Answer Priest

Ladies of the Lord -- February 10, 2011

• 30 minutes: pre-packaged questions.
• 15 minutes: open forum.

Gina, you may decide whether you want to talk about the headings or not. I've made them up to try to organize and group questions in some kind of coherent fashion.

I've started putting the questions in an order that makes sense to me, but you may rearrange them in any order that makes sense to you. I would like you to watch the time, if you would, please, and pose the very last question about the "Signs of the Times" without about three to five minutes to go in the pre-packaged period.

Watch the clock and at about 1-2 minutes left in the 15-minute period, announce, "This is the last question. Father will be available after the meeting or you can call us tomorrow between 4 and 5 PM at 1-877-511-5483."

Confession

• My husband doesn't believe in Confession! He says he does not have to confess his sins to another man and that he can still be Catholic despite rejecting the validity and necessity of this sacrament. How can I defend the Church's teaching?

Purgatory

• I am Catholic but I do not believe in Purgatory. How do we know it really exists? It seems to be just a Catholic thing.
• Is the Catholic church unique regard belief in 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

• Can a Mass be said for someone who is not Catholic?
• When and why should Catholics genuflect?
• 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?

Coping with Others' Sins and Shortcomings

The comment

I've been hearing too much backbiting about priests lately. The things being said may often be true, but the value of obedience is being ignored. I always tell people how BAD it is to just gripe about the faults of priests--even if they are real. We should instead think about how much grace God can pour out on our priests and on us when we submit to God's authority in the Church. I believe this sin is weakening our prayer power! I see this with so many wives, too, who know the "right" thing to do in their families, and so they trample their husbands role as head of the household. Then they complain that their husbands won't take authority! I know I'm guilty of this myself, but God has shown me in so many instances how the grace flows when we do submit, and we prayer warriors need to be at FULL POWER these days! No leaking vessels!

The question

What is the right way for us to act when we see sins and shortcomings in others?

Detachment from sick and sinful behavior

• What do you do if you have a very dysfunctional family who steals your peace and joy on every occasion no matter what you do? I do pray for them but I feel I can no longer be with them because of the dark places take send me. They are Joy-stealers!

Saints

• Why did Pope John Paul II pronounce so many saints for this time. Was he a mystic?
• Why have some of the bodies of the saints been found incorrupt? What does it 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 too, St. Faustina or the work of Divine Mercy?

Mary and the Joys of Heaven

• Does our Lady now enjoy the happiness of heaven? For so many centuries she has been appearing on earth caring for her children and in some apparitions has been reported as weeping.

Angelology

• Can you explain what Angels are and comment on their importance to us? Can some people really 'see' them and if someone claims to receive a message from one of these messengers how do we know if it is from good or evil?

New Age Religions

• What are the New Age Religions all about? How should we react to them?
• Are the Harry Potter books and movies evil?
• What about yoga?
• What about Reiki?

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

• Are the dead birds, fish kills, massive floods, frequent earthquakes and an increase of man's inhumanity to man warnings of the End Times or some other earthshaking event?
• What are the "End Times" and the Rapture? How will it take place? Don't the Protestants believe in a different kind of Rapture then us?
• Some scholars say that after the 2nd coming Jesus will reign for 1000 years but after that time 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??