Answer Priest

Ladies of the Lord -- February 10, 2011

Purgatory

• What is the difference between a Plenary indulgence and a Partial indulgence? When did these first come about in the Catholic church?
• What, if anything, has changed regarding the church teaching on Limbo?

Liturgical Norms

• Why does the priest kiss the altar?
• Why do we make the sign of the cross on our forehead, lips and mouth at the beginning of the gospel reading?
• Why do we bow during the Nicene Creed at the words, "By the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man"?
• Why are bells sometimes rung at Mass? Why do some parishes ring bells but others don't?
• What prayers or actions are appropriate when the Host and the Chalice are elevated?
• Should parishioners bow or genuflect when receiving Communion?
• Is it ever inappropriate to take the blessed Host into our hand?
• Does the church forbid dipping the blessed Host into the blessed Wine? If so, why?
• Why it is inappropriate for Catholics to receive Communion in non-Catholic churches and for non-Catholics to receive communion in the Catholic church?

Saints

• Why did Pope John Paul II pronounce so many saints for this time.
• Why have some of the bodies of the saints been found to be incorrupt? What does the fact that their bodies have not decayed mean?
• 1 Timothy 2:5 says that Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and Man. Does the Catholic devotion to the saints violate this norm?

Divine Mercy

• Could you explain Divine Mercy and the importance of it? In St. Faustina's Diary it says the spark that will ignite the world will come from Poland. Do you think that spark is referring to Pope John Paul II, St. Faustina, or the work of Divine Mercy?

Mary and the Joys of Heaven

• Mary has appeared often in recent centuries and in some apparitions has been reported as weeping. Does our Lady now enjoy the happiness of heaven?

Angelology

• Can some people really 'see' angels?
• If someone claims to receive a message from one of these messengers, how do we know if the message is from God?

New Age Religions

• Is yoga evil?
• Is Reiki evil?

Holy Orders

• We never hear of any priest being made a Monsignor lately.
  • What is the status of this honorary title?
  • What was the special designation that Msgr. Rupert received last year?
• Do you go from being a priest to being a Bishop?
• Is our Bishop retiring?

Signs of the Times

• What are the "End Times" and the Rapture? How will it take place? Don't Protestants and Catholics have different views of "the Rapture"?
• Some scholars say that after the Second coming, Jesus will reign for 1000 years, but then Satan will be released from hell and will have power over the world again. Why would God allow this and for how long?
• Is suffering given to us by the Lord, the Devil or both and how are we to recognize the difference?
• What does Fr. Marty think is the greatest crisis in the Church and what are each of us called to do to help overcome it?