Ask a Catholic

[Oblix]

I pray to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as one. This is my way of communicating with Jesus. Now you say that you ask Mary to pray for you, you request Mary to have Jesus bless you. You defend this as saying it's just as asking a priest or a rabbi to pray for you. Here is where i've got a problem:

How do you communicate with the dead?

The only definition for prayer that i can find is "expressing yourself to a deity" or "communicating with God" and such forth. Now if you are communicating to the dead through prayer, are you saying that Mary is a deity/God? How do the dead hear you? This sounds a little bit like witchcraft to me...

Now you may say, well Mary is alive in Christ. That dosn't excuse the matter that Mary is physically dead, and hopefully we can agree that Mary is not a God, and not a "ghost" or "wandering spirit".

On the other hand, if you do not communicate to Mary by prayer, maybe you just talk to yourself, or shout to thin air?

(sorry if i strayed into sarcasm a bit there, just trying to add emphasis)

Hi Oblix,

Thanks for your questions.

You are absolutely right...Mary is NOT a diety/God.

Just like you, I pray to the one, true God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also ask family and friends to pray for me; and I often pray for others, including those here at WB.

I believe that when I die I will see God face to face---I will be in the Presence of Jesus. I believe the same of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So I have no problem asking her to pray for me. Nothing spooky about it.

As C.S. Lewis once said: "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body".

Peace,

Fiosh

I'm sorry if i wasn't clear, thanks for trying to answer my question.

How do you ask Mary to pray for you without praying to her? Write notes? Just think it and she'll hear you? Talk and she'll hear you?

Thanks

[Fiosh]

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ,

My intent with this thread is NOT to proselytize or convert.

Simply put, I wish to offer accurate information concerning the teaching of the RCC in order to promote understanding.

Many times here at WB I've seen gross misrepresentations of what I supposedly believe as a Catholic Christian.

I certainly can understand that many of you disagree with the RCC, and I respect your opinion. But I would at least like to offer you the opportunity to disagree with the actual doctrines of the RCC and not what others claim them to be.

All resident Catholics are invited to respond to the questions. But, I would ask several things:

1. NO personal OPINIONS. Respond with verifiable info from the Catechism, Vatican II docs, Early Church Fathers and other approved RCC sources.

2. NO apologetics. I refuse to argue "right or wrong" on this thread. If anyone desires to discuss any particular doctrine, start a new thread and I'll gladly meet you there.

3. NO bashing from either side. Can we keep it friendly?

I will ask the mods to delete any post from either "camp", including my own, that is not presented in a Christian manner.

I have no ulterior motive. Jesus prayed that we all be one. It truly saddens me that we are often so far apart. Yet, I will not compromise what I believe; and I don't expect you do compromise your beliefs. But maybe we can come to at least recognize that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, trying to follow and serve Him with sincere hearts.

If the mods won't allow this discussion, I'll respect that. I only ask that they prayerfully consider it, as I have done.

So..............

Go ahead, ask any question you like about what the Roman Catholic Church teaches.

Peace,

Fiosh

I completely respect your post here. and I just want you to know that if I come off as condesending that is not what I mean to do, but growing up in a home where mom attended Chatolic school here entire life, I have a lot of reasons as to why I do not agree with thr RCC. So here are my questions.

1. If the 1st commandment says I am thy LORD which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me. Then why do Caths, worship Mary, this would be a direct violation of the 1st commandment. I did see your post that said you do not worship Mary but pray to her. But it is the belief of the Catholic church that Mary was freed from sin. If this was the case, then Christ died for nothing, and God would be a liar, because the scripture says, that no man is good, and that all have fallen short of the glory of God.

2. Thou shalt not make vnto thee any grauen Image, or any likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water vnder the earth. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them, nor serue them: Rosery Beads. I understand that the beads are not in an image of anything in, on or under the earth, but just as anything, can easily become and idol. I have known Caths, and I would guess that most are the same, but I have known Caths that would defend there beads over their Messiah? By doing so it becomes and idol.

