Husband, Traditions and Being Half a Catholic

[Smargydrecred]

I am trying to get the cheevo for having over 2mil 7 winning in game of life, however whenever i get a high figure i am targetted by every player to steal life cards, lawsuits, etc. and the last 2 times i have got over 2mil i still came second because another player finished about 10 gos after the rest of us.

Any tips?

 

[shipwrkd]

I am trying to get the cheevo for having over 2mil 7 winning in game of life, however whenever i get a high figure i am targetted by every player to steal life cards, lawsuits, etc. and the last 2 times i have got over 2mil i still came second because another player finished about 10 gos after the rest of us.

Any tips?

Yes…BE SURE YOUR PLAYING THE RIGHT GAME.

 

[PetiteFoi]

So I just started reading this book:

“Handbook for Today’s Catholic”

And I’m finding it very interesting, I’m learning so much that it’s kinda difficult to take it all in sometimes.
I also found this book at our local Christian bookstore:

“My first book of Saints”

And got it for my little girl. I don’t know the majority of the saints and their stories, so we’re enjoying discovering them together.

Also I was talking to my SIL about my new-found interest in Catholicism and she’s very interested in the rosary, so we had a good long chat about that.

Peace,

• PetiteFoi

 

[JRKH]

So I just started reading this book:

“Handbook for Today’s Catholic”

And I’m finding it very interesting, I’m learning so much that it’s kinda difficult to take it all in sometimes.
I also found this book at our local Christian bookstore:

“My first book of Saints”

And got it for my little girl. I don’t know the majority of the saints and their stories, so we’re enjoying discovering them together.

Also I was talking to my SIL about my new-found interest in Catholicism and she’s very interested in the rosary, so we had a good long chat about that.

Peace,

• PetiteFoi

Sounds like you are well on your way. :choocho:

Don’t be concerned that you can’t “take it all in” - the vast majority of Life long Catholics haven’t done that…even if they are fairly devout. We all continue to learn.

If you run across any questions - you know where to ask…

Peace
James

 

[PetiteFoi]

Sounds like you are well on your way. :choocho:

Don’t be concerned that you can’t “take it all in” - the vast majority of Life long Catholics haven’t done that…even if they are fairly devout. We all continue to learn.

If you run across any questions - you know where to ask…

Peace
James

Lol! I love that train smilie!

I also am excited that I found my patron saint, (or feel that I have).
Saint Anne, Mary’s mother.
I find her very reassuring, and she really speaks to where I am as a mother and wife.

Peace,

• PetiteFoi

 

[PetiteFoi]

Quick Question:

So I’m reading through the “Handbook for Today’s Catholic” and got to the part on Mary.
According to whats written here and backed by the Catechism, it says that Mary was:

• conceived exempt from original sin
• remained free from person sin during her life
• remained a perpetual virgin
• ascended into heaven.

The only difference between her and Christ is the fact that Christ was also fully God, while being a Man at the same time.
How did she remain a virgin when she had other children? Christ’s brothers?
Was her marriage with Joesph never consummated?
How did she live a literal “sin-free” life?

I find it really downplays the awe of Christ’s life, because she also did it all (excluding the death on the cross.)
I totally understand admiring her, even her position in the church as Mother; but to accept that she remained a sinless, virgin who ascended…that’s tough.

I was always under the impression that Mary was just a “servant”, literally a humble woman who was chosen by God.
Yet, her life points to her being already divine or like a demi-god.

It’s really hard to understand…

Peace,
PetiteFoi

 

[JRKH]

Quick Question:

So I’m reading through the “Handbook for Today’s Catholic” and got to the part on Mary.
According to whats written here and backed by the Catechism, it says that Mary was:

• conceived exempt from original sin
• remained free from person sin during her life
• remained a perpetual virgin
• ascended into heaven.

The only difference between her and Christ is the fact that Christ was also fully God, while being a Man at the same time.
How did she remain a virgin when she had other children? Christ’s brothers?
Was her marriage with Joesph never consummated?
How did she live a literal “sin-free” life?

I find it really downplays the awe of Christ’s life, because she also did it all (excluding the death on the cross.)
I totally understand admiring her, even her position in the church as Mother; but to accept that she remained a sinless, virgin who ascended…that’s tough.

