So, there have been a lot of questions concerning the Catholic Church lately, some fueled by the current Papal visit to the US.

This thread is for your questions of "why Catholics do/believe/etc X"

People who decide to answer a question, please do so citing a reputable source, the Catechism, or the Catholic Bible.

This isn't a place for "my brother had a priest tell him that ____"  but rather one for people who are legitimately questioning doctrine or practice to get a straight forward answer.

This also isn't a thread for people to claim contrary to Catholic Doctrine, if you think the Pope is the antichrist that's fine but express it elsewhere.

That said, I have a Cathecism, a Bible, and copies of Catholic Answers. Got a question? Ask away.



ETA:

I really want this to be a place for simple (and sometimes not so simple) questions and answers, and not follow up with discussions on why or why not something should be, please save the potential theological discourse for another thread.  

I'm hoping for a place people can have misconseptions dispelled and references given, with no intimidation by emotion or hostility.

I know a lot of people are truly curious and I want to be able to answer whatever question or follow-up they may have  no matter who they are, what they believe, or their intentions for asking.

What's up with the ring and why do people want to kiss it?  I saw in an article that people were told not to touch the pope or try to run up and kiss his ring.  What benefit do you get from kissing his ring? And what can you tell me about this ring? I know nothing....

there is nothing religiously important about his ring, but it is a special part of his attire.

there are no benefits of kissing the ring, and kissing it is merely seen as an acknowledgement that he is the successor of St Peter.

there are instances of people touching the garments or the body of a person who would later become a saint, and having various miracles occur, leading people to try and touch someone in hopes of having their own miracle. for security reasons its obviously discouraged.


the ring its self was used as a wax seal for papal correspondence, each pope has their own, and upon their death or leave of office the ring is destroyed or scratched. I'm not sure if the ring has any use beyond the tradition at this point since wax seals are obsolete, though it may be used for traditions sake.

Thank you.

it's custom in mostly Latin countries to kiss the hands of the newly ordained priest and the ring of bishops as a sign of respect for the priesthood of Christ that they exercise and their connection to the apostles.

But there's no doctrine per se.

It's just one of those pious customs. You almost never see it in the US or northern European or Irish churches. It's probably already dying out among the Hispanics.

I just found the thought of senators rushing him to kiss his ring funny.  They were afraid that that may happen.  



Next question.  From what I understand, and I may be mistaken, to receive the Eucharist, you must be in a state of forgiveness and not in sin.  Why is Pelossi still able to receive it, and be on such good terms with the RCC when she is actively pushing for Abortion and other things that are not allowed by the RCC? Yes I know we are all sinners, but as a leader pushing something like that, you'd think there was some accountability.

A Catholic should be in a state of Grace to receive Communion.

Pelosi and communion is a pretty big controversy. She shouldn't be because aiding and supporting abortion is a mortal sin and you can't be forgiven of a mortal sin unless you plan on trying to keep yourself from sinning again. Since she has no plans to not support abortion she technically would be intelligible.

A priest could deny her communion, but most will give it, leaving the matter between that person and God rather than make a scene.

Pelosi should not be receiving communion. The Bishop and local priest can deny her.  Like Christ drawing in the sand, people will drop their stones but will they change their lives? Since I have plenty of my own sins to worry about I tend defer this consternation to prayer.

To many of us who are practicing Catholics it is not clear as to why, (knowing her and several other Catholics in congress and the senate who don't follow the Catholic doctrine) have not been denied communion.



Every one has a chance for judgement before the Lord.



 

Canon Law 915 requires that manifestly public and recalcitrant sinners like Pelosi, Biden, Cuomo , etc be denied Holy Communion.  The reason it doesn't happen is that the Cardinals and Bishops responsible are too cowardly to do so....or maybe they have simply lost the Faith.  Either way, it is a sacrilege and a scandal.

One of the reasons they don't is because to do so in this wretched world may actually cause a backlash worse than the crime.

It's happened before.

I do t like it, but that's life.

I think they fear the reaction for moderates.  Fear (even though we are told 365 times "do not be afraid") drives  a lot of decisions.



I was listening to Pelosi being interviewed and the guy wasn't cutting her any slack. She said: While her husband and her welcomed their fifth child into this world with joy, it is not her place to tell another woman when or how

many children they should have. That choice should be left up to them.



