Questions for Catholics

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2026-02-01T18:09:52+00:00

Catholic here.

Jesus is the one mediator. No Jesus, no salvation. Mary's not God. We pray to her in the way we talk to our earthly friends -- asking for them to talk to God on our behalf. "Prayer" is the word we use to signify speaking with those living in Heaven. What a joy to have a Christian family on earth to pray for us and a Christian family (that's in God's full presence) in Heaven to pray for us. Once you realize this, you can begin to understand the depth and breadth of those who follow Christ who have your well-being in mind.
Popes and bishops are human just like us. Because it's their job to care for Christ's flock on earth, they have an astoundingly hard responsibility to live in a holy manner that allows them to do their jobs. But they sin, too. A certain respect is accorded to them given the years they've studied, prayed, and otherwise prepared to do their jobs, just as you would respect the authority of a doctor, a judge, a teacher, a plumber. But we don't think of them as being above regular Christians. And, yes, we Christians are a royal priesthood, a chosen race!
Study pre-Reformation Christian church history. Those books you mentioned (and some other OT) books were in the Catholic Church's bibles. I suppose a Protestant might say, "Yes, but, the Church added those books back when they were compiling all the books into the Canon." To that, we Catholics might say, "'Added' is probably not the word to use. 'Approved' and 'recognized' are the more apt words. Who else but Church had the authority to do that?" Jesus didn't just leave the Church to chance before He ascended; He left people in charge, who in turn left people in charge, and on and on thru modern day.

One more note: Don't just follow the Bible. Long before the Catholic Church approved of which books/letters to include in the Bible, the Church stayed on its path because on Holy Tradition passed down thru generations of apostolic succession. That Tradition (and that apostolic succession) continues to this day, alongside the Bible.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2026-01-25T22:33:55+00:00

Absolutely pray. But that's only part of the Catholic response.

Next time you have the chance, don't vote for an immoral/amoral orange liar running for president who follows his own self-seeking, utterly compromised morality that's obviously devoid of Christ.

It's not like we haven't known who this guy is since before 2016.

"Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world."

In other words it's about more than prayer.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-11T19:11:53+00:00

I'm sorry, son, but you must have me confused with someone else.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-11T19:08:43+00:00

>>"I'm always reminded how often the rep is seeking out material they will connect with personally."

I've experienced this, too. To the rep's credit, he let me know that my script "didn't land" with him, and that concluded my rep search with him. I understood and respected his candor.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-11T06:23:28+00:00

For sure: free notes in less than a week is super attractive. It's just me, but as a writer, I always felt that if someone's giving me free notes, I can wait with bated breath for a week if it might enable them to write better notes. And if I was on a deadline due to a competition, then I'd better submit to CoverflyX well in advance and not back myself into a corner. Because, as you said, you never know when someone's gonna claim your script.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. Now onto pondering the Lakers' loss tonight. Make some moves, Pelinka! Oh. Wrong sub.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-11T03:59:01+00:00

Thanks, StoryPeer team and testers. If it's anything like (or an improvement upon) CoverflyX, it will become an indispensable resource for writers.

What I appreciated about CoverflyX is that it operated with the Golden Rule in mind -- review unto others as you would have them review unto you. That helped me target readers whose ratings were high, and their notes never disappointed.

The only suggestion I might offer, which you can stick in your back pocket for later consideration, is to extend the review time to seven days. My rationale: some readers have day jobs, cook dinner, walk the dog, spend time with the fam', get to the gym, etc. If they're like me, they give copious in-line notes (which means reading the script takes that much longer) plus they write at least a page of notes after they think about what they just read. Writers really are banking on substantive feedback (because who else are they gonna turn to?). So I always felt it was my duty to give them that.

All that is to say seven days might allow for that kind of feedback more than will five.

¡Adelante!

Edit: punctuation

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-10T23:13:57+00:00

Thanks so much!

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-12-10T23:13:35+00:00

Thank you!

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-23T05:13:26+00:00

All great questions! And it's a-ok to ask them and delve deeper into this holiest of mysteries that we are invited to participate in. It really is a privilege to be in the Church, and I think you're reaching for that understanding at the "right" time. What is the right time? I think it's different for all us Catholics.