I was always under the impression that Mary was just a “servant”, literally a humble woman who was chosen by God.
Yet, her life points to her being already divine or like a demi-god.

It’s really hard to understand…

Peace,
PetiteFoi

It is indeed rather hard to understand and in truth I don’t have a great grasp on many of these things but will offer what I have…Others no doubt will join in with more and better responses.

First - let me deal with the “perpetual virgin” issue because, to me this is the easiest one to understand and accept.
Yes there are those who are referred to as “Bothers” of Jesus, but in the language of the time, the same term could mean cousins or blood brothers. As an alternative to that, there is a tradition that says the Joseph had children by a previous marriage…that he was a widower when he married Mary.
More directly - whether they consummated the marriage…I ask people to read the pertinent portions of the Gospels - what did Joseph know and when did he know it?
Before He took Mary into his house, He was told in a dream that Mary had conceived “by the Holy Spirit”…This means he knew that Mary was carrying the “Son of the living God”. Which in a very real sense makes her "betrothed to the Holy Spirit of God. Shortly after the birth of Jesus, he is again visited by an angel and told to flee because Herod sought to kill the child. This would have only confirmed that the child was special…
Now we know that Joseph was a “righteous man”. Would a righteous man have sexual relations with a woman who was so obviously consecrated (betrothed) to God?
I am a man - and I can tell you that I would not even think about such a thing.

The matters of Mary remaining sinless has a lot to do with her being “full of Grace”. She is also called the new Ark of the Covenant - for she carried God in her womb. She needed to be perfectly pure in order to carry, birth, and raise the Son of God.

As to the issue o f these things somehow detracting from Christ. Far from it. In fact, it rather enhances the great glory of God and God’s Love for his children - us. All that Mary is, comes from God and all the honor that is given to Mary as this perfect example and first disciple - goes back to God.

Finally - the issues of the Assumption. I JUST read something on this that helped me a lot and it is soooo simple. There is not grave site for Mary. Now that might sound like not much…but we know where Jesus was buried. We know where Peter is buried, We know where some of the other Apostles are buried…surely the early Church would have made note of where the Mother of Jesus - the one all generations have called blessed - was buried. Yet there is no grave, no relics - nothing - nada…we actually have more on Jesus death and burial than on Mary (if you accept the Shroud of Turin and the face cloth kept at Oviedo, Spain).

I know I’ve only scratched the surface here, but I hope it helps a little.

Peace
James

 

[PetiteFoi]

It is indeed rather hard to understand and in truth I don’t have a great grasp on many of these things but will offer what I have…Others no doubt will join in with more and better responses.

First - let me deal with the “perpetual virgin” issue because, to me this is the easiest one to understand and accept.
Yes there are those who are referred to as “Bothers” of Jesus, but in the language of the time, the same term could mean cousins or blood brothers. As an alternative to that, there is a tradition that says the Joseph had children by a previous marriage…that he was a widower when he married Mary.
More directly - whether they consummated the marriage…I ask people to read the pertinent portions of the Gospels - what did Joseph know and when did he know it?
Before He took Mary into his house, He was told in a dream that Mary had conceived “by the Holy Spirit”…This means he knew that Mary was carrying the “Son of the living God”. Which in a very real sense makes her "betrothed to the Holy Spirit of God. Shortly after the birth of Jesus, he is again visited by an angel and told to flee because Herod sought to kill the child. This would have only confirmed that the child was special…
Now we know that Joseph was a “righteous man”. Would a righteous man have sexual relations with a woman who was so obviously consecrated (betrothed) to God?
I am a man - and I can tell you that I would not even think about such a thing.

I know I’ve only scratched the surface here, but I hope it helps a little.

Peace
James

So why have Mary married in the first place?
If she didn’t need Joseph to conceive (obviously), and they never had any sexual relations - why was Joseph there? And more importantly, what does that say about the covenant of marriage?
If Mary was only ever meant to be the Lords, why give her a husband, what role would he play?

