Talking about Hell

[Deo_Gratias42]

I just think Constantine is trying to say that he prefers to get to heaven by thinking about heaven, which is obviously perfectly fine. I wish I could be so positive. However, I do think people need constant reminders about the other possibility.

We’re at the point with a lot of Catholics that they simply do not believe in sin, especially that they commit grievous sin (looks at the outrage caused by the revised translation over the Confiteor and, “I have grievously sinned” and the threefold mea culpa.) and are of the strong opinion that simply showing up to Mass on Sunday is all that’s needed. A lot of people need a good strong reminder that it’s not all sunshine and lollipops.

 

[zab]

I have been reading on St. Faustina and St. Teresa of Avila an their visions of Hell. I was just wondering how often in your parishes do you ever hear about Hell? I wa going to make this into a poll but I cnt figure out how to do it frm the iPhone

I know that I have heard “Hell” mentioned on several occassions. It is just that “Hell” is not the topic of his homilies.

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

I just think Constantine is trying to say that he prefers to get to heaven by thinking about heaven, which is obviously perfectly fine. I wish I could be so positive. However, I do think people need constant reminders about the other possibility.

Ah, ok. Thanks.
True, it’s perfectly fine for someone who understands the implications of sin.
I’m more apt to agree with you, though. The wolf among the sheep is always waiting for his chance.

 

[Padraig1972]

Pray, go to mass as often as possible, pray the rosary, be well to your next and let love for the Lord and your next be main focus in life.

But having that said: we need to realize that hell does excist, that evil does excist and that it uses many people every day to do as much damage as possible. Evil by nature can not or should not be taken lightly.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Of course. How is fire and brimstone, though not doctrinally sound, or is this what you’re trying to say?

What I was saying earlier about teaching us how to get to heaven. I may be wrong but our own bishop, I haven’t heard him talk about hell. Or at least dwell on it in a homily. But everything he teaches is sound teaching. Do good, love your neighbors, forgive those who offend you, etc. He even explains in great detail the feasts, like on Christmas he was addressing the issue that a lot of people today find it hard to believe what really happened 2000 years ago, affirming that the birth of Christ is a factual event. And our priest also discusses the special commemorations during Sundays. Being Ukrainian Catholic, we commemorate the Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils, so he gives us teachings on those Councils, what was taught, why there was a council, etc. I know its one thing not to believe in hell thinking that you’re not going there no matter what you do. But there is also the other thing that you don’t have to worry about getting lost if you know what the right path is.

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

I know its one thing not to believe in hell thinking that you’re not going there no matter what you do. But there is also the other thing that you don’t have to worry about getting lost if you know what the right path is.

That’s good. It’s good to teach on sin and the Church’s teaching on sin. Every priest should.

I think, though, that it goes along with the idea of free will that you should teach where you choose to go if you will not to be with God. Same as the demons chose.

I understand your argument, though.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I just think Constantine is trying to say that he prefers to get to heaven by thinking about heaven, which is obviously perfectly fine. I wish I could be so positive. However, I do think people need constant reminders about the other possibility.

Thank you. Yes, its just an extension of my earlier point that people today don’t even know what the right thing to do is. Its sad that the level of catechesis is so poor in the general population. I wish there are more priests who work hard to increase that level of catechesis even through their homilies.

 

[LovePatience]

Sometimes it is hard to believe in Hell. The most difficult part about believing in it is believing that people will be punished in proportion to what sins they committed for all eternity. The other challenge is wondering where exactly it is. In another dimension? What IS a soul anyways? Nothing is impossible for God, but it is hard to believe that we exist for all eternity in the first place or that for a God that rarely intervenes supernaturally in our world today, he would allow people to go to a world where the devil obviously and continuously punishes people supernaturally.

Something that helped me today was reading online about a Jewish person who travelled to present-day Sodom and Gomorrah. He didn’t get to see the salt statue of Lot’s wife. However, he did get to pick up sulfur!

Apparently, an asteroid hit Earth in the place of Sodom and Gomorrah. foxnews.com/story/0,2933,343674,00.html

Perhaps modern day evidence of the devil would also help make it easier to believe in Hell.

 

[Lamafacaja]

Sometimes it is hard to believe in Hell. The most difficult part about believing in it is believing that people will be punished in proportion to what sins they committed for all eternity.

Think of it in terms of being haunted by regrets. In other words, the worse one was here on earth, the greater one’s regret will be in hell.

 

[catholicgirl201]

Hell would only be talked about if it came up in the Gospel reading at Mass.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I have been reading on St. Faustina and St. Teresa of Avila an their visions of Hell. I was just wondering how often in your parishes do you ever hear about Hell?

Regularly. Our priests don’t spend time describing hell, but certainly talk about what behaviors can cause you to end up there and the desolation of being forever separated from God. We get plenty of encouragement to go to confession regularly also.

 

[Eric_Olsen]

you never hear about it in my parish. Very rarely do we have a priest who gives a homily on hot button issues and you know it is because the people in my parish start to huff and puff and shake their heads.

My sister, in her late 40’s doesn’t believe anyone goes to hell anymore. She believes God automatically forgives everybody when they die. I told her what she thought about Adolf Hitler and other mass murderers who denied God. She couldnt give me a straight answer.

The latest of Priests have avoided it in such a way that some people in my parish don’t even believe in Hell no more.

Don’t blame them though, blame the Devil for misleading them.