It's a rather spiritually sophomoric view point given everything we know scientifically and medically. There are so many other more responsible options than abortion. Frankly for someone to insist that

abortion should be a choice and call themselves a feminist is insulting to intelligent females. It's a barbaric notion that women cannot be responsible with their biology. Women are incredibly made to bring life into this world. She feels justified in her stance and considers that to be "the alternative" that serves the catholic faith. She is a catalyst for murder but refuses to acknowledge that.



Biden and Pelosi received communion at the Papal mass. That did not go unnoticed by the rest of the world.





 

This is not to start a fight, but I do wonder...the pope spoke to congress last week.  He mentioned Guns, wealth and climate change.  I think we expected that.. He did not mention Abortion or marriage, two topics the RCC has STRONG views on( marriage being a sacrament) .  He also not once mentioned Jesus.  Does that bother you?

I'm honestly asking.  I know many of you have strong feelings about these topics.  I'd ask the same if a Protestant leader addressed congress and didn't mention these things.  A real leader..not someone like Rick Warren...whom I would expect to not bring up anything biblical...

You can take Bishop Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield,  his predecesor Archbishop Lucas, now of the Diocese of Omaha, and Bishop Vann of the Diocese of Orange off the list of those too cowardly.

Senator Dick Durbin is under the authority of the Diocese of Springfield and has been publically informed and reinformed about Canon 915. When Bishop Vann was Father Vann he was Durbin's parish priest and first informed him that Canon 915 was in force when Durbin went all pro-abortion.

ETA: I got to attend a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Bishop Paprocki after the March for Life. It was really cool.

His entire trip was respect for life. That was repeated in every forum.



ETA: Biden and Pelosi got a pretty hefty cold shoulder. Pope Francis refused an invitation to have lunch with them after the congressional speech. He didn't linger or visit.


 

I feel like you about the enviroment.  My 8th grader was sent home with an assignment to write about how coal is bad for the enviroment and is the cause for global warming.  I proceeded to inform him of the real facts and he took these to his teacher.  She may not like me....

Why would he not mention Jesus?

Does procreation still occur, after the second coming of Jesus?

Either in the 1st or 2nd rising (depending on your class of citizenship), based as immortal spirited - non-human body?

I see no where it is mentioned, from my research (albeit, I am not a good researcher).

This just has me confused overall.  Being able to create life as MAN and WOMAN is an amazing thing.  Losing that doesn't sound so great.  Further, what if I didn't have the pleasure of living in the time prior to the Great Tribulation?  For example, if I was born in the 1800's and had my family lineage continue throughout - great!  I had kids, they had kids, their kids had kids, etc.  I am lucky enough to have had two children (boy and girl who are 9 and 7 respectively).  What if during the 2nd coming of Christ - they are part of the 2/3rd population wipe before they have had the opportunity to love and procreate?  Say they are defined as the 2nd class citizens and are risen after the 1000 year rule as the immortal spirit.  Were they just SOL and didn't have an opportunity to create life?

Mike

Are Catholics really Christians?  Not asking to be mean, rude, or controversial, but have heard many different answers.  There are Catholics who say "I am Catholic, not Christian."  It appears there are works associated with Catholocism, whereas Christianity is salvation by faith alone. My Catholic Grandfather's priest said he is "working off his sin in Pergatory at his funeral (vs immediate assertion to Heaven).  A "supplemental" book to the Bible, Prayer to intermediary vs to Jesus,etc, etc,etc.

What say you?  I was raised Catholic but fell away from Church until about age 35 and now attend a non-denominational Christian Church.  The more I read, the more questions I have like this one.

Again, not trying to start an argument, but since you offered, I am asking.

Thanks

I've never heard any Catholic say that in 33 years as a Catholic. I have heard it the other way around.

Your work is important to salvation because the Epistle of James says so, and becase Jesus is really clear in telling people to do things for others and for Him. Really faith and works are intertwined and you can't have one without the other. Faith alone without works is dead and kinda lazy (Jesus orders us to do stuff, not sit on a couch and say "I love Jesus so I'm good"), much as works alone would be a waste of time (your works add nothing to God, you're doing them because God told you to because you love and obey Him).

The Catholic church has its history traced all the way back to St Peter who was set forth by Jesus to create the church. If any church is "christian" it's the Catholic Church.