I find it difficult to understand why God would have Mary marry in the first place, if she was never going to have any more children, and never have relations with her husband.
Sounds more like a Nun than a wife…

Peace,
_PetiteFoi

 

[SonCatcher]

So why have Mary married in the first place?
If she didn’t need Joseph to conceive (obviously), and they never had any sexual relations - why was Joseph there? And more importantly, what does that say about the covenant of marriage?
If Mary was only ever meant to be the Lords, why give her a husband, what role would he play?

I find it difficult to understand why God would have Mary marry in the first place, if she was never going to have any more children, and never have relations with her husband.
Sounds more like a Nun than a wife…

Peace,
_PetiteFoi

Women had no rights in that society. A man (father, husband or adult son) had to be her guardian or she would be vulnerable.

It doesn’t say anything about the covenant of marriage, except perhaps for affirming its indissolubility. The betrothal stage they were in at the time Jesus was conceived was not like the engagement period of today. The were already married legally (remember, it says Joseph wanted to divorce her when he found out about the pregnancy). The betrothal stage was to allow the couple to get to know each other before they started living together. Men and women at that time could only speak together if they were related (i.e. brother/sister, parent/child or husband/wife) so such a time was necessary to establish a family dynamic.

A continent marriage was not unheard of even at the time. The Essenes (the community that preserved the Dead Sea Scrolls) are thought to have practiced such marriage.

 

[ALLGIRLS]

A first century Jewish woman couldn’t have a child without a husband, she could have been stoned to death. Joseph was her and Jesus’s protector.

In Christ,
Ellen

 

[JRKH]

I can’t add anything to the above answers. The simplest ones are often the best.
God gave Mary to Joseph for protection.

For us Joseph serves as a model of submission, of duty, of chastity and obedience - all very great components of Love.

God is great - he thinks of everything…

Peace
James

 

[hydin]

Here is another Catholic Answers post that covers almost all of this using sources…and it is an easy read to.
catholic.com/tracts/mary-ever-virgin

This one covers the issue of Jesus having brothers… no word for cousins in Hebrew of the time or Aramaic. catholic.com/tracts/brethren-of-the-lord

Here is the part where the actual men claimed to be the sons of Mary - Jesus’ Mom are traced to other Marys…
Of the four “brethren” who are named in the Gospels, consider, for the sake of argument, only James. Similar reasoning can be used for the other three. We know that James the younger’s mother was named Mary. Look at the descriptions of the women standing beneath the cross: “among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matt. 27:56); “There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome” (Mark 15:40).

Then look at what John says: “But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). If we compare these parallel accounts of the scene of the crucifixion, we see that the mother of James and Joseph must be the wife of Clopas. So far, so good.

An argument against this, though, is that James is elsewhere (Matt. 10:3) described as the son of Alphaeus, which would mean this Mary, whoever she was, was the wife of both Clopas and Alphaeus. But Alphaeus and Clopas are the same person, since the Aramaic name for Alphaeus could be rendered in Greek either as Alphaeus or as Clopas. Another possibility is that Alphaeus took a Greek name similar to his Jewish name, the way that Saul took the name Paul.

So it’s probable that James the younger is the son of Mary and Clopas. The second-century historian Hegesippus explains that Clopas was the brother of Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus. James would thus be Joseph’s nephew and a cousin of Jesus, who was Joseph’s putative son.

 

[Michael1966]

Hi PetiteFoi

It’s a tricky situation.

I tend to think, where possible, a family should try to be together in one church community. The schisms in the Church have happened, and there is little most of us can do about it, outside of prayer. I trust, then, that God is understanding of these situations.

I love the liturgical seasons as well, but I think what trumps even that is the shared worship and thanksgiving (euchatisto) in a family, and the testament to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that such a shared worship gives in a family.

God bless you all, and I’ll keep you in prayer +

 

[PetiteFoi]

Hi PetiteFoi

It’s a tricky situation.

I tend to think, where possible, a family should try to be together in one church community. The schisms in the Church have happened, and there is little most of us can do about it, outside of prayer. I trust, then, that God is understanding of these situations.

I love the liturgical seasons as well, but I think what trumps even that is the shared worship and thanksgiving (euchatisto) in a family, and the testament to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that such a shared worship gives in a family.

God bless you all, and I’ll keep you in prayer +

Thank you! And I wholeheartedly agree. I want my whole family to worship together as well.

