I know that masturbation is a sin, but my doctor asked me to have a semen analysis, which is an analysis of your sperm. However, the only way to do this is through ejaculation, which involves masturbation, and I know that masturbation is a sin. But since it's for medical purposes, not for my own pleasure, maybe that changes anything?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
I’m adoptig a cat and thinking of naming it Mary, as a reminder of our mother. Would this be blasphemous in any way. I was thinking to pray the rosary while holding or feeding Mary(the cat) in the morning, or to think Mary(our mother) will always be with me because the cat will be with me. I’m not fully confident but wanted to hear other perspectives.
Good morning!
So my husband is reading the Immitation of Christ and he likes to discuss passages that he has read with me and we end up having really good discussions about our faith and theology. However, I have an issue with this book and to me its just very... augustinian (i dont know how else to explain it). I haven't read it but from what we discuss it sounds like Thomas a Kempis is saying nothing of this world matters and to only focus and seek comfort in God.
I undestand that he wrote the book thinking of his monastic life and for his brothers. So how is a lay person supposed to interprate his teachings? Especially for a husband with a wife and newborn? Are we not supposed to enjoy those things that God has gifted us on earth?
This is the second Agustinian book he has read and he said that St.Augustin also wrote like this in his book. So is there a way to interpret these writtings through a lay person perspective? And are there other books you would recommend that have other points of view?
Thank you for your time,
If a person is validly baptized outside the Catholic Church, then receives their First Holy Communion as a child, but never completes their confirmation, are they technically Catholic? I know being baptized as a Catholic makes one Catholic and being confirmed is the completion of that. But what about for those who are baptized elsewhere but don’t complete their sacraments? Does recieving First Holy Communion confer union with the Catholic Church? Would they be considered a ”lapsed Catholic?”
How much time do you need to get ready for mass? I imagine you need to get the linen, candles, wine, water, communion wafer, chalice etc ready. In addition, you may need to get dressed.
Hello Fathers,
I was wondering:
What do priests say in Rome when praying for the Bishop during mass? In any other diocese they say "Leo our Pope, and [Robert] our bishop". If the bishop of Rome is the pope, is that prayer different?
Secondly, if a person were to hypothetically commit a great sin that only the pope could forgive (harming the pope, desecration of the Eucharist, etc.), what would be the practical process of earning forgiveness? I was discussing this question with my (new) wife. The only case I can think of is when John Paul II willingly forgave his assailant, but that seemed to be on the pope's own accord.
I know it sounds weird but I am genuinely curious.
Also I humbly apologize to the Mods of the sub for my constant question spam as I am known by my family to be overly inquisitive about things I am passionate about & am grateful such a sub exists for us AuDHD believers in Christ who can use it to avoid ridicule in a church for sounding stupid
Just curious as I found the making of the sacramental wine fascinating as there was a documentary I saw on youtube a while back
I remember reading online that for a marriage to take place it requires the permission of the pastor of the parish in whose territory the wedding happens. Now, I think my parish is actually designated as specifically a parish for people of Italian ethnicity (this is in the US). Would parishes like this still have territory?
And another thing, my city has about five different parishes, would my house generally be located in the territory of the church that is physically closest to me, or is it possible to have an area under the territory of one parish even though it's closer to another?
When I was younger I used to attend to Mass, got baptised, and made my first communion, not because I believed, but because it was the normal thing to do in my town. Eventually I stopped going to mass because my mother started to think it's a waste of time.
Now, after being atheist the mayor part of my life, I have found God and I will to join the catholic church. I would really love to start attending to Mass again and receive the sacraments.
The problem is that I don't know when Mass is in my town, I tried to go Sunday afternoon and found the church closed, then I tried going Sunday morning but it was also closed, so I asked someone when Mass is and they told me that it's usually Sunday morning but recently Mass was not being held. At first I thought it was because the priest was on vacation but a couple weeks have passed and its still the same, does anyone know what should i do?
Also, i don't know whats necessary to receive the sacraments, what do i have to do?
Im from a small town in Spain if it helps. Sorry for bad english.
This letter from Cardinal Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Disvipline of the Sacraments to the presidents of all conferences of bishops, includes:
The Greek translation of the Old Testament, the so-called Septuagint, dating back to the last centuries prior to the Christian era, had regularly rendered the Hebrew tetragrammaton with the Greek word Kyrios, which means “Lord.” Since the text of the Septuagint constituted the Bible of the first generation of Greek-speaking Christians, in which language all the books of the New Testament were also written, these Christians, too, from the beginning never pronounced the divine tetragrammaton. Something similar happened likewise for Latin-speaking Christians, whose literature began to emerge from the second century, as first the Vetus Latina and, later, the Vulgate of St. Jerome attest. In these translations, too, the tetragrammaton was regularly replaced with the Latin word Dominus, corresponding both to the Hebrew Adonai and to the Greek Kyrios. The same holds for the recent Neo-Vulgate which the Church employs in the liturgy.
