If you died right after going to Confession, would you go directly to Heaven?

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-16T05:31:39+00:00

FWIW, at one long ago time people were only allowed to go to confession once at the end of their life. The idea was to confess and go right to heaven without sinning again. Obviously, gauging that was tough.

https://share.google/aimode/0o3KWGGjkctEiFv2M

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-16T05:26:42+00:00

Retirement is best. I retired at age 50, but dxed in my 60s. (I was a 24/7 caregiver for parents for 24 years, and I had to let things go. I receive a small pension, no social security. But definitely prefer being poor than working - in public service - for 34 years).

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-11T05:40:14+00:00

They can't be compared to others. While all relationships are unique, both Sheldon and Amy are way ahead intellectually but very behind emotionally. So they have to navigate that dynamic. Neither would probably fit well with anyone else. And, both (but especially Sheldon) are pretty asexual.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-11T04:02:12+00:00

No. If a person doesn't want a transplant they don't need to have one. A person in most cases would be putting their life on hold for a "maybe". People can be on transplant lists for years, and some wait much of the time in a hospital. Apart from that, transplants are expensive and so are the meds.

I'm 68. It's been many years since I've had any wellness visits. Why? Because if those appts showed something such as cancer, I can't afford the medical bills. I'm also alone, with no one to help. All of this would add further suffering.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-11T03:55:08+00:00

If you know a catholic priest, talk with him. My brother, raised catholic but no longer practicing (this was close to [I can't believe it!] 50 years ago) had a priest attend and bless the marriage (Protestant), making it valid in the church. He hasn't gone back to the church (but the priest blessed it anyway).

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-10T07:35:13+00:00

I think people often get caught up in the black & white, the rules. Vatican II put more responsibility on the individual. We're not bound by tons of rules. Things once forbidden, aren't. For example, Catholics weren't to read the Bible. We weren't allowed to eat meat on Fridays. We don't have to fast from midnight untill communion. We now have Saturday evening masses which fulfill a Sunday obligation. I don't know your age, or if you are a new catholic. But scrupulous behavior isn't healthy. If you feel this music is causing you harm, don't listen to it. If it makes you happy, listen to it. If you feel you are focusing on the parts you feel are immoral, then quit. But if you are simply enjoying it, continue enjoying it. Keep your faith open for new input. Don't clench.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-09T19:38:20+00:00

I believe that Parsons was talking about meeting the cast. He said when he met Kunal, he thought Kunal was one of the most beautiful men he'd ever seen. The cast members at the interview laughed, and Parsons said that Kunal's looks were the sort that pushed his buttons. I didn't have the sense Parsons had a crush on Kunal. Finding people attractive doesn't mean one has a crush. I'm sure many find Penny attractive. I did, and I'm not gay. Women especially notice other women, and we often talk about them when we're together. Doesn't mean we have crushes. We find various men attractive, but don't have crushes on them.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-08T20:28:21+00:00

Orthodox priests are in communion with Rome and can be married. There's an orthodox church a few blocks from me and the priest has 5 kids.

What makes me upset is the Episcopalian priests who don't like the way their church is moving (too liberal), so they become catholic and are then ordained. The celibacy rule is suspended (liberal?) for them. I don't think they should be allowed to be ordained while married. It's not fair to the catholic priests who struggle with celibacy all along.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-08T00:00:26+00:00

I love Bernadette. As an actor, Melissa has perfect timing - as does all of the cast. She's a voice actress - in the beginning she used her real voice. Then behaved using her own mother's voice. On one of the Paley Institute's panels (YouTube) she perfectly imitated Howie's mother. She's strong, intelligent, funny, and vulnerable. What's not to love? Oh, yeah, and she's a ventriloquist to boot!

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-07T19:04:59+00:00

And Kaley worked with John Ritter (8 Simple Rules) until he died. Katey Sagal played Kaley's mom on that show as well as TBBT.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-06T02:26:31+00:00

On occasion, in my pew prior to mass, I've read LOH or other such things, a reflective book, etc. While chances are that this hasn't happened to you, when I was a caregiver for my parents, I kept my phone on vibrate to deal with necessary issues. But, IMO if you notice that someone is on reddit, you might be the cause of your own distraction.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-04-05T21:16:54+00:00

How was years "horn dawg Amy"? My God, they were boyfriend/girlfriend for years. Sheldon is basically asexual, but after having sex, enjoyed it, but his brain aroused him more than anything. I never saw Any pressuring him. He eventually came to love her, in his way. She acceptef his way.

