Answers to Faith Answering Questions
Question #1: Are Other Faith Traditions Equal To Catholicism?
[Moderator:] Hi there and thanks for being with us this morning/evening. My name is ______________. [A few words about yourself]. I’ll be the moderator for this week’s session of our message series. A couple of ground rules as we begin. We’re going to be answering these questions from the perspective of the Catholic Church, which means that we’ll rely on both the Bible, which we believe is the authoritative Word of God, and Tradition, which is the ongoing communication of God in history as a result of the collective theological reflection of the popes and bishops through the ages. Now, some of the questions are about doctrine, and for those we’ll be answering what the Church teaches, if there’s a clear answer. Other questions are more pastoral or practical in nature. When the question involves a judgment about how to take what the Church teaches and apply it to our lives, we’ll say that our answer is not Church teaching per se, but just our opinion. So, we have some great questions, and we’re going to dive right in. Here’s our first question: Are other faith traditions equal to Catholicism.
[Priest:] In the early part of the modern age in a period called “The Enlightenment,” the view developed that truth is not universal. It’s particular, individual, and relative. In our own contemporary culture, that idea is very widely held: There is no absolute truth. It’s all relative. I can believe what I want to believe and you can believe what you want to believe. Pope Benedict called this view so pervasive in our current age that it’s almost a form of tyranny. He called it the “Tyranny of Relativism,” because to suggest otherwise, to suggest absolute truth, seems intolerant, not to mention impolite. Nonetheless, Christians hold that there absolutely is universal truth that is true for everyone, whether or not you accept it, and that universal, absolute truth is Jesus Christ, who said of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” That said, it would not be right to say other religions are unequal. First of all, that’s not very respectful, but it’s also short-sighted of the richness, the beauty, and even the inherent truth in many other religious traditions, with privilege of place going out to the great monotheistic religions. Jews, Muslims, and Christians all believe in the one, true, living God. In many cases, our view is simply that their view is incomplete because it doesn’t include Christ.
[Moderator:] So that would lead to the question whether people of other faiths are “saved” or “going to heaven?”
[Priest:] The short answer is that it is possible for people of other faiths to be saved. The teaching of the Church has always been that there can be no salvation outside the Church (Extra ecclesiam nulla salus). Putting it in a positive way, this doctrine means that all salvation comes from Christ through the Church which is his Body (CCC 846). And since the sacraments are the ordinary means through which Christ offers the grace necessary for salvation, and the Catholic Church that Christ established is the minister of those sacraments, it is appropriate to say that salvation comes through the Church. However, even though there is no salvation outside the Church, all people are to some degree related to the Church. There’s a document from a worldwide conference of Church leaders in 1965, called the Second Vatican Council, that explicitly states that all people are “called by God’s grace to salvation” (Lumen Gentium (“LG”) n. 13). Non-Catholic Christians, the document says, “in some real way [are] joined to us in the Holy Spirit,” and “the plan of salvation also includes” Jews and Muslims (LG nn. 15-16). Also, all those “who seek God with a sincere heart,” even though they may not expressly believe in Christ, and those “who, without any fault of theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God,” nevertheless “may achieve eternal salvation” (LG nn. 15-16). The Church recognizes that God does not condemn those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ or his Church. The Catechism says that those people “who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation.” (CCC 847). Which I find very comforting when I think about my non-Catholic friends.
[Moderator:] So, does that mean that we as Christians shouldn’t bother trying to introduce people to Christ?
[Priest:] No. We definitely should introduce unchurched people to Christ, both because it’s the surest way to heaven, but also because the Church has the fullness of truth and, with truth, comes a better life now on this Earth. Also, it’s the whole mission of the Church. Jesus told us to evangelize. In Matthew chapter 28, he said to go out and make disciples. The best way to evangelize, however, is not by wearing placards that say, “turn or burn,” but rather by simply inviting one of your unchurched friends to church. We’re working very hard here at Saint Brendan’s to make church the best possible experience, one that is consistent in preaching, music, and hospitality from week to week. So, you know what you’re getting when you invite someone.
[Priest:] In the early part of the modern age in a period called “The Enlightenment,” the view developed that truth is not universal. It’s particular, individual, and relative. In our own contemporary culture, that idea is very widely held: There is no absolute truth. It’s all relative. I can believe what I want to believe and you can believe what you want to believe. Pope Benedict called this view so pervasive in our current age that it’s almost a form of tyranny. He called it the “Tyranny of Relativism,” because to suggest otherwise, to suggest absolute truth, seems intolerant, not to mention impolite. Nonetheless, Christians hold that there absolutely is universal truth that is true for everyone, whether or not you accept it, and that universal, absolute truth is Jesus Christ, who said of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” That said, it would not be right to say other religions are unequal. First of all, that’s not very respectful, but it’s also short-sighted of the richness, the beauty, and even the inherent truth in many other religious traditions, with privilege of place going out to the great monotheistic religions. Jews, Muslims, and Christians all believe in the one, true, living God. In many cases, our view is simply that their view is incomplete because it doesn’t include Christ.
[Moderator:] So that would lead to the question whether people of other faiths are “saved” or “going to heaven?”
[Priest:] The short answer is that it is possible for people of other faiths to be saved. The teaching of the Church has always been that there can be no salvation outside the Church (Extra ecclesiam nulla salus). Putting it in a positive way, this doctrine means that all salvation comes from Christ through the Church which is his Body (CCC 846). And since the sacraments are the ordinary means through which Christ offers the grace necessary for salvation, and the Catholic Church that Christ established is the minister of those sacraments, it is appropriate to say that salvation comes through the Church. However, even though there is no salvation outside the Church, all people are to some degree related to the Church. There’s a document from a worldwide conference of Church leaders in 1965, called the Second Vatican Council, that explicitly states that all people are “called by God’s grace to salvation” (Lumen Gentium (“LG”) n. 13). Non-Catholic Christians, the document says, “in some real way [are] joined to us in the Holy Spirit,” and “the plan of salvation also includes” Jews and Muslims (LG nn. 15-16). Also, all those “who seek God with a sincere heart,” even though they may not expressly believe in Christ, and those “who, without any fault of theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God,” nevertheless “may achieve eternal salvation” (LG nn. 15-16). The Church recognizes that God does not condemn those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ or his Church. The Catechism says that those people “who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation.” (CCC 847). Which I find very comforting when I think about my non-Catholic friends.
[Moderator:] So, does that mean that we as Christians shouldn’t bother trying to introduce people to Christ?
[Priest:] No. We definitely should introduce unchurched people to Christ, both because it’s the surest way to heaven, but also because the Church has the fullness of truth and, with truth, comes a better life now on this Earth. Also, it’s the whole mission of the Church. Jesus told us to evangelize. In Matthew chapter 28, he said to go out and make disciples. The best way to evangelize, however, is not by wearing placards that say, “turn or burn,” but rather by simply inviting one of your unchurched friends to church. We’re working very hard here at Saint Brendan’s to make church the best possible experience, one that is consistent in preaching, music, and hospitality from week to week. So, you know what you’re getting when you invite someone.
Question #2: Why Are The Homilies At Saint Brendan Longer Than Usual?
[Moderator:] Ok. Switching gears a little, here’s another question: Why are Father Roger’s homilies so long?
