how do they help the church. I need a degree just to be a priest when I’m a good person that follows the catholic faith and has done so much community service, that’s what should be required, not learning about all these maths etc. the church should really consider changing the requirements if they expect more priests. Yes I got called and said yea but unfortunately the way it looks , I may not be continueing my studies bc of the struggles I’m having in math and philosophy and western history. And what does that have to do with being a priest , bc I’m pretty sure there were no bible stories about the Roman Empire or Augustus Octavian and Julius Cesear
Carol and I have similar situations..Even I keep wondering where God is though I know He is always with me..
You live alone father..but I have people around me and I am just not able to connect to them or join in their conversations as our languages differ and they don’t feel comfortable speaking to me. I sit alone and just remember my old friends..depressing..
Hello, Father,
I hope this is an unusual question. Some years ago now my father, who was divorced from my mother and dating other women, was diagnosed with cancer and died within 5 weeks of the diagnosis. In his last week of illness, he was in a coma from which he never gained consciousness. During that period, one of my sisters somehow convinced a priest that my father had expressed a desire to remarry my mother before he died and the priest remarried them while my father remained comatose.
I feel that this was an outrageous deception on my sister’s part. Can you help me find the words to explain to my sister that this was wrong. Or if I am mistaken can you explain to me why?
Thank you and God bless you
What is the name of the movie?
Father Joe,
Would God deliberately put pain in my life to teach me a lesson and/or to lead me down a certain path? By this I mean, say I have not been listening to what God wants me to do. Would He put something in my life–say a physical ailment or some other obstacle–in order to lead me back to him?
Thank you,
B
Fr Joseph please can i have your email address for private messaging? Thanks!
Dear Fr Joseph,
I am unhappy, lonely, grossly obese due to overeating, unable to work, mentally ill.
I wonder where God is in all these situations?
I sometimes think of suicide on and off. Of late its a far away thought thank God.
I try and pray, read the scriptures attend mass and confession regularly.
The devil tempts me that i am a failure and i have failed God and yet claim to love him. Am at a loss all my family and colleagues are living generally balanced lives. Why me? Help me please.
I always wondered about something. If a woman has an ectopic pregnancy, and she is told both she and the baby are going to die because of the placement of the baby. The doctor recommends an abortion to save her life. If she gets the abortion she commits murder but if she dies she commits suicide. What is the right choice?
Can priests adopt children, or is that an element of fiction for storylines in popular books and movies?
Also, let’s say that a man already has a child and his wife passes away; can he join the priesthood or religious organization like the Franciscans if his child is still a minor? I have always been curious.
Thank you!!
Hello Father. Hope you weren’t offended by my question? I don’t understand most church precepts that’s why I ask questions that might seem awkward to you. Thanks for clarifying issues for me.
Father there is nothing lacking in my life..except friends..because of this life has become so boring and I get frustrated..the place I work has a lot of people who aren’t my type and I just cant be friends with them..it frustrates me to the core. What should I do? I Feel lonely. Every passing day is a drag.