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darb85
Guest
Sorry for all the questions but what exactly is an apologist, and what is thier purpose in the church?
Thanks For your Help
Brad Waddell
Thanks For your Help
Brad Waddell
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IPTgrad
Guest
Wow! You are really being stirred with questions right now. Praise God!
My advice is to go into a Catholic Church. Sit still for about 10 or 15 minutes. Relax. Ask God to direct you.
Your questions cannot all be asnwered at once. The movement of the Holy Spirit to ask questions is very powerful & beautiful. Keep asking & allow time to digest the answers. I also suggest: 1. Get a good book about Catholicism (I also Like “Catholicism for Dummies” by Father Trigilio), 2. keep asking questions here, 3. spend some time each day in prayer & reading Scripture (the readings we use each day in the Church can be found here: nccbuscc.org/nab/today.htm )
I’m already enjoying your journey with you. You are in my prayers.
My advice is to go into a Catholic Church. Sit still for about 10 or 15 minutes. Relax. Ask God to direct you.
Your questions cannot all be asnwered at once. The movement of the Holy Spirit to ask questions is very powerful & beautiful. Keep asking & allow time to digest the answers. I also suggest: 1. Get a good book about Catholicism (I also Like “Catholicism for Dummies” by Father Trigilio), 2. keep asking questions here, 3. spend some time each day in prayer & reading Scripture (the readings we use each day in the Church can be found here: nccbuscc.org/nab/today.htm )
I’m already enjoying your journey with you. You are in my prayers.
S
Scott_Waddell
Guest
An apologist is simply a defender of something using rational argument. You can be an apologist for anything, not just Catholicism. (For instance, I am an apologist for progressive rock
).Scripture says that all Christians are called to give a defense of their faith. (I don’t know the passage…somewhere in the back.
) So everyone is an apologist in a broad sense.Of course what we are generally referring to is people (lay or ordained) who make apologetics a serious area of study.
Scott
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auroraj42
Guest
Hi! I can’t answer all of your questions, as I’m still learning a lot myself. I’m starting RCIA and my conversion to Catholicism.
My husband is Catholic, I was raised Methodist, we got married. We are working on getting our marriage blessed, I believe the rite involved is called convalidation. Once we have had that rite performed our marriage will be accepted by the Church.
As for level of involvement, I know that there are Days of Obligation. When you are obligated to attend services, but I’m still not sure when they all are…or what else I’m obligated to do those days, I’m hoping RCIA will help clear up some of those questions. Besides that, I think most parishes ask that you participate in what you can. I haven’t felt forced to participate in anything that I couldn’t or didn’t feel comfortable with.
I did overhear the couple behind us ask why we didn’t go up for the Eucharist one Sunday (we remained praying in our pew). That was a little akward, but nothing to feel too uncomfortable about.
You are a very special guy to want to learn about your girlfriends faith and to put so much effort into it!
Jamie
My husband is Catholic, I was raised Methodist, we got married. We are working on getting our marriage blessed, I believe the rite involved is called convalidation. Once we have had that rite performed our marriage will be accepted by the Church.
As for level of involvement, I know that there are Days of Obligation. When you are obligated to attend services, but I’m still not sure when they all are…or what else I’m obligated to do those days, I’m hoping RCIA will help clear up some of those questions. Besides that, I think most parishes ask that you participate in what you can. I haven’t felt forced to participate in anything that I couldn’t or didn’t feel comfortable with.
I did overhear the couple behind us ask why we didn’t go up for the Eucharist one Sunday (we remained praying in our pew). That was a little akward, but nothing to feel too uncomfortable about.
You are a very special guy to want to learn about your girlfriends faith and to put so much effort into it!
Jamie
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Faustina
Guest
As far as divorce and the Catholic Church…
Marriage is a sacrament in the Church. When the priest says, “What God has brought together, let no man put asunder”
that is forever. Now that being said, here is what I know from personal experience:
Before I became Catholic, I was Methodist. I was married before I became Catholic. Divorced for several years, met my husband and then we married outside the Church. (I still am not Catholic at this point). When I decide to join RCIA, the first night I talked to the priest about the marriage situation, because I knew I would need an annulment, but I was sure how to get one. I got the annulment 10 months later, my husband were married in the Church and then I was received into the Church.