[Priest:] Well, I guess you could say we just want you to get your money’s worth. // When I was in the seminary, we’d often say in our preaching classes that, “if you can’t say what you need to say in eight minutes, something’s wrong with your message.” And that’s really true. A good homily should have one and only one message. And, so, each one of our homilies here at St. Brendan’s does have only one core message. I know that because, each week after all the Masses are over, I post my homily to the website and summarize it in three or four sentences. But the thing is, a homily is not like a lecture. It’s not meant just to impart information. It’s meant to inspire. And, so, many times that involves relating stories, giving examples, and telling uplifting vignettes that help people who listen to absorb the message at a deeper level than just head knowledge. If you consistently walk out of church and are not affected in some emotional or spiritual way that is more than just cognitive, then we’ve failed and haven’t done our jobs well. And it takes a little time for the message to settle into our being so that we can take something with us for the week to come. Another reason that homilies here are a little longer is because we have made a conscious decision to reach out to unchurched people and realize that often we are talking to unchurched people. Most people who have been going to church for a long time and believe fully in the message of Christ make the incorrect assumption that everyone around them in church also is a devout believer and long-term churchgoer. But in fact, many people come to this and other churches not fully sure about what they believe, and they may attend only occasionally. So, when we’re talking to people that are not church people, we’ve got to give them some context. Explain things and not assume that they already know the basics of the faith. That means we shouldn’t take shortcuts or use insider jargon and church lingo, but actually start from square one for those who don’t have the same foundation of Christianity that others may have. So, it’s really a matter of courtesy and that takes a little more time to set the stage, slow down and explain things more fully. Also, with our message series, we have to take a couple of minutes each week to summarize what we’re doing and why and what we’ve covered in past episodes in that series. With the vast majority of Catholics only coming to church once a month, they’d be lost otherwise. That said, we are working very hard to keep the Mass only to one hour.
[Priest:] Well, I guess you could say we just want you to get your money’s worth. // When I was in the seminary, we’d often say in our preaching classes that, “if you can’t say what you need to say in eight minutes, something’s wrong with your message.” And that’s really true. A good homily should have one and only one message. And, so, each one of our homilies here at St. Brendan’s does have only one core message. I know that because, each week after all the Masses are over, I post my homily to the website and summarize it in three or four sentences. But the thing is, a homily is not like a lecture. It’s not meant just to impart information. It’s meant to inspire. And, so, many times that involves relating stories, giving examples, and telling uplifting vignettes that help people who listen to absorb the message at a deeper level than just head knowledge. If you consistently walk out of church and are not affected in some emotional or spiritual way that is more than just cognitive, then we’ve failed and haven’t done our jobs well. And it takes a little time for the message to settle into our being so that we can take something with us for the week to come. Another reason that homilies here are a little longer is because we have made a conscious decision to reach out to unchurched people and realize that often we are talking to unchurched people. Most people who have been going to church for a long time and believe fully in the message of Christ make the incorrect assumption that everyone around them in church also is a devout believer and long-term churchgoer. But in fact, many people come to this and other churches not fully sure about what they believe, and they may attend only occasionally. So, when we’re talking to people that are not church people, we’ve got to give them some context. Explain things and not assume that they already know the basics of the faith. That means we shouldn’t take shortcuts or use insider jargon and church lingo, but actually start from square one for those who don’t have the same foundation of Christianity that others may have. So, it’s really a matter of courtesy and that takes a little more time to set the stage, slow down and explain things more fully. Also, with our message series, we have to take a couple of minutes each week to summarize what we’re doing and why and what we’ve covered in past episodes in that series. With the vast majority of Catholics only coming to church once a month, they’d be lost otherwise. That said, we are working very hard to keep the Mass only to one hour.
Question #3: Why Does The Church Not Ordain Women?
[Moderator:] Okay, here’s the last question, one that was very popular. And it’s a doozy: Why does the Church not have women priests?
[Priest:] Oh boy. Whose idea was this message series anyway? Well, it’s important that we look to the example of Jesus. As we heard a few weeks ago as part of our Wonder Women: Female Heroes of the Bible message series, Jesus was groundbreaking when it came to women. In contrast to the cultural norms of the time that defined women as second-class citizens, Jesus recognized their inherent dignity and equality. He treated women with respect and kindness. He defied cultural expectations by addressing women in public, and he violated well-established rabbinical norms by actually teaching women about scripture and allowing them to learn from him and to travel with him along with his male disciples. That was unheard of. And yet he selected twelve men to be his apostles upon whom the foundation of the priesthood is set. Therefore, the Church resting on this tradition does not assert the right to change what Christ seems to have established. A second reason for this is that the priest stands here at Mass in persona Christi, which means in the very person of Jesus Christ. And, of course, Jesus was and is a man. If the priesthood were merely a series of functions, women could of course perform them as well as men. In many cases, probably better than a man. Women are inherently more communal, more sensitive, more verbal, and more caring, all traits needed for the priesthood. But priesthood is not a function in the Catholic Church. It’s what theologians call an ontological state of being that is identified with the manhood of Christ.
Obviously, not everyone will find these arguments convincing. In fact, Fr. Theo, Fr. Celestine, and I recently went to a dinner party and the host, I guess wanting to provoke controversy, asked what we thought about women priests and let’s just say that the three of us got into it with disagreements for over an hour. But I think we can find common ground in agreeing that, although women have played a decisive role and accomplished tasks of outstanding value in the Church as master teachers called “doctors,” theologians, and religious superiors who have ruled vast tracts of land and huge congregations, the Church can still do a much better job of opening up leadership to women. So, you need a priest to say Mass. So be it. But you do not need a priest to run every program and service that the Church offers. You do not need a man to run a parish. Much of what traditionally has been done by the pastor can be done by others, including obviously women. I think at Saint Brendan’s we can be proud of what’s going on. The parish manager at this church is a woman, and she is in charge of finances, IT, human resources, staff support, maintenance, and operations. All of it under the supervision of a woman. Our finance administrator is also a woman. Our school principal is a woman. Our Director of Ministry and Member Care is a woman. I think you get my drift.
[Priest:] Oh boy. Whose idea was this message series anyway? Well, it’s important that we look to the example of Jesus. As we heard a few weeks ago as part of our Wonder Women: Female Heroes of the Bible message series, Jesus was groundbreaking when it came to women. In contrast to the cultural norms of the time that defined women as second-class citizens, Jesus recognized their inherent dignity and equality. He treated women with respect and kindness. He defied cultural expectations by addressing women in public, and he violated well-established rabbinical norms by actually teaching women about scripture and allowing them to learn from him and to travel with him along with his male disciples. That was unheard of. And yet he selected twelve men to be his apostles upon whom the foundation of the priesthood is set. Therefore, the Church resting on this tradition does not assert the right to change what Christ seems to have established. A second reason for this is that the priest stands here at Mass in persona Christi, which means in the very person of Jesus Christ. And, of course, Jesus was and is a man. If the priesthood were merely a series of functions, women could of course perform them as well as men. In many cases, probably better than a man. Women are inherently more communal, more sensitive, more verbal, and more caring, all traits needed for the priesthood. But priesthood is not a function in the Catholic Church. It’s what theologians call an ontological state of being that is identified with the manhood of Christ.
Obviously, not everyone will find these arguments convincing. In fact, Fr. Theo, Fr. Celestine, and I recently went to a dinner party and the host, I guess wanting to provoke controversy, asked what we thought about women priests and let’s just say that the three of us got into it with disagreements for over an hour. But I think we can find common ground in agreeing that, although women have played a decisive role and accomplished tasks of outstanding value in the Church as master teachers called “doctors,” theologians, and religious superiors who have ruled vast tracts of land and huge congregations, the Church can still do a much better job of opening up leadership to women. So, you need a priest to say Mass. So be it. But you do not need a priest to run every program and service that the Church offers. You do not need a man to run a parish. Much of what traditionally has been done by the pastor can be done by others, including obviously women. I think at Saint Brendan’s we can be proud of what’s going on. The parish manager at this church is a woman, and she is in charge of finances, IT, human resources, staff support, maintenance, and operations. All of it under the supervision of a woman. Our finance administrator is also a woman. Our school principal is a woman. Our Director of Ministry and Member Care is a woman. I think you get my drift.
Question #4: What Happens After We Die?
[Moderator:] Hi there and thanks for being with us this morning/evening. My name is ______________. [A few words about yourself]. I’ll be the moderator for this week’s session of our message series. We have more great questions this week, and here’s our first one: What happens after we die?