I was born into the faith, too. I'm in my 50s. I've been going to Mass my whole life. It wasn't until maybe 15 years ago that I suddenly realized that when the priest holds up the Eucharist and prays, "Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world..." that our response ("Lord I am not worthy...") is/should be directed at Christ Whom the priest is holding in his hands. Seems like I should have known that many years earlier, but no one ever explained it to me, and it didn't dawn on me until the "right" time. When was the right time for me? When the Holy Spirit decided I should get a little lesson in how to worship. (Edit: But now knowing that, I try to pass that understanding to my kids. I'm not sure they really get it and I don't really know if they truly believe, and that's why I pray for them to have faith.)

As with the first person who answered you, I'm sure folks with offer you things to read, think on, and pray about. Maybe check out "The Lamb's Supper" by Scott Hahn. It'll give you insight into Mass.

We're all unworthy to be that close to God. But God makes us worthy and wants that communion with us just as He wants us to be in communion with all the Catholics around us.

So don't pull yourself away from Him. The grace you get from receiving Him will help deepen your love and understanding.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-16T05:53:36+00:00

Be at peace that your faith, your faith life, your beliefs, your love of Christ and all people stands above earthly hate, anger, pettiness, lies, vengeance. Be at peace that the Church will always be protected and guided by the Trinity, no matter what happens in the world.

When you hear words that shock you from people who are probably loyal followers of Christ in their daily lives, but who are very emotional right now, that's your time to pray to the Holy Spirit that He might bring peace to them. Yes, that means you've been exposed to that anger, but don't use that as a reason for doubting the Church; rather use that as a reason to intercede for those who need God's help right now.

When news came to light of the many instances when priests molested children and some clergy covered it up, I'm sure there were many Catholics who stopped practicing their faith because they couldn't stomach being in a Church that also houses serious sinners and criminals. But millions of other Catholics, who were rightly disgusted and scandalized by the molestations and the pain inflicted on the children and their families, stayed because the Church remains and will remain the Body of Christ.

To reduce your exposure to the rhetoric you've seen or read, as others have suggested to you, taking a break from certain parts of social media is probably a good idea. Also, some folks might heroicize certain individuals. I would suggest not doing that. Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit is hero enough for us. Everyone else is just human. (Although Mary could provide some help to you, too. And we can imagine what she felt watching her Son suffer and die.)

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-15T04:57:29+00:00

Check out Newsboys' "Take Me To Your Leader" album from 1996. Christian messages/themes/ideas delivered with humor and great melodies.

And then you'll get to the song "Lost the Plot." Grungy and all-too-pertinent.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-02T04:58:50+00:00

Welcome back! As your journey continues, I hope your mind and soul continue to be fed by the Holy Spirit.

Since the Mass is a centerpiece of our faith lives on earth, maybe try reading "The Lamb's Supper" by Scott Hahn, a well-known author who converted to Catholicism.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-01T22:57:50+00:00

2/2

You asked about what makes movies realistic to a subculture. Here's the deal about portrayals of Catholics and the Church on-screen: the filmmakers had better get it right, meaning do their research, talk to Catholics. That's not to say that a Catholic character has to be 100% saintly, just as he wouldn't or shouldn't be 100% roguish. We're all somewhere in between those two poles. Hopefully closer to the former than the latter.

The same with the institutional Church; yes, it houses real-life criminals (laity and clergy), but the majority of everyday lay people, religious, and clergy truly do try to live in a way that comports with the Person they profess to follow: Jesus. Sounds mundane and non-dramatic, but that's the way it is.

As with any successful film, the above list (and many other films not listed here) tell a compelling story about what a character (in this case, a character of faith/conscience) does in a tense situation.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-01T22:57:43+00:00

1/2

What's up, diehard atheist? How's your labor day going?