I think the disconnect comes from Catholics who want to differentiate themselves from the image of the evangelical protestant when people reference a Christian.

Many of the practices and teachings are not in line with what we believe and so we sometimes dislike being lumped together in the same group.

That said, Catholics are most definitely Christian.

Purgatory itsself in Catholic Doctrine is a point of purification before entering heaven. Because nothing impure may enter Heaven, and because we are all sinners, those who have not been damned to hell must still attone for the venial sins and transgressions, after that attonement they enter the full kingdom of Heaven.

Do some people go straight to heaven? Most likely. Those who die, and are in a state of Grace do, though we can never truly know where a person's conscience lies and what will happen at judgement.

No need to be defensive about not trying to argue, this thread is about answering these questions as best as possible. People who do intend to come in and troll around will be obvious and hopefully removed.



Anyway, this is Catholic answers take on it.

I'll strongly disagree with point 4.  I could baptize a dog and that wouldn't make him a Christian. Baptism doesn't make one a Christian.  Faith in Christ does that.  I was baptized as a baby, born into a Christian home, but I became a Christin later.  I was actually thinking of this the other day...weren't there forced baptisms of Indians in South America in the 1500s? Do you believe these Indians who knew nothing of Christianity or Jesus went to heaven JUST because they were dunked in a river?

Mark 1013-16.










 

Angelfire,
I agree with what you are saying.  I was baptized as an infant and later went through confirmation classes.  Later still I grew to have a deeper understanding and later still I went through other classes as an adult.  I have no problem with baptizing infants, I also have no problem with adult or believers baptisms.  What I disagree with is the sentence that baptism makes one a Christian.  Your neighbor doesn't seem to be acting all that Christian and was probably baptized.

We think alike.



 

Not all those who are baptized are Christian, but all Christians should be baptized.

I don't blame him. I know plenty of Catholics (including myself until a few years ago) who are very very badly catechized. The Church did a really bad job of this for a few decades now.

I find this to be the case. Many fallen away Catholics somehow weren't given the basic understanding of our faith and run based on misinterpretation.
 

Amen.

I fell into the Protestant/Fundamentalist/Evangelical trap because my own faith had been so poorly explained to me.

Now that I've learned so much more about it, I'm angry at myself to having fallen for the "Sola" stuff and so much more.

OTOH, if I hadn't, I probably would never have discovered the truth, so it all worked out.

Ooh ! I know what you are referring to and I'm not Catholic.  

Both. And my mom is a Catholic school teacher.

Catholic School.

In my case, I was taught most of the WHAT, but none of the WHY.

That caught up to me eventually...

What? The mean nuns taught me that the Immaculate Conception was the conception of Jesus

It doesn't help when you never get the same answer twice when you ask.

According to the RCC, it is the immaculate conception of Mary.  So that He could be born without sin, God had to make Mary be sinless. Even though she was born the natural offspring of a mother and father.  This isn't in the Bible.  If God could make Mary sinless, why couldn't He make Jesus so? And if Mary lived a sinless life, she could have fulfilled the law...which I guess if she was sinless she did...

I don't blame him. I know plenty of Catholics (including myself until a few years ago) who are very very badly catechized. The Church did a really bad job of this for a few decades now.
  True...  many Catholics think that the Immaculate Conception was the conception of Jesus.  I used to think that myself.


What? The mean nuns taught me that the Immaculate Conception was the conception of Jesus

According to the RCC, it is the immaculate conception of Mary.  So that He could be born without sin, God had to make Mary be sinless. Even though she was born the natural offspring of a mother and father.  This isn't in the Bible.  If God could make Mary sinless, why couldn't He make Jesus so? And if Mary lived a sinless life, she could have fulfilled the law...which I guess if she was sinless she did...

At this point in my life if it isn't in the Bible I will disregard it as ANOTHER man made concept and this is why I am leaving the church.
I have ZERO confidence in the integrity of the MEN who run the church at this point.
I will return when they audit the church teachings and concepts and return to the teachings of Christ as he taught us.
I blame the corruption on Constantine but today they know the truth and should do away with the BS.
Sorry for my rant but I have been struggling with this and still love and continue to pray for the church.

God didn't make Jesus.