So my husband and I had a good discussion about our current (vineyard) church, and he’s so disillusioned with the church, and we both felt that the evangelical church just doesn’t have that “depth” we’re looking for.
I brought up again all the research I’ve been doing the Catholic church, and I decided to lay it on the table:

“What would you say, if I decided to start going to the Catholic church, to take our children and re-baptize our youngest (who was only dedicated) in the Catholic church? I wouldn’t have any expectations on you to convert, or do RCIA but I would want you to attend with us?”

He thought about it for a moment then said:

“Well, I’d have no issue with you going or our Children, and I think I’d be interested enough to go a few times with you…”

This is HUGE! He’s actually saying that he’d be happy with me reaffirming my Catholic faith, having our kids grow up in the church, AND consider it himself.

Maybe this disillusionment he’s been going through has made him more accepting of coming back to the true church and possibly converting??

I feel very encouraged.

We need to go to the Vineyard this sunday, as I’m on nursery duty, but next sunday there’s a local Catholic church I’d really like to visit.

I also want to start a novena to St. Anna for my husband - but I’m still not 100% sure of how to properly do a novena…
When should I start??

Peace,
~ PetiteFoi

 

[JRKH]

Thank you! And I wholeheartedly agree. I want my whole family to worship together as well.

So my husband and I had a good discussion about our current (vineyard) church, and he’s so disillusioned with the church, and we both felt that the evangelical church just doesn’t have that “depth” we’re looking for.
I brought up again all the research I’ve been doing the Catholic church, and I decided to lay it on the table:

“What would you say, if I decided to start going to the Catholic church, to take our children and re-baptize our youngest (who was only dedicated) in the Catholic church? I wouldn’t have any expectations on you to convert, or do RCIA but I would want you to attend with us?”

He thought about it for a moment then said:

“Well, I’d have no issue with you going or our Children, and I think I’d be interested enough to go a few times with you…”

This is HUGE! He’s actually saying that he’d be happy with me reaffirming my Catholic faith, having our kids grow up in the church, AND consider it himself.

Maybe this disillusionment he’s been going through has made him more accepting of coming back to the true church and possibly converting??

I feel very encouraged.

We need to go to the Vineyard this sunday, as I’m on nursery duty, but next sunday there’s a local Catholic church I’d really like to visit.

I also want to start a novena to St. Anna for my husband - but I’m still not 100% sure of how to properly do a novena…
When should I start??

Peace,
~ PetiteFoi

:extrahappy: :extrahappy:

Such great news…Praise be to God.

I don’t remember if you covered this…but has your husband ever been to mass?
If not it might be a good idea to maybe look up a short “guide” so that he can understand a bit better the what and why of things.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful news.

Peace
James

 

[PetiteFoi]

:extrahappy: :extrahappy:

Such great news…Praise be to God.

I don’t remember if you covered this…but has your husband ever been to mass?
If not it might be a good idea to maybe look up a short “guide” so that he can understand a bit better the what and why of things.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful news.

Peace
James

:hug3:
Thank you!

He has, but only midnight mass on Christmas eve. That’s a good idea to send him a guide, I’ll email him one this afternoon I think!

In other related news, I was reading on here about holy water/salt etc.
And I asked very generally how Hubby felt about them - again he really surprised me by saying that he has no issue with me bringing home/using Holy water/salt for protection and blessing.

…I honestly think he thought it was kinda cool.

Him: “Isn’t holy water what all the exorcists use to banish demons and things?”

Me: “…um, yes. They can be used during an exorcism, but I just wanted some to put on Eloise’s (daughters) head before she goes to sleep.”

Him: “Okay.”

I’m really amazed at how receptive he’s being! It’s fantastic!

Also, I could use some guidance:
I’m going to my first spoken rosary meeting on wed, and I don’t really what to do…
Do I just show up rosary in hand? Do we really all say it together out loud?
It’s before a weekday mass, and takes 30 minutes, so I guess we’ll be saying the whole rosary??
Like I said,
I’m just a little clueless!