3. I know we are all sinners and we all mess up, but it seems that the Catholic church has a real hard time withteh command to not judge. I have know people who have been excommunicated because they are living together and are not married. But the Catholic church finds it neccesary to decide who can worship and who can not worship in the house of God. And the house of God is anywhere that loves Him, be it Catholic or Protestant.

Again if I seem to be coming off as offensive, I do apologize, this is not my intent.

Hi lam,

You don't sound offensive at all. I appreciate your questions.

1. You are correct....we do not worship Mary. She is a creature just like the rest of us. And she needed a Savior---just like the rest of us. Only in her case, God prepared her from the moment of conception to be the mother of Jesus. The saving grace of the redeemer was applied to Mary at the moment of her conception....and she was conceived without original sin. Had it not been for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, Mary would have been a sinner too, and condemned to hell.

2. Rosary beads. Yep, there are some Catholics who hold heretical beliefs. They are wrong, pure and simple.

And...No, most Catholics are not like what you descibe. I have a rosary. It is a tool, nothing more. When I pray the rosary, I focus on passages from the Bible and worship God, not Mary.

3. Excommunication. Actually, this is a Biblical teaching. The Bible clearly states that if a brother is living in sin, we should confront him. If he won't listen, the Church should deal with him. If he won't listen to the Church, we should not allow him to worship with us.

Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

In truth, the RCC rarely excommunicates a member. It should probably be done more often.

Peace,

Fiosh

[Fiosh]

Absolve and forgive are synonyms, in case anyone was wondering. No human can forgive sins.

forgive - to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.

absolve - to free from guilt or blame or their consequences, to grant or pronounce remission of sins to

In essence you are correct...although the priest is the minister of the sacrament, the power to absolve sins comes from God.

As Michael333 pointed out, the priest is following Jesus' command to forgive sins. It's totally Biblical.

Please read carefully the formula of absolution:

God, the Father of mercies,

through the death and the resurrection of his Son

has reconciled the world to himself

and sent the Holy Spirit among us

for the forgiveness of sins;

through the ministry of the Church

may God give you pardon and peace,

and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace,

Fiosh

A formula for absolution? As if forgiveness is some sort of mathematical equation?

If priests forgiving sins, or absolving them [same thing], is Biblical, I would prefer Bible verses to support that. Not a man made prayer.

I would also like to know what makes a priest more worthy to forgive sins than anyone else? Remember, I prefer Bible verses, not something written by the Catholic church.

I do not understand why some people do not believe that they can go directly to the Father through Jesus Christ alone. Why this need to ask for forgiveness, through a human, for every little "fruit" sin, when asking for forgiveness from the Jesus, our High Priest, for our "root" sins, is all that is necessary.

In His Mighty Grip,

Bib

Hi Bib,

The word "formula" is used here to indicate the "form" of prayer used by the priest. Much like the "Lord's Prayer" is a formula given to us by Jesus for prayer.

Scripture references have been given; I don't want to be repetitious. Look back a few pages. Michael333 did a great job of providing the verses.

Peace,

Fiosh

[Fiosh]

I pray to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as one. This is my way of communicating with Jesus. Now you say that you ask Mary to pray for you, you request Mary to have Jesus bless you. You defend this as saying it's just as asking a priest or a rabbi to pray for you. Here is where i've got a problem:

How do you communicate with the dead?

The only definition for prayer that i can find is "expressing yourself to a deity" or "communicating with God" and such forth. Now if you are communicating to the dead through prayer, are you saying that Mary is a deity/God? How do the dead hear you? This sounds a little bit like witchcraft to me...

Now you may say, well Mary is alive in Christ. That dosn't excuse the matter that Mary is physically dead, and hopefully we can agree that Mary is not a God, and not a "ghost" or "wandering spirit".

On the other hand, if you do not communicate to Mary by prayer, maybe you just talk to yourself, or shout to thin air?

(sorry if i strayed into sarcasm a bit there, just trying to add emphasis)

Hi Oblix,

Thanks for your questions.