[Priest:] Well, that’s a great question. At first, it may seem obvious. As Catholics, we definitely believe in an afterlife, and since childhood we’ve been taught about a place called heaven. But the Catholic doctrine on this is a little more nuanced than that. So, here’s a basic summary. Soon after someone dies, the body and soul are separated from each other and the eternal destiny of the soul is decided in a process called the “Particular Judgment.” Souls who are in a state of grace, meaning they are free of the stain of serious sin, will enjoy the immediate presence of God in what’s called the beatific vision, which simply means the ability to see God face-to-face. On the other hand, those souls departing this world with unforgiven serious sin receive eternal punishment, or what is better known as “hell.” It may be hard to believe, but Jesus actually talked about hell quite a bit. For example, in chapter 10 of Matthew, he said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Hell is a reality. Pope Benedict once wrote that hell is a place where love can no longer penetrate. It’s an existence of loneliness and isolation, and those in hell are there because they have freely chosen to turn away from God and his children. You might say it’s kind of like a self-imposed solitary confinement for all eternity. For those souls that are somewhere in between, not having committed unforgiven mortal sin but still in need of purification, there is purgatory. Purgatory has a scriptural basis in the Book of Maccabees, First Corinthians, and the Psalms. Purgatory is an expression of God’s mercy. His mercy is so inexhaustible that it’s even available to us after death. You know, the only thing you get to take with you to heaven is your character, and if your character is not very well formed, then you’re not going to be very comfortable in heaven. So, purgatory is a place of preparation that God provides in his mercy. I think it’s a wonderful idea, and I’m actually counting on it.
[Moderator:] So, if we’re judged at the time of our death, why do we say in the Creed that we “wait on the resurrection of the dead?”
[Priest:] Well, that phrase actually refers to the Second Coming of Christ. Paul says in First Thessalonians that those who are alive when Jesus comes again “will be caught up in the air together and will be with the Lord forever” (4:17). Those who have already died when Jesus returns will be reunited with their bodies and their Particular Judgment will be confirmed in a Final Judgment. At that point there will be no purgatory. It will be “all or nothing.” You can find a clear reference to the Final Judgment in Matthew 25, when Jesus says that all the nations will assemble before him, and he will separate the sheep from the goats. The righteous will go off to eternal life, while the rest will see eternal punishment.
[Moderator:] Ok, then. What about heaven? If we make it there, will we be reunited with our loved ones and, in particular, with our spouses?
[Priest:] The short answer is yes. Anyone who reaches heaven is considered a saint, whether named by the Church as such or not. Christians do not believe in a Nirvana kind of concept, where we’re absorbed into some kind of faceless collective existence. Rather, we will still retain our individuality. If that’s the case, then, we will be able to see others whom we have known in our lifetimes. Also, there are countless stories of credible near-death experiences, in which people who died but returned to life said that they saw visions of their loved ones welcoming them.
[Priest:] But it’s hard to know specifically what those relationships will be like. Jesus was once asked about marriage in heaven, and he said that, “at the resurrection [people] neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven” (Mt. 22:30). But that in itself doesn’t mean that earthly relationships will not exist in heaven. We will be together with those we love in the next life. We just don’t know what form that those relationships will take. But since heaven is a place of perfect happiness, they certainly would have to be something better and far more fulfilling and satisfying than we can presently imagine. My own opinion is that in heaven all grievances will be forgiven, every wound healed, and all resentment overcome.
[Priest:] Well, that’s a great question. At first, it may seem obvious. As Catholics, we definitely believe in an afterlife, and since childhood we’ve been taught about a place called heaven. But the Catholic doctrine on this is a little more nuanced than that. So, here’s a basic summary. Soon after someone dies, the body and soul are separated from each other and the eternal destiny of the soul is decided in a process called the “Particular Judgment.” Souls who are in a state of grace, meaning they are free of the stain of serious sin, will enjoy the immediate presence of God in what’s called the beatific vision, which simply means the ability to see God face-to-face. On the other hand, those souls departing this world with unforgiven serious sin receive eternal punishment, or what is better known as “hell.” It may be hard to believe, but Jesus actually talked about hell quite a bit. For example, in chapter 10 of Matthew, he said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Hell is a reality. Pope Benedict once wrote that hell is a place where love can no longer penetrate. It’s an existence of loneliness and isolation, and those in hell are there because they have freely chosen to turn away from God and his children. You might say it’s kind of like a self-imposed solitary confinement for all eternity. For those souls that are somewhere in between, not having committed unforgiven mortal sin but still in need of purification, there is purgatory. Purgatory has a scriptural basis in the Book of Maccabees, First Corinthians, and the Psalms. Purgatory is an expression of God’s mercy. His mercy is so inexhaustible that it’s even available to us after death. You know, the only thing you get to take with you to heaven is your character, and if your character is not very well formed, then you’re not going to be very comfortable in heaven. So, purgatory is a place of preparation that God provides in his mercy. I think it’s a wonderful idea, and I’m actually counting on it.
[Moderator:] So, if we’re judged at the time of our death, why do we say in the Creed that we “wait on the resurrection of the dead?”
[Priest:] Well, that phrase actually refers to the Second Coming of Christ. Paul says in First Thessalonians that those who are alive when Jesus comes again “will be caught up in the air together and will be with the Lord forever” (4:17). Those who have already died when Jesus returns will be reunited with their bodies and their Particular Judgment will be confirmed in a Final Judgment. At that point there will be no purgatory. It will be “all or nothing.” You can find a clear reference to the Final Judgment in Matthew 25, when Jesus says that all the nations will assemble before him, and he will separate the sheep from the goats. The righteous will go off to eternal life, while the rest will see eternal punishment.
[Moderator:] Ok, then. What about heaven? If we make it there, will we be reunited with our loved ones and, in particular, with our spouses?
[Priest:] The short answer is yes. Anyone who reaches heaven is considered a saint, whether named by the Church as such or not. Christians do not believe in a Nirvana kind of concept, where we’re absorbed into some kind of faceless collective existence. Rather, we will still retain our individuality. If that’s the case, then, we will be able to see others whom we have known in our lifetimes. Also, there are countless stories of credible near-death experiences, in which people who died but returned to life said that they saw visions of their loved ones welcoming them.
[Priest:] But it’s hard to know specifically what those relationships will be like. Jesus was once asked about marriage in heaven, and he said that, “at the resurrection [people] neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven” (Mt. 22:30). But that in itself doesn’t mean that earthly relationships will not exist in heaven. We will be together with those we love in the next life. We just don’t know what form that those relationships will take. But since heaven is a place of perfect happiness, they certainly would have to be something better and far more fulfilling and satisfying than we can presently imagine. My own opinion is that in heaven all grievances will be forgiven, every wound healed, and all resentment overcome.
Question #5: What Does The Church Say About Cremation and Organ Donation?
[Moderator:] Earlier you said that our bodies and souls will be reunited in the Final Judgment at the end of time. So, that suggests that what happens to our bodies after death is important. Some other questions that came up were whether cremation, organ donation, and donating our bodies to science are allowed.
[Priest:] The Catechism says that organ donation after death is “a noble” and good act that should be encouraged. In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II even referred to it as a form of heroism. Also, the Church says that hospitals should allow and even encourage the donation of our bodies after death for the purpose of scientific research. The deceased person must have given his or her explicit consent, of course, and the death must not have been caused or hastened for the purpose of the donation. Organ donation by people who are still living also is permissible as long as (i) the dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the benefit for the recipient and (ii) the donation does not impair the functioning of or cause mutilation to the donor’s body.
[Moderator:] What about cremation?
[Priest:]The Church’s teaching on cremation has evolved over the years. Prior to 1963, it was not allowed because it was seen as a denial of belief in the resurrection of the body. But since then, the Church has supported the practice of cremation, as long as the remains are treated with the same respect given to the human body. They should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering ashes anywhere, dividing them up, putting them in necklaces, sending them up in balloons, or even keeping them at home is not permitted because it is not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Also, a traditional burial is still preferred over cremation.
[Priest:] The Catechism says that organ donation after death is “a noble” and good act that should be encouraged. In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II even referred to it as a form of heroism. Also, the Church says that hospitals should allow and even encourage the donation of our bodies after death for the purpose of scientific research. The deceased person must have given his or her explicit consent, of course, and the death must not have been caused or hastened for the purpose of the donation. Organ donation by people who are still living also is permissible as long as (i) the dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the benefit for the recipient and (ii) the donation does not impair the functioning of or cause mutilation to the donor’s body.
[Moderator:] What about cremation?