Also, Mary lived a sinless life because she was full of (or overflowing with) grace, even before Christ was concieved in her womb, and thus made all the right choices. Technically, once we're baptised and also accept the gift of God's grace we can all do the same. It's just that most of us screw up a lot along the way.

Technically then we'd also need to audit the Bible itself. As the list of what's in the Bible isn't in the Bible. It doesn't self reference that much.

You are correct. It is NOT in the bible. It is sacred tradition and a singular grace granted by God in view of the merits and personage of Christ Jesus our Lord.





 

It wasn't a doctrine of the early Church, as evidenced by the fact the Orthodox Churches don't teach it, but something added in the 19th Century.

Catholic school for 8 yrs. "religion" class was 30min a week. I never heard the word catechism until later or from my parents. If it wasn't for my parents I would probably not be Catholic.

All my children go to public school. My oldest is on her own & has a strong Catholic Faith. To me, if the home life isn't strong in the Faith it doesn't matter much. Of course there are no guarantees in this life.

The Church Father's believed it & taught it. It just wasn't dogma yet.

“He was the ark formed of incorruptible wood. For by this is signified that His tabernacle was exempt from putridity and corruption.” Hippolytus, Orations Inillud, Dominus pascit me {ante A.D. 235).

“This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one.” Origen, Homily 1 {A.D. 244).

“Thou alone and thy Mother are in all things fair, there is no flaw in thee and no stain in thy Mother.” Ephraem, Nisibene Hymns 27:8 {A.D. 370).

“O noble Virgin, truly you are greater than any other greatness. For who is your equal in greatness, O dwelling place of God the Word? To whom among all creatures shall I compare you, O Virgin? You are greater than them all O Covenant, clothed with purity instead of gold! You are the Ark in which is found the golden vessel containing the true manna, that is, the flesh in which divinity resides.” Athanasius, Homily of the Papyrus of Turin 71:216 {ante AD 373).

“Mary, a Virgin not only undefiled but a Virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin.” Ambrose, Sermon 22, 30 {A.D. 388).

“We must except the Holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the subject of sins, out of honour to the Lord; for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin.” Augustine, Nature and Grace 4, 36 {A.D.415).

“As he formed her without my stain of her own, so He proceeded from her contracting no stain.” Proclus of Constantinople, Homily 1 {ante A.D. 446).

“A virgin, innocent, spotless, free of all defect, untouched, unsullied, holy in soul and body, like a lily sprouting among thorns.” Theodotus of Ancrya, Homily 6, 11{ante A.D. 446).

“The angel took not the Virgin from Joseph, but gave her to Christ, to whom she was pledged from Joseph, but gave her to Christ, to whom she was pledged in the womb, when she was made.” Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 140 {A.D. 449).

“The very fact that God has elected her proves that none was ever holier than Mary, if any stain had disfigured her soul, if any other virgin had been purer and holier, God would have selected her and rejected Mary.” Jacob of Sarug {ante A.D. 521).

“She is born like the cherubim, she who is of a pure, immaculate clay.” Theotokos of Livias, Panegyric for the feast of the Assumption 5:6 {ante A.D. 650).

“Today humanity, in all the radiance of her immaculate nobility, receives its ancient beauty. The shame of sin had darkened the splendour and attraction of human nature; but when the Mother of the Fair One par excellence is born, this nature regains in her person its ancient privileges and is fashioned according to a perfect model truly worthy of God…. The reform of our nature begins today and the aged world, subjected to a wholly divine transformation, receives the first fruits of the second creation.” Andrew of Crete, Sermon 1 On the Birth of Mary {A.D. 733).

“Truly elect, and superior to all, not by the altitude of lofty structures, but as excelling all in the greatness and purity of sublime and divine virtues, and having no affinity with sin whatever.” Germanus of Constantinople, Marracci in S. Germani Mariali {ante A.D. 733).

“O most blessed loins of Joachim from which came forth a spotless seed! Oh glorious womb of Anne in which a most holy offspring grew.” John of Damascus, Homily 1 {ante A.D. 749)."

Origen was anathematized by the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, not sure if I'd include him as a source.


Anyhow we probably need to get a definitions straight, Orthodox tradition (little t) does teach that Mary was sinless but we do not believe she was immaculately conceived. Here is a quote from the link in my previous post:



Edit to fix the part in italics so it actually makes sense.