You are absolutely right...Mary is NOT a diety/God.

Just like you, I pray to the one, true God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also ask family and friends to pray for me; and I often pray for others, including those here at WB.

I believe that when I die I will see God face to face---I will be in the Presence of Jesus. I believe the same of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So I have no problem asking her to pray for me. Nothing spooky about it.

As C.S. Lewis once said: "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body".

Peace,

Fiosh

I'm sorry if i wasn't clear, thanks for trying to answer my question.

How do you ask Mary to pray for you without praying to her? Write notes? Just think it and she'll hear you? Talk and she'll hear you?

Thanks

I talk to her just like I talk to you.

[Oblix]

I pray to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as one. This is my way of communicating with Jesus. Now you say that you ask Mary to pray for you, you request Mary to have Jesus bless you. You defend this as saying it's just as asking a priest or a rabbi to pray for you. Here is where i've got a problem:

How do you communicate with the dead?

The only definition for prayer that i can find is "expressing yourself to a deity" or "communicating with God" and such forth. Now if you are communicating to the dead through prayer, are you saying that Mary is a deity/God? How do the dead hear you? This sounds a little bit like witchcraft to me...

Now you may say, well Mary is alive in Christ. That dosn't excuse the matter that Mary is physically dead, and hopefully we can agree that Mary is not a God, and not a "ghost" or "wandering spirit".

On the other hand, if you do not communicate to Mary by prayer, maybe you just talk to yourself, or shout to thin air?

(sorry if i strayed into sarcasm a bit there, just trying to add emphasis)

Hi Oblix,

Thanks for your questions.

You are absolutely right...Mary is NOT a diety/God.

Just like you, I pray to the one, true God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also ask family and friends to pray for me; and I often pray for others, including those here at WB.

I believe that when I die I will see God face to face---I will be in the Presence of Jesus. I believe the same of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So I have no problem asking her to pray for me. Nothing spooky about it.

As C.S. Lewis once said: "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body".

Peace,

Fiosh

I'm sorry if i wasn't clear, thanks for trying to answer my question.

How do you ask Mary to pray for you without praying to her? Write notes? Just think it and she'll hear you? Talk and she'll hear you?

Thanks

I talk to her just like I talk to you.

you talk to her in person and or over the internet? you realize she is physically dead right? I am physically alive, there is a difference. So are you saying you just talk out loud and she will hear you? Does she hear everything you say?

[sweetycakes]

I pray to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as one. This is my way of communicating with Jesus. Now you say that you ask Mary to pray for you, you request Mary to have Jesus bless you. You defend this as saying it's just as asking a priest or a rabbi to pray for you. Here is where i've got a problem:

How do you communicate with the dead?

The only definition for prayer that i can find is "expressing yourself to a deity" or "communicating with God" and such forth. Now if you are communicating to the dead through prayer, are you saying that Mary is a deity/God? How do the dead hear you? This sounds a little bit like witchcraft to me...

Now you may say, well Mary is alive in Christ. That dosn't excuse the matter that Mary is physically dead, and hopefully we can agree that Mary is not a God, and not a "ghost" or "wandering spirit".

On the other hand, if you do not communicate to Mary by prayer, maybe you just talk to yourself, or shout to thin air?

(sorry if i strayed into sarcasm a bit there, just trying to add emphasis)

Hi Oblix,

Thanks for your questions.

You are absolutely right...Mary is NOT a diety/God.

Just like you, I pray to the one, true God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also ask family and friends to pray for me; and I often pray for others, including those here at WB.

I believe that when I die I will see God face to face---I will be in the Presence of Jesus. I believe the same of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So I have no problem asking her to pray for me. Nothing spooky about it.

As C.S. Lewis once said: "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body".

Peace,

Fiosh

I'm sorry if i wasn't clear, thanks for trying to answer my question.

How do you ask Mary to pray for you without praying to her? Write notes? Just think it and she'll hear you? Talk and she'll hear you?

