VERY many questions I would like YOUR help with...

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midwest mom:
The one thing that made alot of sense to me was that the Catholic Church never changes. Protestant churches tend to change some things as Society changes. Such as politically correct Hymnals, gay clergy, etc. How can the words of Christ change with Society? It can’t.
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Not all Protestant churches change. I would NEVER attend a church service with a gay head of the church. I don’t support homosexuality, and neither does the church I belong to.

God’s Peace~
Lisa
 
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renee1258:
The Church says so. That’s Why. Small “t” tradition, it may change. But if was changed in today’s climate it would be the wrong reason. The same goes for women being priests. Women can never be a bishop though.
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Uh uh. Sorry. Women can never be priests, and this is doctrine. See Ordinatio Sacerdotalis.
  1. Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force.
Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32)*** I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.***
 
I was under the belief that women couldn’t be Bishop’s, because Christ only chose men to be his Apostles. I’ll check my sources. Please give me a day or two for a response.
 
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JesusFreak16:
Just a question, I am not trying to disprove, just understand. I have never confessed to anyone except for God. Do you believe that I have not received forgiveness even though I have asked for it?

God’s Peace~
Lisa
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Yes, you have, since you offered contrition. But even for non-Catholics, as much as possible, contrition should be perfect, i.e. we are sorry because we love God above all else, not because we fear hell or God’s just wrath.

And of course, contrition always involves a firm resolve not to commit that sin again.

For us Catholics, perfect contrition brings forgiveness of sin. But we consider it a great blessing to really have God’s ordained representative provide a visible sign of that forgiveness. And it helps us, because we truly face our sins and accuse ourselves of them, and it is very humbling, helping us in the road to true repentance. This is why scripture commands confession of sin. And the ministry of the Church completes what may yet be impure in our motives.

Another important possibility of Confession is the power to RETAIN sins, not just forgive, which is also a power Jesus gave the Apostles that night. The priest, should he see that the penitent is not truly sorry (e.g. making excuses, or doesn’t intend to amend his life), can retain the sin and refuse absolution. Here, the penitent gets a visible sign that he is NOT forgiven, which is true. He then can re-examine his conscience and find that resolve, but God is not mocked, and the power to retain sins makes this clear. True forgiveness requires resolve to not commit the sin again.

And Reconciliarion is a Sacrament, so it is truly an action of Christ working through his Church. As previous posters pointed out, it is the exercise of the ministry of reconciliation Christ entrusted his ministers, and an exercise of the God-breathed power to absolve or retain sins.

So for you, since you’re not Catholic, you cannot receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What you should do when you fall is beg God for forgiveness, because you love him above all things and that you are sorry for offending him just because of who he is.
 
Lisa,

Yes, your sins have been forgiven. But as someone who has done it both ways, (and continues to do it both ways) here is the difference. Sometimes when I am alone in my room and I confess my sins to God, those sins come back and bump me in the head. I know I am forgiven, but they still come back and bother me. I was always told while still in Protestant churches that this is just Satan trying to deceive me and think I have not been forgiven.

Now as a Catholic when I go to confession with a priest as we believe is described in :bible1: John 20:21-23, I never have those sins come back and bother me. I think this is the gift Christ was giving us through this Sacrament. God did not want us to be able to be deceived and harassed by Satan over our confessed sin. And when we confess our sins in the way Christ laid out in the Bible, Satan is no longer allowed to harrass us in that way.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria
 
I know I already listed the one for confession but here is a list of references on one post (they are from my protestant Max Lucado Inspirational Study Bible, NKJV):

**Confession **
:bible1: John 20:21-23 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

If you’ll notice, nowhere does it go and say go and teach forgiveness, but it says go and forgive.

:bible1: 1 John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that…

This relates to the Catholic concept of venial (sin not leading to death) and mortal (sin that leads to death). The Bible clearly shows that there are these two types of sin.

Purgatory
:bible1: Rev 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie,…

:bible1: Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord

:bible1: Mt 12:32…but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

There are some more verses on purgatory, but these are a good sampling. Here is an analogy: When we sin, it is like driving nails into wood. When we repent, God pulls out the nails, but the hole is still there. This is the damage sin causes our soul. Purgatory is where the holes are filled in and we are made perfectly Holy, and able to stand in His presence. Christ’s death forgave the sins, but purgatory cleans away the damage we did to ourselves by sinning.

This is very consistent with the views on Baptism. In Catholic theology, Baptism is not just a public declaration, it is an actual miracle where original sin is removed from the soul. I will try to come back later and give you verses from the Bible showing the regenerative aspect of Baptism according to Catholic interpretation if you want.

I hope this helps.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria
 
Hey I just wanted to say “thank you” for all of the respones that I have gotten. Special thanks to Pax, Martino, Maria G, and others who have included references in their posts.

God’s Peace~
Lisa

PS- The priest/confession and the priest/marriage things are more clear, but the others could still use as much as you all have got! Thanks! 👍
 
Hey sorry but I just thought of another question. It’s about baptism. When and why should baptism take place? What happens? (I think I know what you believe, but I want to be sure!)
Also, what happened with the selling of indulgences by the Catholic Church in the 1500’s-1600’s?

Thanks!
God’s Peace~
Lisa
 
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