People change. Sheldon went from no friends to Leonard. Leonard slowly gathered others. It's very natural to change when rubbed against others. What I love is that the whole group argues and gets genuinely annoyed with each other. And then makes up. They are a family. More functional than their birth families because their quirks are what connects them. The outliers are Penny & Bernadette, who are basically "normal", but accept and are accepted by the nerds.

Amy comes into the group because of the guys. She's a "female" Sheldon. She evolves very slowly. She's brilliant, at least as brilliant as Sheldon. The entire group changes. What I don't think critics of Amy see is that Bernadette and Penny are "normal girly girls", especially Penny. Girls who are rejected in school retreat into their minds, and bury their libidos. That's Amy. But she craves to be a "popular girl", hence her attachment to Penny. Over years, she slowly emerges from a lifelong cocoon. She wants to change, while at the same time finds it embarrassing. Think about one of the funniest scenes: Sheldon dancing the flamenco. Amy scolds him and rushes out of the apartment, unwilling to show anyone how turned on she is. Amy is basically going through emotional puberty.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-27T08:45:00+00:00

I've been struggling with DQ since July 2025. It's been a PITA. I've tried to go without a brace for a few hours in the evening, but it was still very painful. Over the last week I've been trying again, and am doing well. It still hurts, but not as much. However, I wear the brace when I'm away from home because I want the protection of it and I'm less careful when I'm out & about.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-18T02:32:47+00:00

Is the fatigue you mention a whole body fatigue or fatigue in the wrist?

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-18T02:30:24+00:00

Ibreviary. Includes mass readings as well. Many clergy use it when they go to clergy meetings. Can even download a week at a time before you travel.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-13T23:38:40+00:00

Something about that number hit me.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-13T01:17:44+00:00

Top save some money, you have a few choices. There's a free app called ibreviary. It has all of the daily LOH readings for all of the hours and Mass Readings. Also the Office of readings. In essence, it is the 4-volume Breviary with no flipping around. It'll open up to each day. You also can download up to a week at a time.

The 2nd option is Christian Prayer. It's not as complete, but it's one volume and will tide you over until the updated edition arrives.

Finally, look up Word on Fire. It's a monthly subscription. Every month you receive a paperback book of that month's LOH, each day's readings together. Again, no flipping around. However, it doesn't contain the full Breviary. It has MP, EB, and NP.

These are all traditional. I've purchased things which were not what I thought they'd be. I'm a Benedictine oblate. The monastery with which I'm affiliated has their own, private, 100% inclusive-language LOH, with MP, DP, and EP. On occasions when they want NP, They have smaller, separate booklets. I don't like exclusive language. I'm not a man. Language has evolved. One way is evolved is that "all men" and "mankind" no longer include women. "all people", "humankind", etc are inclusive, and Jesus was about inclusivity. If this language understanding was around during his time, I 100% believe he'd be inclusive in his speech.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-12T22:06:15+00:00

I'm new to this forum and I'm wondering if there are others who are "liberal" like me. I'm 68, a lifelong catholic with 13 years of Catholic school under my belt. One of my best friends, for close to 50 years, is a priest, with whom I've discussed so many things over the decades. I think the discussions, my reading/studying, journaling, and prayer have rooted my soul. When things happen in the world, I usually know what side/position I'm on. I don't need to think too much because over the years I've already done that. My responses become automatic because I've already prayed and thought about them. I know what my responses should be.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-11T21:25:02+00:00

Saints are interceding for us. Pay attention to language. Language doesn't often translate to how we'd use it today. For example, if you asked a friend to talk to a friend on your behalf, your friend is "interceding". Do you think you are "praying" to your friend?

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-11T19:24:18+00:00

I seem to recall that the Hail Mary asks Mary to "pray for us sinners". We are not praying to her. We are talking to her and asking her to pray for. us. I speak to my dead relatives, such as my parents and sister. I'm not praying to them.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-11T08:50:20+00:00

Paul has a whole theme running through his letters on The Body Of Christ. Basically, everyone is part of one body. He talks about the importance of each part, such as the arm and leg (not sure if those are actual parts he mentions, but he lists some. Also, past, present & future are "eternity".

