Gina's notes

14 December

• Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church. (One of two new doctors in 2012?)
• O Antiphons.
• Sandra from Denver: and last Friday I listened to you, Fr. Marty, and I need a clarification about something you said. Will you please respond to this question on Friday, Dec. 7 if possible. I will be listening. You said that God’s mind can be changed through prayer. I thought He was unchanging.

My sister, Charlotte from Florida, asked you on your radio station for prayers for her family. I want to tell you that your prayers have definitely helped. It is a miracle.

Also, will you pray for a special intention of mine.

• Scott from Rochester: asks what is meaning of Luke 10 where Jesus "rebukes" martha about her many concerns?
• Joel from Welland, Ontario: Please pray that I can find a full-time job.
• Debbie's mother Margaret passed away this week. Mass intention for both Debbie and Margaret.
• Anonymous from e-mail: I was recently arrested for driving under the influence. My life is a shambles. I feel so ashamed of myself. I feel that I am a hypocrite as a Catholic. While I was still under the influence of alcohol, I tried to commit suicide after I was arrested. I am scared to death I will never recover from all this. I am barely holding it together. I really need some advice and prayers.
• Dan from Facebook: Is it permissible for Catholics to donate goods (canned foods, clothing, etc.) to the poor through the Salvation Army? The only reason I ask is that I understand that this is a pro-choice organization -- but my church is collecting clothing items for the Salvation Army during the Advent season.

Recent questions

Ordination of Women and Priestly Celibacy

Amy from e-mail: I recently spoke with some women friends about the ordination of women and allowing priests to marry. They claimed that these two issues are founded on human law rather than divine law, and then argued that because some day there will not be enough priests to serve the people, other options must be discussed. Are these issues open to discussion?

Year of Faith Website

• David M. from Rochester: Here is the Vatican’s website for the year of faith: www.annusfidei.va.

Common Bible includes "Apocrypha"

John W. from e-mail: I was very surprised this afternoon when you quoted Tobit 4:8 on giving. You said, "The Protestants don’t have Tobit in their Bible." Here in Canada, or at least Toronto, we DO! We also have Judith, Wisdom, Baruch, 1&2 Maccabees, and the other Deuterocanonical Books in the pew Bibles of at least our local Anglican and Presbyterian churches, and probably in the local United Church too. The pew Bibles are the “New Revised Standard Version (with Apocrypha).” These are logical developments based on Vatican II, which began fifty years ago, and the first Anglican-Roman Catholic Common Declaration and the establishment of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission forty-six years ago. Most Protestant churches are also using the Revised Common Lectionary. Is this just a Canadian thing?

- Apocrypha in Common Bible.

Lives of Saints for Young Children

Veronica from Ithaca made some extra suggestions: Good books for God's children.

Psychology and Catholicism

• John from Facebook: At the school I work, they are doing workshops on motivation and learning. They presented a workshop on William Glasser's "choice theory," which seems to me to advocate faith but no God. When the Church provides counsel through Catholic Charities or even through a priest, how does it merge psychology and faith?

The Gospel of Jesus' Wife

What does the Church think about the Coptic fragment that people are calling "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife"?

Godly Gynecology; Pregnancy Support Services

• Melissa from Kenmore, New York: "A friend of a friend of mine was told for decades that she had a thyroid problem that would prevent her from becoming pregnant. The doctors were wrong. When she began to gain weight because of a pregnancy, her doctor just adjusted her medication, thinking that her weight gain was due to thyroid problems, not a pregnancy. This was a devastating situation for her, as she ended up having an abortion. Many women who opt for abortion are not FOR abortion in and of itself. Many just do not have the support of the father or their family, and do not know who would help them cope with an unplanned child at the time of birth. Could you list some resources women in such a situation can turn to?"

Pacifism required?

• Anonymous: Why do some candidates who are pro life still support violence via wars, detainment, and the like? Why can't being pro life mean being more vigilant in ending wars through diplomatic talks rather than continuing what seems an endless fight in another country? Our military wants to come home. Does war ever make any sense?"

- Just War Theory.

Feeling guilty after Confession

• Anonymous: "I have a hard time forgiving myself, even after I confess a sin in confession. Is that also a sin?"

Prayer request

• "Just wanted to say thanks for the prayers. I know that you prayed that I can get back with my wife. It really isn't possible. I don't know what is going on with her. She has started a lot of problems, and she is hanging around with violent people. I don't want to keep her from seeing her daughter. Yet at the same time I fear what she may do. I am fearful for my daughter as well as my own as well as my family's lives. Please pray for me. I am so scared."

Interceding for Sinners

• Anonymous: "What is the consequence if someone who is not Catholic receives the Eucharist in ignorance. Besides educating them, is there a penance one can do for them?"

What should I do when I see others sin?

Forgiveness Prayer.

Spiritual Warfare

• John Z. from Facebook re: spiritual warfare.

• Can people be used by demons to try and fight and create turmoil and strife?
• Are there angels and demons duking it out fighting for our souls?
• Also, I saw on a blog where a guy said to look in the Old Testament as to how many people Satan killed vs God. He claims that Satan only killed ten and God killed thousands. So, in his view, the whole Christian idea of God is false, and Satan got a raw deal.

How to Create Extra Pages

There are two ways to make more pages for yourself. Well, three, I guess. The first two require being logged in.

1. Search for the title of the page you want to create. When the search fails, click on the red link to create the page.

2. Put the name of the new page you want to create in double square brackets on a current page. When you save the page, the name of the page you are about to create will appear in red.

Here is a red link; if you click on it, you may choose to create the page: Gina's test page.

3. Ask me to create the page(s) for you.

After you have created a page, putting the name of the page in double square brackets makes a blue link to the page. So, for example, I have been working on the book of Jonah for a few days.

To create an external link, use just one pair of square brackets:

Year of Faith

This does depend on a space between the URL and the text that is shown to the reader.

You can link to an existing page using double square brackets and a pipe: This is an active link to my old draft page. None of the words you see are the name of the page. It's hidden from view.