Some questions

[Templum]

Hi,

I am deepening my faith. I have some questions. If you have some answers that can enlighten me, please write back.

1-What does “infallible” mean? Popes like Pope Leo X were corrupt. I believe that there were 10 of them in the past, but most of them were not. If a pope is supposed to be “infallible”, why is it that there are some who were corrupt?

2-What does “virgin” mean? In the Scriptures, it is mentioned that Mary was a virgin before conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit. How can someone have a baby without any biological union with someone? What do Catholics believe?

3-We Catholics believe in sacred tradition. The words “sacred tradition” are mentioned here and there in the bible with words like “traditions” etc. I’m aware that Jesus left us things that were not fully explicit in the bible. However, what do we do today that shows Sacred Tradition? What practices do we have that show this? What is it concretely speaking?

Thanks,
Templum

 

[tee_eff_em]

Hi,

I am deepening my faith. I have some questions. If you have some answers that can enlighten me, please write back.

1-What does “infallible” mean? Popes like Pope Leo X were corrupt. I believe that there were 10 of them in the past, but most of them were not. If a pope is supposed to be “infallible”, why is it that there are some who were corrupt?

First I shall tell you what *infallible *does not mean. *Infallible *does not mean impeccable.

When we say the pope is *infallible *we mean that under specific conditions when the pope, or all the bishops in union with the pope, teaches on a matter of faith or morals, he will not commit error.

2-What does “virgin” mean? In the Scriptures, it is mentioned that Mary was a virgin before conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit. How can someone have a baby without any biological union with someone? What do Catholics believe?

Miraculously.
Catholics believe the virginal birth of Jesus was miraculous.

tee

 

[Cluny]

<<3-We Catholics believe in sacred tradition. The words “sacred tradition” are mentioned here and there in the bible with words like “traditions” etc. I’m aware that Jesus left us things that were not fully explicit in the bible. However, what do we do today that shows Sacred Tradition? What practices do we have that show this? What is it concretely speaking?>>

Number 1 and 2 have already been answered.

The various liturgical practices that are common in ALL the ancient liturgies, for example.

To mention a few things at random, all have anointing with the oil of Catechumens, all have a Eucharistic rite that divides into two parts: Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Table, all have a hierarchial ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons (even those churches that were separated from Rome by centuries and hundreds of miles), all have Sunday as the main day of worship, all have some form of the Divine Office.

Will these do for samples?

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Hi,

I am deepening my faith. I have some questions. If you have some answers that can enlighten me, please write back.

1-What does “infallible” mean? Popes like Pope Leo X were corrupt. I believe that there were 10 of them in the past, but most of them were not. If a pope is supposed to be “infallible”, why is it that there are some who were corrupt?
Infallibility means that the Holy Spirit protects the church by preventing the pope from proclaiming errors in matters of faith and morals when speaking “ex cathedra”. The Holy Spirit does this even when the pope is personally sinful. Fortunately, our recent popes have been good examples of what a faithful Christian should be. We have been blessed with good popes.

2-What does “virgin” mean? In the Scriptures, it is mentioned that Mary was a virgin before conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit. How can someone have a baby without any biological union with someone? What do Catholics believe?
“Virgin” means what we think it means. Mary asked the angel how she could bear a child since she did not ‘know man’ (meaning that she didn’t have biological union with a man). The angel told her that the Spirit of the Lord would overshadow her and that the child she would have would be the Son of God. This is all we have been told about how this could happen. We only know that God can do anything and that He did this. Also, Mary remained a virgin, even physically, after the birth of Jesus. This is official church teaching. And again, this was by God’s power.

3-We Catholics believe in sacred tradition. The words “sacred tradition” are mentioned here and there in the bible with words like “traditions” etc. I’m aware that Jesus left us things that were not fully explicit in the bible. However, what do we do today that shows Sacred Tradition? What practices do we have that show this? What is it concretely speaking?
Sacred Tradition was passed down from the apostles. Cluny gives good examples of some practices based on Tradition. As pope John Paul II stated, the fact that only men can be ordained as priests is also Tradition and is not just a disciplinary practice that can be changed.

Thanks,
Templum

 

[diggerdomer]

Hi,

I am deepening my faith. I have some questions. If you have some answers that can enlighten me, please write back.

1-What does “infallible” mean? Popes like Pope Leo X were corrupt. I believe that there were 10 of them in the past, but most of them were not. If a pope is supposed to be “infallible”, why is it that there are some who were corrupt?

2-What does “virgin” mean? In the Scriptures, it is mentioned that Mary was a virgin before conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit. How can someone have a baby without any biological union with someone? What do Catholics believe?

3-We Catholics believe in sacred tradition. The words “sacred tradition” are mentioned here and there in the bible with words like “traditions” etc. I’m aware that Jesus left us things that were not fully explicit in the bible. However, what do we do today that shows Sacred Tradition? What practices do we have that show this? What is it concretely speaking?

Thanks,
Templum

1. Infallible: The Church has the charism from God of teaching infallibly (i.e. without error) under specific limited conditions.
2. Virgin means not having had intercourse.
3. Tradition is contained in the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium

 

[Templum]

Hi,

I want to thank you all for your replies. They were very useful.

Templum