[Priest:]The Church’s teaching on cremation has evolved over the years. Prior to 1963, it was not allowed because it was seen as a denial of belief in the resurrection of the body. But since then, the Church has supported the practice of cremation, as long as the remains are treated with the same respect given to the human body. They should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering ashes anywhere, dividing them up, putting them in necklaces, sending them up in balloons, or even keeping them at home is not permitted because it is not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Also, a traditional burial is still preferred over cremation.
Question #6: Can I Catch Something By Drinking From The Cup At Mass?
[Moderator:] Ok. Let’s change it up a little bit. We got a few practical questions on communion: How old do you have to be to drink the Blood of Christ and how come we don’t use individual cups like some Protestants do.
[Priest:] Great questions. The Blood of Christ is available to every Catholic in a state of grace who has made their First Communion. This includes kids, as long as their parents allow it. In fact, it’s strongly encouraged at a child’s First Communion. As Catholics, we believe in a doctrine called “transubstantiation,” which means that at Mass the substance of the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ, even though they still taste, smell, and look like bread and wine, which is why we’re supposed to genuflect on one knee when we enter or exit a pew or pass by the tabernacle where the Eucharist is kept. Now, since the wine actually becomes the precious blood of Christ, taking a tiny sip from the cup at church is not the same thing morally as minors drinking alcohol and actually is permitted by the free exercise of religion clause of the U.S. Constitution. On the second question, Catholics drink from the same cup during Mass as a sign of our unity. We don’t receive communion with Christ alone but also with each other. Granted, most Catholic churches, including our own, use more than one cup because, with the number of people, it would not be feasible otherwise. But for everyone to have his or her own cup would certainly diminish the communal sense of worship that Catholics hold dear.
[Moderator:] Fair enough, but a lot of people are worried about catching something from the cup since so many other people drink from it. What about that?
[Priest:] That’s obviously a concern for many people. No one wants an infectious disease, least of all me. But health authorities have conducted studies and concluded that the risk of contracting a disease from the common cup at church is negligible. The risk is most likely no more than standing in line with other people for the movies. As one CDC representative said, “the risk is so small it’s probably undetectable.” Also, since Jesus said “take and drink,” receiving from the cup is a fuller sign of communion. That said, we do believe in a doctrine called concomitance that says Christ is fully present in either the bread or the wine. So, you may choose to receive from either one.
[Priest:] Great questions. The Blood of Christ is available to every Catholic in a state of grace who has made their First Communion. This includes kids, as long as their parents allow it. In fact, it’s strongly encouraged at a child’s First Communion. As Catholics, we believe in a doctrine called “transubstantiation,” which means that at Mass the substance of the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ, even though they still taste, smell, and look like bread and wine, which is why we’re supposed to genuflect on one knee when we enter or exit a pew or pass by the tabernacle where the Eucharist is kept. Now, since the wine actually becomes the precious blood of Christ, taking a tiny sip from the cup at church is not the same thing morally as minors drinking alcohol and actually is permitted by the free exercise of religion clause of the U.S. Constitution. On the second question, Catholics drink from the same cup during Mass as a sign of our unity. We don’t receive communion with Christ alone but also with each other. Granted, most Catholic churches, including our own, use more than one cup because, with the number of people, it would not be feasible otherwise. But for everyone to have his or her own cup would certainly diminish the communal sense of worship that Catholics hold dear.
[Moderator:] Fair enough, but a lot of people are worried about catching something from the cup since so many other people drink from it. What about that?
[Priest:] That’s obviously a concern for many people. No one wants an infectious disease, least of all me. But health authorities have conducted studies and concluded that the risk of contracting a disease from the common cup at church is negligible. The risk is most likely no more than standing in line with other people for the movies. As one CDC representative said, “the risk is so small it’s probably undetectable.” Also, since Jesus said “take and drink,” receiving from the cup is a fuller sign of communion. That said, we do believe in a doctrine called concomitance that says Christ is fully present in either the bread or the wine. So, you may choose to receive from either one.
Question #7: What About Divorce And Remarriage?
[Moderator:] Our next topic is about divorce and about those who are divorced and their status in the Church. Could you address that?
[Priest:] First, I should say right up front that there are very few families who have not been touched by divorce, my own included. So, all of us know something about how painful it can be, none more so than divorced people themselves. In fact, this Fall we’re starting a new small group for people who are divorced or separated and in need of love and support from the church. But we all should as a community, be going out of our way to make sure that those who are divorced know that they are welcome to all aspects of our life together as a community, including communion. It’s a common misconception that divorced people can’t go to communion. They are as welcomed as everybody else.
[Moderator:] But what about divorced people who have remarried outside the Church. Can they go to communion?
[Priest:] It’s much more helpful to look at what the Church is for rather than what it’s against, and what the Church is promoting here is a respect for Jesus in the Eucharist. A lot of this comes from First Corinthians. Paul writes that “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will have to answer for” that. Paul is encouraging us to examine our hearts and lives before receiving communion. With respect to divorce and remarriage, the Church therefore invites people living together as man and wife who are not in a Christian marriage to take care of that first. And that’s something the Church is very willing to help with. Just ask a priest for help. But sadly, just the introduction of this topic itself can make people feel bad, sad, mad, awkward, and embarrassed. They can even be reduced to tears because they feel judged, excluded, and unwelcomed. One thing anyone can do anytime is come forward in the communion line and ask for a blessing. Just cross your arms like the Wakanda salute in that new movie, Black Panther, and the communion minister will give you a blessing. But at the end of the day, coming to communion is a matter of conscience. It’s between you and God. In the vast majority of cases, it’s not within my competence or authority to determine who can and cannot receive communion. So, the rule I generally have to operate under is that, if you present yourself for communion, I have to give it to you—no questions asked. Pope Francis has said that the Eucharist “is not a prize for perfect people.” It’s “medicine for the ailing and nourishment for the weak,” and given that understanding, all of us stand equally unworthy before it, equally in need of it.
[Priest:] First, I should say right up front that there are very few families who have not been touched by divorce, my own included. So, all of us know something about how painful it can be, none more so than divorced people themselves. In fact, this Fall we’re starting a new small group for people who are divorced or separated and in need of love and support from the church. But we all should as a community, be going out of our way to make sure that those who are divorced know that they are welcome to all aspects of our life together as a community, including communion. It’s a common misconception that divorced people can’t go to communion. They are as welcomed as everybody else.
[Moderator:] But what about divorced people who have remarried outside the Church. Can they go to communion?
[Priest:] It’s much more helpful to look at what the Church is for rather than what it’s against, and what the Church is promoting here is a respect for Jesus in the Eucharist. A lot of this comes from First Corinthians. Paul writes that “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will have to answer for” that. Paul is encouraging us to examine our hearts and lives before receiving communion. With respect to divorce and remarriage, the Church therefore invites people living together as man and wife who are not in a Christian marriage to take care of that first. And that’s something the Church is very willing to help with. Just ask a priest for help. But sadly, just the introduction of this topic itself can make people feel bad, sad, mad, awkward, and embarrassed. They can even be reduced to tears because they feel judged, excluded, and unwelcomed. One thing anyone can do anytime is come forward in the communion line and ask for a blessing. Just cross your arms like the Wakanda salute in that new movie, Black Panther, and the communion minister will give you a blessing. But at the end of the day, coming to communion is a matter of conscience. It’s between you and God. In the vast majority of cases, it’s not within my competence or authority to determine who can and cannot receive communion. So, the rule I generally have to operate under is that, if you present yourself for communion, I have to give it to you—no questions asked. Pope Francis has said that the Eucharist “is not a prize for perfect people.” It’s “medicine for the ailing and nourishment for the weak,” and given that understanding, all of us stand equally unworthy before it, equally in need of it.
Question #8: What Is The Church's Stance On Abortion?
[Moderator:] Hi there and thanks for being with us this morning/evening. My name is ______________. [A few words about yourself]. I’ll be the moderator for this week’s session of our message series. We keep getting great questions about our Catholic faith. So let’s just dive right in with our first question. And this is a really tough one: Why does the Church not support a woman’s right to choose an abortion?