Thanks!
~ PetiteFoi

 

[SonCatcher]

“What would you say, if I decided to start going to the Catholic church, to take our children and re-baptize our youngest (who was only dedicated) in the Catholic church? I wouldn’t have any expectations on you to convert, or do RCIA but I would want you to attend with us?”

He thought about it for a moment then said:

“Well, I’d have no issue with you going or our Children, and I think I’d be interested enough to go a few times with you…”

This is HUGE! He’s actually saying that he’d be happy with me reaffirming my Catholic faith, having our kids grow up in the church, AND consider it himself.

I also want to start a novena to St. Anna for my husband - but I’m still not 100% sure of how to properly do a novena…
When should I start??

Peace,
~ PetiteFoi

Wonderful! It’s definitely a start. Remember that your husband’s spiritual walk is God’s job and I’m sure you’ll be alright.

Regarding novenas, the most basic idea of a novena is that it consists of 9 days of prayer without break (that means you don’t miss a day, not that you do nothing else for 9 days). I am unfamiliar with that particular novena but it appears on EWTN. I think you recite the prayers at the top of the page (prayers with an ellipsis are not written out as you’re expected to know the rest) and then the concluding prayer under the day you are on.

You can start any time.

The idea of a novena, BTW, is from Acts. After the Apostles watched Jesus ascend into Heaven, they returned to Jerusalem and prayed until the Holy Spirit came upon them. That took 9 days and is accounted as the first and most important novena.

In other related news, I was reading on here about holy water/salt etc.
And I asked very generally how Hubby felt about them - again he really surprised me by saying that he has no issue with me bringing home/using Holy water/salt for protection and blessing.

…I honestly think he thought it was kinda cool.

Him: “Isn’t holy water what all the exorcists use to banish demons and things?”

Me: “…um, yes. They can be used during an exorcism, but I just wanted some to put on Eloise’s (daughters) head before she goes to sleep.”

Him: “Okay.”

I’m really amazed at how receptive he’s being! It’s fantastic!

Also, I could use some guidance:
I’m going to my first spoken rosary meeting on wed, and I don’t really what to do…
Do I just show up rosary in hand? Do we really all say it together out loud?
It’s before a weekday mass, and takes 30 minutes, so I guess we’ll be saying the whole rosary??
Like I said,
I’m just a little clueless!

Thanks!
~ PetiteFoi

Great that he is receptive to the use of sacramentals (not sacraments). I’ll pray for the Holy Spirit to guide him.

EWTN has the instructions for reciting the rosary, as well. If you’re in Quebec, you can find the French prayers (though not the instructions) on this page (scroll down until you find it).

If you can’t get a rosary before the meeting, go anyway. Usually someone has an extra. Make sure to ask someone to help you.

 

[JRKH]

:hug3:
Thank you!

He has, but only midnight mass on Christmas eve. That’s a good idea to send him a guide, I’ll email him one this afternoon I think!

In other related news, I was reading on here about holy water/salt etc.
And I asked very generally how Hubby felt about them - again he really surprised me by saying that he has no issue with me bringing home/using Holy water/salt for protection and blessing.

…I honestly think he thought it was kinda cool.

Him: “Isn’t holy water what all the exorcists use to banish demons and things?”

Me: “…um, yes. They can be used during an exorcism, but I just wanted some to put on Eloise’s (daughters) head before she goes to sleep.”

Him: “Okay.”

I’m really amazed at how receptive he’s being! It’s fantastic!

Sounds like this is going to turn into a wonderful journey of learning for the both of you.

Also, I could use some guidance:
I’m going to my first spoken rosary meeting on wed, and I don’t really what to do…
Do I just show up rosary in hand? Do we really all say it together out loud?
It’s before a weekday mass, and takes 30 minutes, so I guess we’ll be saying the whole rosary??
Like I said,
I’m just a little clueless!

Thanks!
~ PetiteFoi

Yup just show up with your rosary.
Normally there will a person who leads the prayers.
My suggestion would be to just show up - and maybe sit a little apart from the group and listen as they pray. This first time you can just pray along silently and get a feel for how the prayers flow.
you’ll pick it up in no time.

I’m assuming you already know how to pray the rosary by yourself…If not a quick google search will turn up many instructions.

