Question: Why do we have sacraments? Answer: We have sacraments because God desires to transform us and bring about an encounter with His grace and life in a way that is considerate of how we learn, and communicate, and grow as human persons. I realize that’s somewhat of a mouthful, so let me unpack it a little. If God so desired, He could forgive our … Continue reading
Question: What happens when we receive the Eucharist? Answer: When we receive the Eucharist, we become tabernacles or vessels of the Lord. Jesus Christ truly resides within us – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Many amazing spiritual effects come from this experience: – we receive grace from God that forgives us of our venial (or “lesser”) sins and strengthens us to do what is right … Continue reading
Questions: How should I respond to someone who says that baptism is just a ritual, or merely symbolic? Answer: There are many Protestants who say this. According to them, salvation comes when you profess faith in Jesus Christ and hand your life over to Him. Baptism is simply a symbolic gesture that shows the faith community that you have repented and committed yourself to Christ. … Continue reading
Question: What is Eucharistic Adoration? Why is it important? Answer: Eucharistic adoration is when we spend time worshipping, adoring, and/or praying to our Lord as He is present in the Eucharist. During the Mass, we have the opportunity to worship our Lord, veiled as it were, under the species of bread and wine. You may have noticed that, after the priest consecrates the bread, transforming … Continue reading
Question: What did Jesus mean when he said that a couple could not get a divorce, “except in the case of unchastity” (Mt 5:32; 19:9)? Answer: This is a difficult passage at first, considering that the Church has always taught that a marriage entered into lawfully is indissoluble, or cannot be broken. But, we should not let difficult passages in Scripture sow doubt within us … Continue reading
Question: Where are deacons found in Scripture? Answer: First, it may be helpful to define what a deacon is. Scott Hahn’s Catholic Bible Dictionary defines a deacon as: “An ordained assistant to priests responsible for such ministerial duties as preaching, baptizing, witnessing marriages, distributing Communion, and presiding at funerals (but not saying the funeral Mass). In the modern Church there are two forms of the … Continue reading
Question: Isn’t the Catholic Church discriminating against people when it supports laws that ban same-sex marriage? Answer: I think there are two errors at the root of this question: 1.) All discrimination is wrong, and 2.) People have the right to enter into a same-sex marriage. I would like to address these errors in turn. Regarding the first error, people throw around the word “discrimination” … Continue reading