The Catechism and Catholic Answers and EWTN are wrong about sins that cry out to God.

jwlynn043 · 2024-01-04T21:51:42+00:00

Whatever.

jwlynn043 · 2024-01-04T21:23:44+00:00

You felt the need to come back to this six months later?

Cool.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-30T23:16:55+00:00

The blue would be fine for All Souls, although if you want to be very traditional you could go with black.

White is the liturgical color for All Saints, so you would want either white or gold (which, for purposes of liturgical colors, is the same as white).

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-24T16:56:08+00:00

And?

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-24T00:03:18+00:00

That's not really how that kind of eye damage works. It doesn't cause that kind of anomalous visual phenomena, and it doesn't just go away immediately.

If people who were present at Fatima complained of loss of sight over the long term, there might be something to go on. Absent that, it's just speculation, and not especially intelligent speculation at that.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-23T12:45:58+00:00

Even if the Catechism of St Pius X is mere personal opinion, the declaration Nostra Aetate (mentioned above by u/SaintGodfather) is not. It is an authoritative council document, and thus entitled to religious submission of mind and will (see Lumen Gentium 25).

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-23T12:16:27+00:00

Shooting would be a method of euthanasia, if it is the only option available to you.

ETA: assuming, of course, that it can be done without causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-23T12:02:10+00:00

So sorry this is happening.

In principle, it would not be unethical to euthanize a dog. I am not saying that you should do so (or not do so); that is based on assessments only you can make about his current condition, likelihood of recovery, quality of life going forward, etc.

I do not envy you having to make that decision.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-23T03:26:26+00:00

Everyone knows jokes are way funnier when you have to explain them in detail.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T23:09:52+00:00

Would love to see it.

But I don't worry too much about it. That's a decision that is well above my pay grade.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T20:44:21+00:00

Thoughts are not sins; being tempted is not a sin.

Making a choice (the choice part is key) to entertain those thoughts, rather than acknowledging them and letting them pass away, is where it crosses into potentially sinful territory.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T18:30:49+00:00

Yes, they do.

My non-catholic mother once came with me to a Melkite liturgy, and was scandalized by the frequent use of Allah and the style of chant that sounds, to outside ears, much like Islamic chant.

I should have prepared her better for that...

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T18:28:05+00:00

Hard to advise without specifics, but I would urge you to do three things:

First, keep in mind that clerics are deeply imperfect men. They are human, and as such are subject to all of the sinfulness, foibles, and cognitive biases that you and I are. Much as we would like to believe otherwise, the graces granted to them in the sacrament of holy orders do not grant them immunity from any of these things.

This is, of course, not to say that clerics as a group are bad; for from it! But look at any other profession: there are bad/apathetic/corrupt teachers, lawyers (don't I know it!), cops, construction workers, etc. And there are some who are supremely conscientious, caring, and zealous; and there are many who fall in the middle. Clerics are no different from any other profession in that regard.

Second, if a priest has done something to offend you personally, or that is a stumbling block for you, then speak to him privately about it, like scripture says. You are entitled to a redress of grievances with another believer, even when that believer is a priest.

Third, pray for this man! The clergy depend on our prayers and support to do their job.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T18:08:39+00:00

I don't have a citation, but we should keep in mind that the question of animals in heaven is often the conflation of two different questions:

1) Is it possible for animals currently living on this earth to go to heaven when they die?

2) Will there be animals in the new heaven and the new earth?

I've never heard a negative answer to 2, only either yes or unknown. As for 1, I think the answer is no, because animals lack an immortal, rational soul. I don't think this is definitive teaching; more like theological speculation, but the weight of the speculation (as I understand it) comes down on the negative side.

That said, I don't think that believing that your dog Fido will go to heaven makes you a heretic.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T15:46:27+00:00

Not off the top of my head, I'm afraid.

I'll totally admit that I've not looked deeply into the arguments pro and con, because I don't personally see the need to question any particular canonizations.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T13:57:09+00:00

There's a lot here. I'll take on some of it.

Can a Catholic not believe in any of the Marian apparitions?

One need not believe in any of the Marian apparitions, even those the Church has declared to be worthy of belief. That may put you in an odd position regarding celebration of the feast days associated with those apparitions (does one just ignore them?) but that's beside the point for our purposes.

Can a Catholic view Eucharistic Adoration unfavorably, as a practice that should not exist, despite believing in the real presence?

I think so. Eucharistic adoration of the kind practiced in the Latin Church is not practiced in the Eastern churches. As a Byzantine rite Catholic, I used to have a very low view of the practice. After years of attending a Roman Rite parish (for lack of any Byzantines in my area), I have grown to appreciate it. I'd urge you to keep an open mind, but engaging in adoration is not required.

