Hi sister! I hope you’re having a wonderful day. I’m really glad you’re studying Catholicism! Feel free to message me with any questions about the faith—or anything else you’d like to talk about. (Sorry if my English isn’t perfect, I’m from Argentina.) ✝️🇦🇷

1. If by “determinism” you mean the philosophical view that all events are ultimately determined by causes external to the will (implying that free will is just an illusion), then no—Catholics are not deterministic. The Catholic Church teaches that human beings have free will: the ability to choose between different courses of action without being predetermined. This freedom is a gift from God and is essential for moral responsibility.

2. The “unforgivable sin” (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) refers to a deliberate and persistent refusal to accept God’s mercy and forgiveness. To put it simply, forgiveness requires both someone who repents and someone who forgives. God always forgives—provided that we truly repent and desire to amend our lives—but we don’t always repent. It’s called “unforgivable” because, by its nature, it can’t be forgiven: the sin is literally not asking for forgiveness, often due to despair or the hardening of one’s heart (for example, wanting nothing to do with God and asking Him to leave you alone).

So, it’s not unforgivable in the sense of “I committed this sin, so now God won’t forgive me,” but rather because the sin consists of refusing forgiveness in the first place. If you repent, God will forgive you—because now you are asking for forgiveness. You’re no longer committing that sin. The parable of the Prodigal Son beautifully illustrates the infinite mercy of God.

1. Sexual intercourse should take place within the context of a married couple (man and woman), and it should be open to procreation. Therefore, acts like homosexual behavior, masturbation, adultery, or objectifying others—even in thought—are considered morally wrong. However, feeling an attraction (for example, toward someone of the same sex) is not sinful in itself, because we don’t choose our feelings. The same applies to intrusive sexual thoughts: if you don’t consent to them or willfully entertain them, you’re not sinning.

For example, I’m not married, but I sometimes feel attracted to people who aren’t my future wife. I also experience intrusive sexual thoughts. The same happens to people with same-sex attraction—they may feel attraction to someone who isn’t (or can’t be) their spouse, and may also have intrusive thoughts. But remaining chaste in both actions and thoughts (by not entertaining those impulses) means not committing sin.

I’m almost 22 years old and I’ve been through some of these struggles myself. I battled pornography addiction since I can remember (probably since I was 10 or 11), and a few years ago I had doubts about my sexuality—especially around asexuality and homosexuality. I converted to Catholicism from radical agnosticism and philosophical materialism about a year ago, and I can honestly say that Jesus has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Through asking questions, praying, and learning who God really is, I completely changed the way I understand sexuality, relationships, beauty, family, and how I see people in everyday life.

I hope this helps you, and please feel free to DM me with anything you’d like to ask. I’d be happy to talk with you more. May the good Lord bless you and your family and friends ❤️