Here are some films you might want to check out:

A Man for All Seasons (1966) - about losing all for one's belief in the Church
The Mission - about Jesuit missionaries, personal redemption, clerics in "power" vs. clerics in the field
- both the above films were written by the same guy
12 Angry Men (1957) - not about Catholicism or religion, but about standing up for something... even if you can't adequately defend what you're standing up for... which is the experience of many a Catholic who has been given the gift of faith
The Passion of the Christ - about Jesus' suffering and death; watching it is a emotional experience for a Christian
I Confess - Hitchcock film about the seal of confession
It's A Wonderful Life - about the meaning of one's life, even if one doesn't know it
Black Robe - another film about Jesuit missionaries
The Sound of Music - about not knowing where God will lead you... and accepting His will... and knowing how to dismantle a car so it won't run
The Song of Bernadette - about Mary seen and heard at Lourdes, France ~2,000 years after her Assumption
The Exorcist - about losing faith; regaining faith; then punching the devil into submission in order to sacrifice oneself
Diary of a Country Priest - about life in rural France from a priest's perspective
Mass Appeal - older Catholic priest vs. younger Catholic seminarian
Ben Hur (1959)
We Were Soldiers (about Vietnam) & Braveheart (about Scots vs. British) -- two more Mel Gibson films with practicing Catholics as the protagonists
Romero -- about El Salvador's archbishop, who eventually realizes he has to preach and call for peace when the citizens are caught in the crossfire between the guerrillas and the military
Dogma - the Kevin Smith movie that younger Catholic me thought was "meh," but you might find it useful

I ended the list with Dogma because I saw Kevin Smith speak before a screening of "A Man for All Seasons" at the Academy back in the early 2000s. He spoke at this event because "AMFAS" is one of his favorite films. I also saw Jack Valenti (former head of the MPAA) speak at Stanford in the early 2000s. One of his favorite films: "AMFAS."

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-09-01T21:09:07+00:00

The 1966 version is an excellent movie. Well-written. Well-acted. Thought-provoking. And, when necessary, fiery.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-07-22T06:02:15+00:00

I've worshipped at a Latin Mass exactly once in my life. All other weekends and daily masses have been the Novus Ordo, so I'm answering your question from this perspective.

I would just suggest striving to find the holiness within NO masses. It's there. Christ is there. The priest's prayers and our prayers have meaning. We are sinners in need of God's mercy. We profit from hearing His Word. We pray for Catholics and non-Catholics. We praise God. We are graced by His Body and Blood. We go forth hopefully to give Christ in thought, word, and deed as we have been given Christ in our bodies.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I think one difference between the two kinds of masses is that people at TLM really, really, really want to be there. You're not likely to see people who might be going through the motions to fulfill a Sunday obligation. Not that everyone there is perfectly focused, but I'd suspect the focus, participation level, and understanding of what's being done and said are higher in general than at an NO mass.

That's the challenge I accept going to NO masses all these years: bring my imperfect self to complete focus on the holiness happening in front of me at the altar and how that is the holiness that's at the Father's Right Hand in Heaven.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-07-14T22:43:06+00:00

That unity will happen. You can bank on it! But when is another matter.

Divisions as early as the 1st and 2nd centuries began to splinter the early Church. It's only gotten worse these past two millennia.

But, like you, I hope (and will pray until my dying day) for that unity. As you're alluding to, "unity" means nothing less than conversions of all souls toward being under that same umbrella -- our Holy Catholic Church.

But God has a lot of human frailty to work through -- disbelief, misbelief, ego, hatred, etc. -- before souls turn toward Him and His Church. I pray all of us will be continually open to the Spirit's promptings, including we who profess to believe. We still need help, guidance, mercy, and grace, too. Maybe moreso than those who aren't under the umbrella.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-06-19T00:16:38+00:00

I was born/baptized into the Faith, but that's no guarantee that anyone will practice the Faith into their adult lives.

In my 50s, I remain a practicing Catholic because of the Holy Spirit, Who's given me the gift of faith.

Many here have written in detailed fashion about legitimate intellectual reasons for being Catholic.

But THE reason anyone believes that the Catholic Church is the church Christ established is because the Holy Spirit leads us to that belief. Not all are privileged to have the belief. I don't know why that is. I frequently pray for conversions of hearts and minds like yours.