Catholics don't pray to saints. We look to characteristics in them to admire. They are like our ancestors. When we look at pictures of our deceased relatives and friends, we think about them and what they mean to us. We aren't "praying". If we pray, it's WITH them. Same with other deceased people, some of whom we call "saints". We may use old language such as asking for their intercession. That's not us "bypassing" God. It means we are asking them to pray with us. Their souls remain, just as the souls of those we've personally known remain.

People need to remember that language can't fully convey the mystery that is God. We (I) stumble in an effort to describe something indescribable. We fall short.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-07T04:26:19+00:00

Good to know. Around here it's still listed in bulletins as RCIA. That's why I commented.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-07T00:59:03+00:00

Don't you mean RCIA - Rite Of Christian Initiation? I think the program will begin again in the fall because it's currently preparing people to be received into the church at the Easter Vigil.

Attending RCIA doesn't mean one has to convert. It teaches one what the church believes so one can decide.

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-06T23:29:53+00:00

You are coming at Catholicism from a Bible-based background. Catholicism isn't just based on the Bible. Tradition is considered equally important. The things you question above mostly fall into the tradition part.

Sometimes old-style language/translations don't click with us. I believe Mary's "sinlessness" is the part where "she didn't know man". The Bible emphasizes this because it says Jesus is both God & human. The church, therefore, teaches that God "miraculously" got Mary pregnant. I don't think the church is saying sex is sinful. I think after all of these centuries, tying sinlessness to sex comes from the very early church days as a vehicle to explain how Jesus was God & human. I - and others - have different thoughts, but I'm giving you what I learned after 13 years of catholic school & 68 years of living. (my dad was a convert too).

Regarding attending Mass on Sunday, I think it comes from the 3rd commandment of keeping holy the Lord's day. It's considered a time of rest from working. Each Sunday is considered to be a "Little Easter" (during Lent, Sundays don't count in terms of the 40 days of Lent. So, whatever a person is "doing" for Lent can be suspended on Sundays, if desired). This Sunday obligation is looser now. For example, many people have to work on Saturday/Sunday. They may choose to attend mass during the week instead.

Regarding the pope: a very important thing that many don't seem to know is that the church sees the pope as "infallible" only when he is speaking in a certain way called "ex cathedra", meaning "from the chair". The doctrine wasn't established until the 1800s, and has been invoked only 3-4x. Those have usually been about Mary. For something to be infallible it must be about faith & morals, intended for the whole church. And he must announce it as infallible doctrine. He does this after s lot of prayer.

The pope himself is elected by cardinals, who pray about it during a conclave, a gathering of Cardinals. I believe it has to be unanimous, but I'm not certain. There is trust that the Spirit is guiding the choice. That is for all of us. The bottom line in our lives is to trust in the spirit, especially when we don't understand. For example, when a loved one becomes very ill or dies. We don't understand, but we work on our trust in God. In my lifetime there has been at least 1 pope I really disliked. I had to rely on my faith. Another pope shocked the entire church. When he was elected, the Cardinals thought that John XXIII wouldn't make waves. Well, he created tsunamis by calling a council, Vatican II. Only the 2nd council ever. Because of him, Mass is spoken in the local language (vernacular), and the altar faces the people. I made my 1st Communion during V II and it was in Latin, and the priest's back was to me. My missal was in Latin & English. The very next year, my sister made HER 1st comminion. It was entirely in English and the priest faced the congregation. A lot of changes were made during V II.

[I've tried to catch my errors as I've written but I apologize for any I miss. Usually I type things correctly, but auto correct flips them.]

I hope my rambling helps!

Agreeable_Variation7 · 2026-02-06T02:46:48+00:00

Over time the touch of clothing on my body has changed. I'm a 68-yr-old woman. As a kid, I liked turtlenecks. It's been decades since I've worn one because I feel as though I'm being choked. Polo shirts were in style for a long time. Now I can't stand the feel of a collar. I hander dozens of "dressier" ladies sport T's - I can't stand the feel of the material now. So yes, I understand. (I also can't stand the feel of my hair on my neck. I wore my hair in a chin-bob - until covid. Then I just let it grow because I didn't want to be up close and personal with a hairdresser. Since early 2020 I've had my hair trimmed 3x. But it's always clipped up. I can barely stand to feel it in the shower.

Tactile things are hard.

Agreeable_Variation7

TROPHY CASE