[Priest:] Well, you’re right. That really is a tough question, but one that the Church is very clear on. First, I should say that the “right to choose” is a recent development in civil law. It’s important to understand that the right to choose women now have in this country is a political right under law enacted by human institutions. But it’s not a moral right. In the Church’s view, the direct taking of innocent human life is an act of injustice. Modern genetic science gives clear confirmation that the embryo is a human individual because it has a completely unique genetic code of its own. From the first instant, it is programmed for the adventure of human life. And if the embryo is a human individual, how could it not also be a human person? It could never be made human along the way, if it were not already human from the first moment of its existence. The first right of every human person is his or her life, which is sacred. If life is sacred, it must be protected. If it must be protected, it must be protected at all stages of development.
[Moderator:] Some of the questions we received asked about exceptions to the Church’s pro-life stance. Is an abortion allowed in some circumstances?
[Priest:] Well, there does seem to be exceptions to every rule, but not in this case, because we’re dealing with innocent human life, which is a precious and unique gift from God and which only God can revoke. Because of that, it’s not like you can balance the protection of human life against some other good or necessary thing or weigh the costs against the benefits. Preserving human life trumps every other concern.
[Moderator:] But what about the negative consequences of criminalizing abortion. Doesn’t that force women to turn to more dangerous options?
[Priest:] When abortion was illegal in this country, many women out of desperation would use measures that were very risky and often would result in tragedy. And no one wants that. In fact, many Catholics who would never procure an abortion themselves support its legalization for just that reason. Along the same lines, some Catholics don’t believe they should be telling other people what to do. I was one of those Catholics a long time ago. Who was I to stop someone from doing what they thought was right? After all, it’s their decision and how could I in good conscience interfere? But then one day it hit me: this is a human life we’re talking about. While all of us want to protect young women, allowing abortion is not the moral or even best way of doing so. It’s true that mothers with an unplanned pregnancy often feel a significant amount of stress, fear, grief, and worry, and they don’t know where to turn. It’s something that I, as a man, could never fully understand. In many cases the father is out of the picture or unwilling to help, and the mother is faced with making decisions on her own, a clearly unjust situation. In some cases, she has been the victim of an attack herself. But there are options for women in these situations. There are more than a thousand pregnancy help centers across the nation that connect mothers with resources that can help, and many Catholic parishes have a ministry called the Gabriel Project that provides financial, spiritual, and emotional support for women during and after their pregnancy. Adoption of course is another option, and it allows a family who perhaps could not have children of their own the opportunity to provide a child with a loving home and family. None of these options is easy, and I don’t profess them to be. Even as we work to end abortion, we also have a serious duty to offer real help to pregnant women and to strengthen laws that will hold fathers responsible.
[Moderator:] We got one question from a woman who asked whether God would forgive her for getting an abortion. Here’s what she writes: “It’s been 34 years, and I haven’t confessed to a priest. I bow my head confessing this every day and at every Mass. When will I know?”
[Priest:] Many women do feel remorse and regret for a long time. The feelings often become more severe after having other children and starting a family. There’s a deep sense of loss and sorrow over what could have been. But the truth is that our God is both merciful and compassionate and will forgive any sin, no matter how serious. And the woman who asked this question will know without a shadow of a doubt that she is forgiven once she hears the words of absolution in confession. They are just that powerful.
[Priest:] Well, you’re right. That really is a tough question, but one that the Church is very clear on. First, I should say that the “right to choose” is a recent development in civil law. It’s important to understand that the right to choose women now have in this country is a political right under law enacted by human institutions. But it’s not a moral right. In the Church’s view, the direct taking of innocent human life is an act of injustice. Modern genetic science gives clear confirmation that the embryo is a human individual because it has a completely unique genetic code of its own. From the first instant, it is programmed for the adventure of human life. And if the embryo is a human individual, how could it not also be a human person? It could never be made human along the way, if it were not already human from the first moment of its existence. The first right of every human person is his or her life, which is sacred. If life is sacred, it must be protected. If it must be protected, it must be protected at all stages of development.
[Moderator:] Some of the questions we received asked about exceptions to the Church’s pro-life stance. Is an abortion allowed in some circumstances?
[Priest:] Well, there does seem to be exceptions to every rule, but not in this case, because we’re dealing with innocent human life, which is a precious and unique gift from God and which only God can revoke. Because of that, it’s not like you can balance the protection of human life against some other good or necessary thing or weigh the costs against the benefits. Preserving human life trumps every other concern.
[Moderator:] But what about the negative consequences of criminalizing abortion. Doesn’t that force women to turn to more dangerous options?
[Priest:] When abortion was illegal in this country, many women out of desperation would use measures that were very risky and often would result in tragedy. And no one wants that. In fact, many Catholics who would never procure an abortion themselves support its legalization for just that reason. Along the same lines, some Catholics don’t believe they should be telling other people what to do. I was one of those Catholics a long time ago. Who was I to stop someone from doing what they thought was right? After all, it’s their decision and how could I in good conscience interfere? But then one day it hit me: this is a human life we’re talking about. While all of us want to protect young women, allowing abortion is not the moral or even best way of doing so. It’s true that mothers with an unplanned pregnancy often feel a significant amount of stress, fear, grief, and worry, and they don’t know where to turn. It’s something that I, as a man, could never fully understand. In many cases the father is out of the picture or unwilling to help, and the mother is faced with making decisions on her own, a clearly unjust situation. In some cases, she has been the victim of an attack herself. But there are options for women in these situations. There are more than a thousand pregnancy help centers across the nation that connect mothers with resources that can help, and many Catholic parishes have a ministry called the Gabriel Project that provides financial, spiritual, and emotional support for women during and after their pregnancy. Adoption of course is another option, and it allows a family who perhaps could not have children of their own the opportunity to provide a child with a loving home and family. None of these options is easy, and I don’t profess them to be. Even as we work to end abortion, we also have a serious duty to offer real help to pregnant women and to strengthen laws that will hold fathers responsible.
[Moderator:] We got one question from a woman who asked whether God would forgive her for getting an abortion. Here’s what she writes: “It’s been 34 years, and I haven’t confessed to a priest. I bow my head confessing this every day and at every Mass. When will I know?”
[Priest:] Many women do feel remorse and regret for a long time. The feelings often become more severe after having other children and starting a family. There’s a deep sense of loss and sorrow over what could have been. But the truth is that our God is both merciful and compassionate and will forgive any sin, no matter how serious. And the woman who asked this question will know without a shadow of a doubt that she is forgiven once she hears the words of absolution in confession. They are just that powerful.
Question #9: Do Guardian Angels Exist And Should You Name Yours?
[Moderator:] Okay, we need to move on to some other questions. Here’s a fun one: Do guardian angels really exist and, if so, what do they do for us?
[Priest:] Yes! Angels absolutely exist, and they are a truth of our faith. Angels are spiritual beings created by God without bodies but with intelligence and free will. Angels have been around since the world began, and their purpose is to help God in accomplishing his divine plan. Catholics also believe that “beside each believer stands a [guardian] angel as protector and shepherd.” Psalm 90 says, for instance, that God “shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” In Matthew 18, Jesus said that his disciples have “angels in heaven.” You can also find evidence of guardian angels in the Books of Tobit and Daniel in the Old Testament, and many of the early Church Fathers spoke about guardian angels. If you think about it, the constant presence of a being who loves you, cares for you, and guides you is a beautiful idea. If you didn’t know, you can call upon your guardian angel for help and even ask for obstacles to be put in your way if you’re about to make a mistake that would not be good for you. They can’t take away your free will, but they can try to gently bump you in the right direction.
[Moderator:] Should you name your guardian angel?
[Priest:] Some people have said that you should, but actually the Church frowns on it. A document called the Directory of Popular Piety & Liturgy says that we should love and be grateful for our guardian angels because they give us serenity and confidence in facing difficult situations, but we should not name them. One reason is that naming something implies authority, and we don’t have authority over our guardian angels. Another reason is that you might give your angel the wrong name and unknowingly call upon some other, less benevolent spiritual being, like a fallen angel, that you definitely don’t want hanging around you.