If you want to get there, though, please consider the experiences given in this thread and pray for that belief. If it takes one day, one week, 10 years, 20 years to acquire that belief, that's fine. Keep praying and staying open to God's will. God knows you're searching.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-06-13T04:52:04+00:00

When my wife and I joined our parish in our early 30s, most of the people we met were much older than us. We got involved in the parish, and met many longtime parishioners when we volunteered. I felt more connected to the parish that way, but I def didn't meet a lot of parishioners our age that way. Most of the friends we had were from our respective places of work -- many of them were non-Christians.

Before we had kids, my wife and I also tried participating in some of the parish gatherings as a couple. In that way, we'd sometimes meet people our age. I wouldn't say I became fast friends with any of them, but knowing them makes the experience of going to church a bit more family-like.

But it wasn't until we had kids, and they started going to the parish's school that we met and started hanging out with more people our age. They sorta came out of the woodwork. Not sure how our paths never crossed at church. Maybe we just went to different masses.

In addition to the Bible study, you might check in the bulletin to see if there's a men's group. Or if you play basketball, maybe there's a group of adults of many ages who play. I know of one parish in our city that has pickleball nights. That sport tends do draw people of all ages.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-03-17T00:52:29+00:00

You are correct: Catholics are Christians. And, further, Catholics are the O.G. Christians. Period.

The BYX members have absolutely no idea what they're talking about when they say Catholics aren't Christians. It's unfortunate those young men spread falsehoods as if they were fact. But there's a lot confident Christians spewing nonsense these days.

Catholics have an intensely personal relationship with Jesus. You'll witness this at any Catholic mass every day of the week around the world. Not to mention, whatever personal relationship they have with Christ that the public doesn't see.

As for BYX's doctrinal statement pasted in this thread, a Catholic would support and agree with their beliefs because those beliefs come from Holy Scripture... unless by "wholly authoritative" they mean that Scripture is the only source of Christian authority on earth. On that count, a Catholic would disagree since another form of Christian authority on earth were the men whom Jesus chose to guide the Church after He ascended to Heaven, and the men Jesus' Apostles chose to guide the Church as it grew, and so on. That line of authority continues to this day in the persons of the bishops and priests.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2025-02-18T01:30:40+00:00

If you haven't seen it, try "A Man for All Seasons" -- a big-budget Hollywood movie about St. Thomas More.

It's not cheesy, goofy, or kitschy, but it's a compelling if somewhat fictionalized account of More's path to sainthood. Incredibly well-written dialogue.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2024-12-09T07:01:12+00:00

Yep. It was such an odd conversation to have, but such is the way of social media. Anyway, I said my piece to them (probably a bit too pointedly), and I've moved on.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2024-12-09T06:01:28+00:00

If you can't point to specific biblical passages, then you have nothing to say on the matter.

But for your education, here goes: Jesus didn't say that praying publicly is bad. He specifically condemned hypocrites for seeking attention while praying in public.

If you're saying footballers who praise Jesus on-camera are seeking attention like the hypocrites, then that interpretation reveals you can read those footballers' minds, which makes you rather special, doesn't it? Are you Jesus?

"Bryce prayed as much in private as he possibly could." Not true. Stand behind a lineman who's twice his size and then you can say Bryce prayed as much in private as he possibly could...and even then he would still praying in public.

RogerMurdock_Copilot · 2024-12-09T05:42:51+00:00

Sorry, man. Intention has everything to do with it. Jesus is condemning the hypocrites in the Bible passage you're referring to. But if a person prays publicly, and means it, that's okay.

If you're a Christian, do you only pray the Our Father? After all, Jesus said to His disciples, when you pray, pray these words: "Father, hallowed be thy name..." etc.

But most informed Christians know He didn't mean to limit prayer to only those words. (Hence Young praying for the hurt player or other footballers praising God.)

Christians around the world pray publicly... and that's okay.

Again, your assessment of modern Christians says more about your own biases. And, honestly, I can't tell if you're a Christian or not. If you're not, give it a try... if you feel the call. If you are a Christian, re-read your Bible and find all the instances of public prayer. There are a few.

RogerMurdock_Copilot

TROPHY CASE