Peace
James

 

[hydin]

Great news on your Husband! Make sure you tell him how much it means to you that he is open… and how it makes you feel… go deep on this thank you…

Praying is the right thing to do. I caught your statement that both of you thought your church did not go deep enough… That is what has led many a Protestant Pastor to the Catholic Faith… I have suggested a few books or videos for just this situation and that way they get the info directly and it takes you out of the fray while they work things over in their mind… He might even mention some of the things he finds to you.

Here is the first… and easy read by a radio talk show host (now) who was the pastor of a huge church. Mixes verses and Catholic Faith in with stories of searching. Fun read too. amazon.com/Confessions-Mega-Church-Pastor-Discovered/dp/0984131833

here is a part of one of his speeches… gives you a flavor…bing.com/videos/search?q=confessions+of+a+mega+church+pastor&view=detail&mid=2AC30DED0F7B2540760F2AC30DED0F7B2540760F&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR

video from Scott Hahn… very good… goes through the scripture that is throughout the Catholic Mass… youtube.com/watch?v=jKdaU0snPRY

amazing story of a another convert who brought 54 others from his church to the Catholic Faith. He started by doing research for a sermon series for his church… Alex Jones youtube.com/watch?v=vF6oqGekRy0
Here is another by Patrick Madrid. Short to the point… preview on Amazon… amazon.com/Where-That-Bible-Patrick-Madrid/dp/0879736933/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362504570&sr=1-1&keywords=patrick+madrid

scroll down a little (3rd section) to see the Mass and it’s biblical links It is amazing… catholic-resources.org/Bible/Biblical-Mass-Texts.htm Keeping you and your Husband in my prayers. One huge difference in the Catholic Mass is that the purpose is to Worship God. Some Churches (not saying yours) focus on making sure the attendees are comfortable and feel good about themselves so they come back. The Catholic Mass is so rich in meaning and history right back to Christ even a marginal Priest can’t take that away from us. Sometimes the teachings are “Hard” as the bible says. When Christ said you must eat His body (closer translation is gnaw) and drink His blood many left him. It is one of the few, if not the only time that he did not further explain what he meant. He even challenged his Apostles. He meant what he said. If he didn’t certainly he would have explained that is was to be only a “remembrance”, a symbol… He did not. This statement was in direct conflict with the Jewish Law at the time as well. Eternity is much longer than this short life. Christ in the Gospels only promises us “Peace” and nothing more. Very happy to see this progress. Gently keep the conversation going. Feed the curiosity your husband is showing. If he asks something either find the answer or tell him but couch it with " I was really surprised to find out how much of the Catholic Mass comes straight from the Bible… then if he is interested you can expand. You just may draw him in to searching with you. I have searched. Everything I have found backs up that the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded. The priest on the alter can trace his ordination directly to the Apostles, who were ordained by Jesus…No breaks. That is itself is amazing. I also believe that the Catholic Church must be the true Church and be guided by the Holy Spirit to have survived what it has… Other Churches split, disband or merge… Not the Catholic Church. Peace be with you!

 

[hydin]

Hope all is well. You are coming back at an exciting time. Not sure if you have been keeping up with the new Pope, Francis. He is so humble and a dramatic change in style than the previous Popes. Not that they were bad Popes. He is just a simple man and is continuing as Pope as much as possible (it appears from less than a week, if he is fighting traditions now there is more to come.) No radical changes in the Churches positions on items the press or non-Catholics would like to see. He is a Catholic (they seem to forget that). The one criticism against him is that he was involved in two fellow priests being handed over to the government. That has not been proven. In fact, he required the chaplain, who cerebrated Mass for the corrupt government, to call in sick the first Sunday the held the two priests. The replacement priest for their Mass that week… The Bishop, who is now Pope…people in positions of power do not need to be vocal or marching in the streets. The priests were released shortly after that Mass.

cool articles to get you up to speed… worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/13/17299920-meet-the-new-pope-francis-is-humble-leader-who-takes-the-bus-to-work?lite

todaynews.today.com/_news/2013/03/14/17309848-cardinal-dolan-pope-francis-greeted-us-like-brothers?lite

catholicreview.org/article/news/pope-francis-without-faith-in-christ-church-is-just-pitiful-ngo