[Priest:] Yes! Angels absolutely exist, and they are a truth of our faith. Angels are spiritual beings created by God without bodies but with intelligence and free will. Angels have been around since the world began, and their purpose is to help God in accomplishing his divine plan. Catholics also believe that “beside each believer stands a [guardian] angel as protector and shepherd.” Psalm 90 says, for instance, that God “shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” In Matthew 18, Jesus said that his disciples have “angels in heaven.” You can also find evidence of guardian angels in the Books of Tobit and Daniel in the Old Testament, and many of the early Church Fathers spoke about guardian angels. If you think about it, the constant presence of a being who loves you, cares for you, and guides you is a beautiful idea. If you didn’t know, you can call upon your guardian angel for help and even ask for obstacles to be put in your way if you’re about to make a mistake that would not be good for you. They can’t take away your free will, but they can try to gently bump you in the right direction.
[Moderator:] Should you name your guardian angel?
[Priest:] Some people have said that you should, but actually the Church frowns on it. A document called the Directory of Popular Piety & Liturgy says that we should love and be grateful for our guardian angels because they give us serenity and confidence in facing difficult situations, but we should not name them. One reason is that naming something implies authority, and we don’t have authority over our guardian angels. Another reason is that you might give your angel the wrong name and unknowingly call upon some other, less benevolent spiritual being, like a fallen angel, that you definitely don’t want hanging around you.
Question #10: How Do Catholics Interpret The Bible?
[Moderator:] Here’s a question we got about the Bible: How do Catholics interpret the Bible and is the Old Testament still valid?
[Priest:] We believe that God is the primary author of scripture, but that doesn’t mean the Bible fell from the sky. God acted in and through people throughout history to compose the Word of God. So, really, God and human beings are co-authors of the Bible. Now, Catholics don’t believe that every word in the Bible is literally true. Rather, we believe scripture is infallible and free from error only with respect to what is essential for our salvation. The Bible contains many different kinds of literature: history, poetry, stories, and parables, and not every part of the Bible must be taken literally. That’s particularly true for passages that relate to science. An old saying is that the Bible tells us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go. As for the Old Testament, the Church settled that issue long ago, when it rejected an early heresy called Marcionism that came up about a hundred years after Christ. That heresy claimed that the books of the Old Testament should be ignored. But they contain the rich history of God’s people and the beginning of salvation history. In fact, Christ and our own salvation as Christians are beautifully prefigured in the stories of the Old Testament.
[Priest:] We believe that God is the primary author of scripture, but that doesn’t mean the Bible fell from the sky. God acted in and through people throughout history to compose the Word of God. So, really, God and human beings are co-authors of the Bible. Now, Catholics don’t believe that every word in the Bible is literally true. Rather, we believe scripture is infallible and free from error only with respect to what is essential for our salvation. The Bible contains many different kinds of literature: history, poetry, stories, and parables, and not every part of the Bible must be taken literally. That’s particularly true for passages that relate to science. An old saying is that the Bible tells us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go. As for the Old Testament, the Church settled that issue long ago, when it rejected an early heresy called Marcionism that came up about a hundred years after Christ. That heresy claimed that the books of the Old Testament should be ignored. But they contain the rich history of God’s people and the beginning of salvation history. In fact, Christ and our own salvation as Christians are beautifully prefigured in the stories of the Old Testament.
Question #11: Does The Church Have Any Moral Authority After The Scandals?
[Moderator:] Ok. One last question, and this one also is very difficult, but needs to be talked about: How can the Church claim to have any moral authority in the light of the recent scandals?
[Priest:] That is indeed a difficult but important question, one that a lot of people are asking themselves right now. As a priest, I share the humiliation, shame, anger, and frustration about everything that has come to light over the last few weeks. I spoke about it at all the Masses two weeks ago and at the back-to-school night when all the parents of our school children were present. We also posted a Parish Statement on our website. I think Bishop Robert Baron said it best in his recent Youtube video, Why Remain Catholic. He said, “we are not Catholics because of the moral excellence of our leaders. God help us if we were.” In fact, that’s been a problem since the very beginning of the Church. In the fourth century, a heresy called Donatism came up. The Donatists argued that Christian clergy must be without fault in order for their ministry to be effective and their prayers and sacraments to be valid. Saint Augustine and others argued rightly against that heresy. Could you imagine? You would never know whether the bread you received at Mass was really the Body of Christ or the words of absolution you heard really forgave your sins. You would always wonder whether the baptism of your child was valid. You could never truly feel at peace with Last Rites. Because you would never really know whether the priest giving you those sacraments was holy enough. God would never allow that. In the same way, the Holy Spirit ensures that, even though the Church is run by fallible, sinful, and sometimes downright morally reprehensible human beings, the teachings of Christ on faith and morals nonetheless, somehow will be preserved as absolutely true and worthy of belief.
The Church is a human institution. But even with the corruption, abuse, betrayal, and depravity of the humans within that institution, the Church will always remain at the same time a divine institution established by Jesus Christ. The proof of that, as Hillaire Beloc once wrote, is “found in the fact that no merely human institution conducted with such knavish imbecility would have lasted a fortnight.” As Bishop Baron said, “we’re Catholics because of Jesus Christ. We’re Catholics because of the love of God. We’re Catholics because of the sacraments. We’re Catholics especially because of the Eucharist. We’re Catholics because of the Blessed Mother. We’re Catholics because of the saints. Even as leaders in the Church fail morally, the Catholic Church remains the Mystical Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. And she’s worth fighting for.”
[Priest:] That is indeed a difficult but important question, one that a lot of people are asking themselves right now. As a priest, I share the humiliation, shame, anger, and frustration about everything that has come to light over the last few weeks. I spoke about it at all the Masses two weeks ago and at the back-to-school night when all the parents of our school children were present. We also posted a Parish Statement on our website. I think Bishop Robert Baron said it best in his recent Youtube video, Why Remain Catholic. He said, “we are not Catholics because of the moral excellence of our leaders. God help us if we were.” In fact, that’s been a problem since the very beginning of the Church. In the fourth century, a heresy called Donatism came up. The Donatists argued that Christian clergy must be without fault in order for their ministry to be effective and their prayers and sacraments to be valid. Saint Augustine and others argued rightly against that heresy. Could you imagine? You would never know whether the bread you received at Mass was really the Body of Christ or the words of absolution you heard really forgave your sins. You would always wonder whether the baptism of your child was valid. You could never truly feel at peace with Last Rites. Because you would never really know whether the priest giving you those sacraments was holy enough. God would never allow that. In the same way, the Holy Spirit ensures that, even though the Church is run by fallible, sinful, and sometimes downright morally reprehensible human beings, the teachings of Christ on faith and morals nonetheless, somehow will be preserved as absolutely true and worthy of belief.
The Church is a human institution. But even with the corruption, abuse, betrayal, and depravity of the humans within that institution, the Church will always remain at the same time a divine institution established by Jesus Christ. The proof of that, as Hillaire Beloc once wrote, is “found in the fact that no merely human institution conducted with such knavish imbecility would have lasted a fortnight.” As Bishop Baron said, “we’re Catholics because of Jesus Christ. We’re Catholics because of the love of God. We’re Catholics because of the sacraments. We’re Catholics especially because of the Eucharist. We’re Catholics because of the Blessed Mother. We’re Catholics because of the saints. Even as leaders in the Church fail morally, the Catholic Church remains the Mystical Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. And she’s worth fighting for.”
Question #12: What's The Deal With Predestination And Free Will?
Please click on the image below for answers about Free Will and Predestination.
Question #13: What Is Heaven Like And Will There Be Dogs There?
[Moderator] Hi there and thanks for being with us today. Welcome to the second week of our three-week message series that we’re calling, FAQ: Faith Answering Questions, where we’ll be answering your questions about the Catholic faith right here at Mass. My name is ______________. [A few words about yourself], and I’ll be the moderator for this week’s session of our message series. So, here’s a simple question to start us off: What is heaven like?
[Priest] Simple but not easy to answer because we don’t know a lot about heaven. A lot of the images we have of heaven simply are not in the Bible, and many of the images we do find in Scripture like gold-paved streets are probably not meant to be taken literally. But today is a great day to think about questions like that because today we celebrate the Ascension. After Jesus died and was raised from the dead, he walked on Earth with his disciples and gave them more instructions about what would come next. But then he gathered his apostles around him, the skies opened, and he ascended into heaven to be with God the Father for all eternity. And that’s really what heaven is all about. It’s about being with God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—forever. Seeing God face to face and being invited into the life of perfect love in the Trinity.