Thanks

I talk to her just like I talk to you.

you talk to her in person and or over the internet? you realize she is physically dead right? I am physically alive, there is a difference. So are you saying you just talk out loud and she will hear you? Does she hear everything you say?

Here here, I'm with you

[Fiosh]

I have a couple questions if you would be so kind to answer ...

how come, if I'm not a Catholic, I cannot participate in communion?

I went to a Catholic service, midnight mass for Easter with my wife's side of the family (we are both Christian). It came time for communion and we were told not to participate. The reasons were:

1 - we were not Catholic

2 - we have not been to the coffesion booth.

This didn't make much sense to me because I'm sure of my relationship with Christ.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second question.

How come Catholics pary to deceised catholics or saints? I've been told the reason is:

1 - they're not actually dead since we are 'alive in Christ'

But the bible teaches that we 'sleep' in our graves. Please explain.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third.

Purgatory.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth.

Penance.

Lol, I hope I didn't flood you with too much my friend! lol.

Thanks for helping.

God bless!

High live4eternity, you would not be invited to join in our communion either, and we are not a Catholic Congregation. The reason though is the same, and that is that total agreement and belief about communion and what is actually happening must be present to join as one complete Body in Unity during communion as is called for in scripture. Not that you are not saved nor are not Christian. But Catholics and some Protestant groups such as my congregation believe that in communion you receive the blood of Christ and the Body of Christ, His physical presence is actually there among the elements, this is a very literal reading of scripture. If you believed that you would seek to become a Catholic or in my case seek to join our Lutheran Synod. The bible says that we are not to partake of the Body and Blood in an unworthy manner or in a manner where we are not prepared. To be prepared you must agree with what is going on during communion, you must understand it, if you have an intrinsically different understanding of communion; you should not partake of it with those who do not have the same understanding. This is actually quite serious, scripture says that you may become physically ill by taking communion in an unworthy manner, it is serious business for us, and as well it should be.

Catholics have a view that to receive communion you should be in a state of grace, meaning that you should have gone to confession and asked forgiveness for your sins prior to taking communion, for them that is what being prepared means.

So don't take it as a diss, I doubt you agree with what is going on during a Catholic Mass and communion, and thus for your own good just in general it is a bad idea to take part in things we don't agree with, particularly when it comes to spiritual things.

Fiosh is that about right?

Thanks for your reply... I just think it's ridiculous...

Don't you know that what we do in our lives at home is no different that what we do in the church 'building'? If you believe that the elements become the actual blood and flesh of Jesus, you're allowed to believe what ever you want. But your interpretation of that scripture isn't the final. What is the bread of life? It's Jesus. How do we participate in communion? It's by eating of the bread and drinking of the blood. Remember when Jesus said that He is the bread of heaven, that whoever believes in Him will never hunger? It's all about faith and who you take part in faith with. I can agreeably disagree with you on the interpretation of communion, but I cannot agree that just because you have your interpretation, excludes me from communion in the same vicinity that you're worshiping in... it's a matter of the heart.

I completely understand your point of view, Live4Eternity, communion is taken as part of the body of believers, not just part of a church. Communion is not held within one denomination, it's something that all Believers in Jesus Christ can do, in Remembrance of Him. Anyone who enters our church is welcome to take communion. We can not judge their heart, only God can do that and we expect them to understand that. Also it helps that our pastor explains the requirements of communion, according to scripture, every time we take communion.

No one can know if you are "in a state of grace". Only God can know the heart. It is wrong for a church, congregation or Pastor/Elders to judge ones heart. If they are taking communion out of fellowship with the Lord it's between them and the Lord. And NOT for us to judge. I am sure plenty of people in Catholic and Protestant churches take communion out of fellowship with the Lord even after confession.

What you are when you are alone, that alone you are.

In His Mighty Grip,

Bib

Hey Bib,

You are right---I'm sure "plenty of people in Catholic and Protestant churches take communion out of fellowship with the Lord".