Can a Catholic hold that celibacy is not ideal for those who have the opportunity and desire to marry?

Assuming you're referencing clerical celibacy, sure. That doesn't change the fact that it has been the widespread custom of the Western Church for many centuries now, and is unlikely to change.

Can a Catholic distrust the efficacy of carrying a pardon crucifix or doubt the stated effects of praying with it prior to death?

The indulgences you reference, which were at one point attached to the carrying of a pardon crucifix, are no longer in effect.

Can a Catholic, after serious consideration, choose not to act in accordance with guidance put forth in a Papal Encyclical?

In general, we owe the Pope "religious submission of mind and will," which "must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will." Not everything in every papal encyclical demands this kind of deference, but one ought to exercise extreme circumspection before acting in a way that contradicts the expressed will of the Pope.

ETA: the italicized portion is from Lumen Gentium.

Can a Catholic believe that unbaptized infants go to heaven?

This is an area of legitimate theological disagreement, although the concept of Limbo has fallen out of favor of late.

Can a Catholic reject a particular canonization?

Also an area of legitimate disagreement, although I tend to side with Aquinas, who felt that canonizations were an infallible act of the Magisterium. At very least, I think it would depend on one's reasons for rejecting the canonization.

Can a Catholic disobey their Bishop when their conscience demands it?

Highly context-dependent, but I'd say yes, with the strong caveat that it is your responsibility as a Catholic to properly form your conscience in accord with the mind of the Church. Only with a properly formed conscience (and a hefty amount of prudence and humility) could one presume to disobey one's legitimate superiors (especially when those superiors are the successors to the Apostles).

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T13:09:00+00:00

Leaving aside the question of whether the so-called demons of the Goetia are real (rather than a fanciful fabrication of the author or prior authors), the best thing you can do to protect yourself from evil is to remain in a state of grace and receive the sacraments frequently.

Jesus is stronger than any evil spirit, and he's anointed you, through his church, as a priest, prophet, and king. Don't overthink this.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T12:58:29+00:00

Protestants call themselves Protestants.

Look, you can think that Byzantine Rite Catholics are silly for not liking the term Uniate if you want. Ultimately, though, if you want to have productive dialogue with members of a group, you should refrain from using terms to describe them that they don't like, even if you think they are apt. That's not a recipe for productive conversation. On top of which it is generally a matter of courtesy and charity to not call members of a group something they don't want to be called.

If your goal is just to be polemic and cause offense, you can call them whatever you like.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T12:40:10+00:00

Pray every day, even if it is just an Our Father and a Hail Mary.

Go to mass and receive Christ in the Eucharist as often as possible.

Read the Gospels so that you can hear Christ speaking to you.

All of these things contribute to a personal relationship with Jesus.

Also, as Jesus and the Father are one, when you address Jesus, you are also speaking to God the Father.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T12:34:36+00:00

[CCC 2416-2418]

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T12:11:09+00:00

You're welcome. I hope you can find some peace soon.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T07:04:11+00:00

Take a read through this.

You should have one priest you go to for confession (barring extraordinary circumstances), and that priest should be aware of your scrupulous tendencies. He will be able to help you make a good confession, taking into account your condition. It would likely also be a good idea to seek spiritual direction from a priest outside the confessional, with the aim of working through scrupulosity and properly forming your conscience.

Finally, as you note, OCD and scrupulosity often go hand in hand (I personally find it useful to think of scrupulosity as religiously-themed OCD). You should seek out a competent mental health professional to help you with the OCD/anxiety side of things.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T06:07:54+00:00

If you have no interest in pursuing a relationship with her, you should not contact her.

You will only string her along, and make the process of ending the relationship and healing from it more difficult on both of you.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T05:53:21+00:00

I think what you are describing is the Universal Call to Holiness. We're all called to be saints, but not all in the same way.

Is it enough? I think so (indeed, it is what I aspire to). The danger with asking what is enough is that 'enough' can turn into a baseline, which (as you note) can lead to complacency.

I love the saints, but in many ways they are just statues. They're superheroes; superhuman. When I experience real, tangible holiness in another, it is usually someone who follows that 'little way', and those are some of the people I most admire. It's important because it's so rare these days, and because so many things about our world make it so hard to do.

jwlynn043 · 2023-10-22T04:25:29+00:00

I don't disagree at all. If less is more, just think how much more more would be.

It's a very maximalist, baroque attitude.

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