[Moderator] Great, but we got some questions about what the experience actually will be like in heaven. Will it be the “same” for everyone? Will there be a customized experience, so to speak, based on the lives we lived while on Earth? Will we be able to communicate with our relatives and friends who died before us and what will those relationships be like compared to other people in heaven at the time? And of course will there be dogs in heaven?
[Priest] All great questions! But unfortunately we really don’t know the answers. Scripture doesn’t tell us. Nor does the Church have a doctrine about that. But it stands to reason that, since people retain their individuality in heaven, somehow we will be with our loved ones and others we have known in our lifetimes. In fact, there are countless stories of credible near-death experiences, in which people who died for a time but later returned to life said that they saw visions of their loved ones welcoming them into the afterlife. But it’s hard to know specifically what form those relationships will take. Unfortunately, we’ll just have to wait and see. With respect to pets, the Bible does not say anything about an afterlife for animals, even those that we love dearly. And the Christian tradition seems to suggest that the answer may be “no.” While animals do have a life force, or spirit, they do not have a rational soul that is made in the image and likeness of God as we do, and only creatures with a rational soul are said to be saved. But that may not be the end of the story. See, when human beings fell from God’s grace as a result of sin (you know, like in the Adam and Eve allegorical story), it seems that all creation and all creatures somehow also fell. You can just look around and see how nature suffers so much as a result of our sin. Because of our disobedience to God, we somehow also cursed the entire Earth as well. But in Romans 8:21, Saint Paul says that, one day, all creation will “be set free . . . and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” So, just as the earth suffers as a result of humanity’s sin, so also will it be liberated because of our salvation. One day, all creation will be raised up to newness of life. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. But the best argument, I think, is just looking into the loving eyes of the animals you love, who make you feel loved and peaceful. That’s love and where there’s love, there’s God. [Gracie] So, as far as I’m concerned, all dogs do go to heaven. Not sure about cats, though!
[Priest] Simple but not easy to answer because we don’t know a lot about heaven. A lot of the images we have of heaven simply are not in the Bible, and many of the images we do find in Scripture like gold-paved streets are probably not meant to be taken literally. But today is a great day to think about questions like that because today we celebrate the Ascension. After Jesus died and was raised from the dead, he walked on Earth with his disciples and gave them more instructions about what would come next. But then he gathered his apostles around him, the skies opened, and he ascended into heaven to be with God the Father for all eternity. And that’s really what heaven is all about. It’s about being with God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—forever. Seeing God face to face and being invited into the life of perfect love in the Trinity.
[Moderator] Great, but we got some questions about what the experience actually will be like in heaven. Will it be the “same” for everyone? Will there be a customized experience, so to speak, based on the lives we lived while on Earth? Will we be able to communicate with our relatives and friends who died before us and what will those relationships be like compared to other people in heaven at the time? And of course will there be dogs in heaven?
[Priest] All great questions! But unfortunately we really don’t know the answers. Scripture doesn’t tell us. Nor does the Church have a doctrine about that. But it stands to reason that, since people retain their individuality in heaven, somehow we will be with our loved ones and others we have known in our lifetimes. In fact, there are countless stories of credible near-death experiences, in which people who died for a time but later returned to life said that they saw visions of their loved ones welcoming them into the afterlife. But it’s hard to know specifically what form those relationships will take. Unfortunately, we’ll just have to wait and see. With respect to pets, the Bible does not say anything about an afterlife for animals, even those that we love dearly. And the Christian tradition seems to suggest that the answer may be “no.” While animals do have a life force, or spirit, they do not have a rational soul that is made in the image and likeness of God as we do, and only creatures with a rational soul are said to be saved. But that may not be the end of the story. See, when human beings fell from God’s grace as a result of sin (you know, like in the Adam and Eve allegorical story), it seems that all creation and all creatures somehow also fell. You can just look around and see how nature suffers so much as a result of our sin. Because of our disobedience to God, we somehow also cursed the entire Earth as well. But in Romans 8:21, Saint Paul says that, one day, all creation will “be set free . . . and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” So, just as the earth suffers as a result of humanity’s sin, so also will it be liberated because of our salvation. One day, all creation will be raised up to newness of life. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. But the best argument, I think, is just looking into the loving eyes of the animals you love, who make you feel loved and peaceful. That’s love and where there’s love, there’s God. [Gracie] So, as far as I’m concerned, all dogs do go to heaven. Not sure about cats, though!
Question 14: Why Do Catholics "Pray" To Saints?
[Moderator] Speaking of people in heaven, we had a couple of question about saints. Why do we celebrate them and why do we pray to saints like Mary and others?
[Priest] Catholics are often criticized on this point. But it’s important to understand that saints really are just people who have died that now are with God and the other saints in heaven. In fact, everyone in heaven is considered a saint, but the Church has named about 10,000 people that we believe for sure are in heaven because their lives demonstrated heroic love of God and neighbor. These named saints are like the rock stars of the Church. We remember and celebrate them because they inspire us to be like them as faithful followers of Jesus. We don’t pray to saints in the same way as we do God. And we certainly don’t worship or adore them. But we respect and honor them for the contributions they made. When we say we “pray” to the saints, we mean that we ask them to pray for us, like we would “pray to” or ask a friend to pray for us. The difference is that the prayers of the saints are particularly powerful because they are so close to God.
[Priest] Catholics are often criticized on this point. But it’s important to understand that saints really are just people who have died that now are with God and the other saints in heaven. In fact, everyone in heaven is considered a saint, but the Church has named about 10,000 people that we believe for sure are in heaven because their lives demonstrated heroic love of God and neighbor. These named saints are like the rock stars of the Church. We remember and celebrate them because they inspire us to be like them as faithful followers of Jesus. We don’t pray to saints in the same way as we do God. And we certainly don’t worship or adore them. But we respect and honor them for the contributions they made. When we say we “pray” to the saints, we mean that we ask them to pray for us, like we would “pray to” or ask a friend to pray for us. The difference is that the prayers of the saints are particularly powerful because they are so close to God.
Question 15: What is the "Church" And Why Is It A "Movement," Not A Building?
[Moderator] Ok. Let’s change it up a little bit. We got some questions about the Church. Who started it and when was it built?
[Priest] Another interesting question that can be answered on many levels. Let’s take the easy one first. Our church was built in 1927. It was built by the Archdiocese of San Francisco because Saint Cecilia’s down the street was starting to get too crowded and people were moving into the neighborhood by the droves. So, Saint Brendan was built and later the two side aisles were added to accommodate a growing population of church goers. But that’s not really the best definition of church. As I’ve said many times before, Church is not a building, it’s a movement. It’s a movement started by Jesus Christ of people who are all moving in the same direction. And you know, just like today is a perfect time to think about heaven because Jesus ascended there, it’s also a good day to think about the church. Next week, on Pentecost, we celebrate the beginning of the Church, when the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples and they went out into the world with new enthusiasm, excitement, and passion to tell people about Jesus rising from the dead. But even in the readings this week, we can see the early stages of the church being formed by Jesus. Some time after his resurrection, Jesus gathered his disciples and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. He promised that they would receive power to go out and be witnesses of Jesus to the world. Kind of like when you open the box and arrange and lay out all the different parts and screws for a piece of IKEA furniture before you actually assemble it, Jesus is getting his disciples ready and moving them into place so that the movement of people led in his name throughout history that we call the Church could get started.
[Moderator] Okay, so, church is actually a movement of people, but what does that really mean?