And I'm also pretty sure that non-Catholics have received the Eucharist unbeknownst to the priest. Like you said, "Only God can know the heart". The priest doesn't distribute Holy Communion like a "traffic cop". Unless it is perfectly clear that the individual is not properly disposed, he will receive the Host. (An example would be the politician that publicly and actively supports abortion. )

And, you are also right in saying that "communion is taken as part of the body of believers". I believe that the RCC teaches the doctrines concerning The Lord's Supper as instituted by Jesus, and practiced by the Early Church. If you choose to follow a church that teaches something different, you are free to do so. But, then you can not expect to be in full and complete fellowship with the RCC.

God bless,

Fiosh

[Fiosh]

I pray to God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit as one. This is my way of communicating with Jesus. Now you say that you ask Mary to pray for you, you request Mary to have Jesus bless you. You defend this as saying it's just as asking a priest or a rabbi to pray for you. Here is where i've got a problem:

How do you communicate with the dead?

The only definition for prayer that i can find is "expressing yourself to a deity" or "communicating with God" and such forth. Now if you are communicating to the dead through prayer, are you saying that Mary is a deity/God? How do the dead hear you? This sounds a little bit like witchcraft to me...

Now you may say, well Mary is alive in Christ. That dosn't excuse the matter that Mary is physically dead, and hopefully we can agree that Mary is not a God, and not a "ghost" or "wandering spirit".

On the other hand, if you do not communicate to Mary by prayer, maybe you just talk to yourself, or shout to thin air?

(sorry if i strayed into sarcasm a bit there, just trying to add emphasis)

Hi Oblix,

Thanks for your questions.

You are absolutely right...Mary is NOT a diety/God.

Just like you, I pray to the one, true God in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also ask family and friends to pray for me; and I often pray for others, including those here at WB.

I believe that when I die I will see God face to face---I will be in the Presence of Jesus. I believe the same of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So I have no problem asking her to pray for me. Nothing spooky about it.

As C.S. Lewis once said: "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body".

Peace,

Fiosh

I'm sorry if i wasn't clear, thanks for trying to answer my question.

How do you ask Mary to pray for you without praying to her? Write notes? Just think it and she'll hear you? Talk and she'll hear you?

Thanks

I talk to her just like I talk to you.

you talk to her in person and or over the internet? you realize she is physically dead right? I am physically alive, there is a difference. So are you saying you just talk out loud and she will hear you? Does she hear everything you say?

What I realize is that we are spirit and will never die but live forever in Christ. So, yeah, I just talk out loud or in my heart, and she hears me. ( No, I don't normally use the Internet to talk to Mary. I meant "you" in the general sense)

[Fiosh]

I was wondering............

why is it so difficult for some to accept the perpetual virginity of Mary? A careful reading of Luke 1: 30-35 clearly indicates that Mary had no intention of having relations with a man.

Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luk 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Note a few things:

1. The angel is using the future tense when he tells Mary she will conceive. Why would that bring forth a question if she intended to sleep with Joseph?

2. Mary's response indicates that she is puzzled about how this will come about since she will not have relations.

3. Mary conceives by the Holy Spirit; would it be holy for her to then conceive in that same womb by someone else?

Peace,

Fiosh

Doesn't anyone want to take a shot at this????

[kat8585]

I have a couple questions if you would be so kind to answer ...

how come, if I'm not a Catholic, I cannot participate in communion?

I went to a Catholic service, midnight mass for Easter with my wife's side of the family (we are both Christian). It came time for communion and we were told not to participate. The reasons were:

1 - we were not Catholic

2 - we have not been to the coffesion booth.

This didn't make much sense to me because I'm sure of my relationship with Christ.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second question.

How come Catholics pary to deceised catholics or saints? I've been told the reason is:

1 - they're not actually dead since we are 'alive in Christ'

But the bible teaches that we 'sleep' in our graves. Please explain.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third.

Purgatory.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth.

Penance.

Lol, I hope I didn't flood you with too much my friend! lol.

Thanks for helping.

God bless!

I've taken Communion in a Catholic church when I went with my sister and brother-in-law, and I'm not a Catholic.