This was brought to my attention recently during a discussion with a Jehovah Witness. The word "replaced" translates to "removed" in the minds of jw's. My jw friend missed or ignored the earlier word "rendered". I would like to lnow the Latin word that has been translated as "replaced". Latin is a far more precise language. The meaning of the English word "replaced" depends on context, etc. The meaning assumed by jw's reflects their accusation that the divine name has been removed from the Bible by the Catholic Church in the 4th century. The precise Latin word used in the original text, translated into English as "replaced" could add clarity for me to demonstrate in my response.
So ever since my (I think) second confession, I write my sins on the paper at home and when I come to the priest I give him the paper so he can read it.
I do that because Im really really shy and I barely talk to anyone except my close family and people around my age, especially when parents are around me, but now Im kinda starting to sometimes talk to others too, but still Im too shy to talk in a confession.
But I really want to have valid confessions. Does that mean my past confessions were invalid? The priests I confessed to accept it and dont say anything about it. But now Im scared it might not be real confession.
To clarify, I dont say the repentance out loud I just say it in my head.
Thanks in advance and God bless!
I went to Confession today and got an older Priest who likes to be very creative with the words of absolution, and never said "I absolve you" or "you're forgiven", just moved his hand in a blessing/cross style. I then confronted him gently, asked him to say the words, and he said "I did absolve you".
Is this invalid? I haven't been to Mass yet due to the weather, so when I go tonight, can I safely receive the Eucharist or should I abstain?
Hey Fathers, I’ve been pretty hung up with confession lately, I’m pretty involved in my Parish and (would like to think) I am friends with all three of our Priests, which in turn when it comes to confession makes me feel awkward confessing sins of a sexual nature whether it be lust, pornography, masturbation, etc.
I know and trust that Gods mercy is infinite, I just feel awkward going to confession week after week confessing the same thing. I feel more hung up on the awkwardness idea of it if that makes sense, as if the priests are silently judging at least in some capacity, given that they are still human.
Again a part of me just feels as if they are judging and it feels awkward, so I’m curious if any of you ever find yourselves feeling awkward around a penitent after confession if you know them well?
I have a flight to HK. Landing in HK around 6:30pm on a Sunday. I assume since I would go through customs, wait for my bag, etc that would surely take upwards of an hour. The day prior I would be in the air since 11:30am so no way to make it to the saturday vigil. I tried thinking of leaving on a Friday but the people at my job are so demanding that it’s basically impossible. Not sure what to do and do not want to miss the mass. Still trying to work out on flying out Friday but legitimately could get me fired.
Is it best to just cancel my trip altogether?
Today's a Saturday, and a holy day of obligation (the Assumption). I understand that one mass doesn't count for two obligations, so a Sat vigil doesn't cover both the Assumption and Sunday. I'm planning to go to Sunday morning mass tomorrow. But I went to a Saturday night mass today, and the readings were for Sunday, not the Assumption. So does that mean that the mass I just went to doesn't count for the Assumption obligation?
To be clear, I'm not worried I've sinned, because I fully intended to meet my obligations for both The Assumption and Sunday. I'm just curious about the technicality.
Praised be Jesus and Mary, good people,
I need some input. There is someone I like, and I used to pray the Rosary daily for that person's well-being (the Rosary of Liberation and the Divine Mercy Chaplet); however, I decided to let go of that person (to stop praying so I could get them completely out of my mind) and move on. Now, I find myself in a situation where I feel a need to pray for that person, and I don't know if this is just my subconscious playing tricks on me (trying to keep that person in my life in some way) or if it is truly from God.
Also, at no point did I ask God to change that person's feelings toward me or anything of the sort :)
Good morning Fathers.
I am starting OCIA in a few weeks.
I grew up the son of a Protestant pastor. And well aware of the spiritual warfare that will likely take place once I start OCIA. What are some bits of advice that y’all will have for me? My girlfriend is a cradle Catholic and also plans on reading the catechism along side me as I go through the class and share what we have discussed.
Also I have been wanting to read more from early church fathers. So far I have just read the First Apology of Justin Martyr from 155. What are some other readings that y’all recommended?