[Priest] One of the gospel stories is about Jesus taking his disciples just outside the city of Caesara Philippi and asking them who people were saying that he was. Peter answered immediately, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Because Peter got an A on the most important test of his life, Jesus said that he would build his “church” on that truth. But that word “church” is actually ekklesia in Greek, which just means an assembly of people called out for a specific purpose. Jesus was not talking about church as a specific place, but rather a gathering or a movement. Now, in the first few centuries of Christianity, gathering was difficult and dangerous because Christians were sometimes persecuted and arrested. But in the early fourth century, the Roman Emperor Constantine himself became a Christian. Imagine the shock waves that ran through the empire. After generations of failed attempts to stamp out this Jewish knockoff religion centered around a Galilean carpenter, the emperor himself had joint the cult. Unbelievable. Suddenly, it became fashionable to be Christian. Within a decade, the ekklesia ceased to be a movement. It was no longer an expanding group of people sharing a unique identity and purpose. It had become a religion marked by formal and hierarchical worship in specific locations called basilicas (which just meant public buildings). The Greek work ekklesia in the English Bible was substituted for the anglicized German word kirche, or church. The problem is that a kirche is a location. An ekklesia is a purposeful gathering of people. This change in vocabulary signaled a dramatic shift in emphasis and direction. The church was no longer a grassroots movement built upon the simple understanding of who Jesus is. The church became synonymous with a location. Now, whoever controlled the church building controlled the church and, of course, controlled the people. What began as a movement, dedicated to carrying the truth of Christ to every corner of the world, as Jesus himself commanded before he ascended into heaven, had become in its worst moments an insider-focused, hiearchical, ritualized institution that bore little resemblance to its origins. Today, we need to look around and ask ourselves: Are we moving or simply meeting? Are we making a measurable difference, or just conducting worship services? Are we organized around a mission to mobilize people for Jesus, or have we settled for the same old same old? If we’ve settled for kirche instead of ekklesia, that’s not what Jesus had in mind. It was his unique ekklesia that would take his message beyond the borders of Israel, into the surrounding regions, and to the ends of the earth.
[Moderator] So, how would you answer those questions for this parish of Saint Brendan?
[Priest] I think our parish more and more is becoming a people on the move for Christ. It’s slow going because none of us likes change. It’s easy to settle into a routine of just doing kirche and forgetting about the urgency of spreading the message and moving the movement forward. Over the last few days this week, our leadership team went on retreat. We spent two and a half long days figuring out ways to make church matter more. One of the things we did was to develop what’s called a vision statement. A vision statement is like a picture of what we as a parish could be and should be in the future and then rallies people around that preferred future. Vision is about the unique impact a parish like ours thinks it should have in the movement of Christ. I just want to read you the vision statement we developed after days of debate and discussion. I’m personally inspired by it and am so proud of our leadership in having the courage to forge a vision for our local movement of people. So, it is: “We strive to be a Catholic community that sparks curiosity in spiritual growth, especially among the unchurched. By creating a cozy, intimate, and safe environment, we hope to accompany people personally on the ongoing journey to discover and fulfill their God-given purpose.” You’ll notice that the words are action-oriented. They are movement words. Words like curiosity, growth, journey, discover, and fulfill. One of the questions we received was how we can get more people to church, to work for the poor, and to have faith in Jesus. Envisioning the church and our little parish as an expansive, ever-growing movement for Christ is the only way. If people catch the vision, they will want to join. And it is my deepest prayer that each one of us, in the words of Saint Paul in the second reading today, may receive a spirit of wisdom and enlightenment to know who Jesus really is, the “head over all things to the [ekklesia]” and that we all stand ready to be his witnesses, a people on the move for God.
[Priest] Another interesting question that can be answered on many levels. Let’s take the easy one first. Our church was built in 1927. It was built by the Archdiocese of San Francisco because Saint Cecilia’s down the street was starting to get too crowded and people were moving into the neighborhood by the droves. So, Saint Brendan was built and later the two side aisles were added to accommodate a growing population of church goers. But that’s not really the best definition of church. As I’ve said many times before, Church is not a building, it’s a movement. It’s a movement started by Jesus Christ of people who are all moving in the same direction. And you know, just like today is a perfect time to think about heaven because Jesus ascended there, it’s also a good day to think about the church. Next week, on Pentecost, we celebrate the beginning of the Church, when the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples and they went out into the world with new enthusiasm, excitement, and passion to tell people about Jesus rising from the dead. But even in the readings this week, we can see the early stages of the church being formed by Jesus. Some time after his resurrection, Jesus gathered his disciples and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. He promised that they would receive power to go out and be witnesses of Jesus to the world. Kind of like when you open the box and arrange and lay out all the different parts and screws for a piece of IKEA furniture before you actually assemble it, Jesus is getting his disciples ready and moving them into place so that the movement of people led in his name throughout history that we call the Church could get started.
[Moderator] Okay, so, church is actually a movement of people, but what does that really mean?
[Priest] One of the gospel stories is about Jesus taking his disciples just outside the city of Caesara Philippi and asking them who people were saying that he was. Peter answered immediately, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Because Peter got an A on the most important test of his life, Jesus said that he would build his “church” on that truth. But that word “church” is actually ekklesia in Greek, which just means an assembly of people called out for a specific purpose. Jesus was not talking about church as a specific place, but rather a gathering or a movement. Now, in the first few centuries of Christianity, gathering was difficult and dangerous because Christians were sometimes persecuted and arrested. But in the early fourth century, the Roman Emperor Constantine himself became a Christian. Imagine the shock waves that ran through the empire. After generations of failed attempts to stamp out this Jewish knockoff religion centered around a Galilean carpenter, the emperor himself had joint the cult. Unbelievable. Suddenly, it became fashionable to be Christian. Within a decade, the ekklesia ceased to be a movement. It was no longer an expanding group of people sharing a unique identity and purpose. It had become a religion marked by formal and hierarchical worship in specific locations called basilicas (which just meant public buildings). The Greek work ekklesia in the English Bible was substituted for the anglicized German word kirche, or church. The problem is that a kirche is a location. An ekklesia is a purposeful gathering of people. This change in vocabulary signaled a dramatic shift in emphasis and direction. The church was no longer a grassroots movement built upon the simple understanding of who Jesus is. The church became synonymous with a location. Now, whoever controlled the church building controlled the church and, of course, controlled the people. What began as a movement, dedicated to carrying the truth of Christ to every corner of the world, as Jesus himself commanded before he ascended into heaven, had become in its worst moments an insider-focused, hiearchical, ritualized institution that bore little resemblance to its origins. Today, we need to look around and ask ourselves: Are we moving or simply meeting? Are we making a measurable difference, or just conducting worship services? Are we organized around a mission to mobilize people for Jesus, or have we settled for the same old same old? If we’ve settled for kirche instead of ekklesia, that’s not what Jesus had in mind. It was his unique ekklesia that would take his message beyond the borders of Israel, into the surrounding regions, and to the ends of the earth.
[Moderator] So, how would you answer those questions for this parish of Saint Brendan?
[Priest] I think our parish more and more is becoming a people on the move for Christ. It’s slow going because none of us likes change. It’s easy to settle into a routine of just doing kirche and forgetting about the urgency of spreading the message and moving the movement forward. Over the last few days this week, our leadership team went on retreat. We spent two and a half long days figuring out ways to make church matter more. One of the things we did was to develop what’s called a vision statement. A vision statement is like a picture of what we as a parish could be and should be in the future and then rallies people around that preferred future. Vision is about the unique impact a parish like ours thinks it should have in the movement of Christ. I just want to read you the vision statement we developed after days of debate and discussion. I’m personally inspired by it and am so proud of our leadership in having the courage to forge a vision for our local movement of people. So, it is: “We strive to be a Catholic community that sparks curiosity in spiritual growth, especially among the unchurched. By creating a cozy, intimate, and safe environment, we hope to accompany people personally on the ongoing journey to discover and fulfill their God-given purpose.” You’ll notice that the words are action-oriented. They are movement words. Words like curiosity, growth, journey, discover, and fulfill. One of the questions we received was how we can get more people to church, to work for the poor, and to have faith in Jesus. Envisioning the church and our little parish as an expansive, ever-growing movement for Christ is the only way. If people catch the vision, they will want to join. And it is my deepest prayer that each one of us, in the words of Saint Paul in the second reading today, may receive a spirit of wisdom and enlightenment to know who Jesus really is, the “head over all things to the [ekklesia]” and that we all stand ready to be his witnesses, a people on the move for God.
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