If you are married in the Church, and for whatever reason you divorce, the divorce person can still receive Eurcharist as long as they have not remarried, shacked up with anyone or any other time of continuing mortal sin. If a person is divorced and then remarries, the couple is living in a state of adultery. This is stated in Matthew, by Jesus. Therefore that couple are not in a state of grace and cannot receive Eurcharist. This is why I had gotten an annullment, which shows the Church recognizes that while I was married before, it was not a sacramental marriage and therefore invalid. This is why my husband and I were married before I was received into the Church, so thay we would be in a state of grace and be able to receive Eurcharist.
I hope this makes sense.
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darb85
Guest
I want to thank everyone for thier help if i have more questions i will be sure to come here to ask them. I have made an appointment with a lokal minister and we will go from there
Again thank you very much for your help and your non judgement way of teaching
Thanks For everthing
BRad Waddell
Again thank you very much for your help and your non judgement way of teaching
Thanks For everthing
BRad Waddell
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Catholicforlife
Guest
I just wanted to add that I applaud you for wanting to know more about the faith of your girlfriend. Are you near her parish or no (since you are in college, wasn’t sure of logistics). I would encourage you to go to her parish and speak with her priest. Who knows, he may be the one to marry you one day 
I married a non Catholic. In order for me to remain in my faith, we married in a Catholic church. If a Catholic marries outside of the church without permission, they may not receive the Eucharist (very big deal to a Catholic). I told my husband that it was non negotiable, we had to marry in a Catholic church. IT meant the world to me. I had received Baptism, Holy Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation in that church. There was no way I could enter into the sacrament of marriage anywhere else. He was totally ok with that. The Catholic church teaches (and rightfully so) against using birth control. She teaches that we should use natural family planning. There are many reasons for this, it is biblical and if you are interested I will go into detail.
You will find, unfortunately, that there are many who claim to be Catholic yet do not follow the teachings or know the teachings. When my husband decided to convert, I learned a lot too! It has been a blessing for us to be united in our faith and raising our children in that same faith. Marriage is between you, your spouse, and God. Without Him, it just doesn’t work.
May God bless you on your journey and wish you much happiness in the future.
D
I married a non Catholic. In order for me to remain in my faith, we married in a Catholic church. If a Catholic marries outside of the church without permission, they may not receive the Eucharist (very big deal to a Catholic). I told my husband that it was non negotiable, we had to marry in a Catholic church. IT meant the world to me. I had received Baptism, Holy Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation in that church. There was no way I could enter into the sacrament of marriage anywhere else. He was totally ok with that. The Catholic church teaches (and rightfully so) against using birth control. She teaches that we should use natural family planning. There are many reasons for this, it is biblical and if you are interested I will go into detail.
You will find, unfortunately, that there are many who claim to be Catholic yet do not follow the teachings or know the teachings. When my husband decided to convert, I learned a lot too! It has been a blessing for us to be united in our faith and raising our children in that same faith. Marriage is between you, your spouse, and God. Without Him, it just doesn’t work.
May God bless you on your journey and wish you much happiness in the future.
D
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mercygate
Guest
Brad,
In our culture the Catholic teaching on the regulation of births is one of the most puzzling things about us. People just stare and think, “What’s wrong with that Pope? He needs to get with it and come to terms with the real world?”
But – and it’s a HUGE “but” – once you approach the issue with a heart for God, the whole issue changes right before your eyes. You begin to view your body, your sexuality, your life, and the lives of everybody else as part of the great divine mystery of God’s creation. The “difficulties” of living in chastity – that is, in continence if you are single and in openness to life in marriage (yes, there is a “legal” way of spacing children) are trivial compared to the rewards. God will not be outdone in generosity (Catholics say that a lot), and this is the place where he boggles the imagination with his “givingness.” Noody says this is easy, but MAN! is it ever WORTH it!
In our culture the Catholic teaching on the regulation of births is one of the most puzzling things about us. People just stare and think, “What’s wrong with that Pope? He needs to get with it and come to terms with the real world?”
But – and it’s a HUGE “but” – once you approach the issue with a heart for God, the whole issue changes right before your eyes. You begin to view your body, your sexuality, your life, and the lives of everybody else as part of the great divine mystery of God’s creation. The “difficulties” of living in chastity – that is, in continence if you are single and in openness to life in marriage (yes, there is a “legal” way of spacing children) are trivial compared to the rewards. God will not be outdone in generosity (Catholics say that a lot), and this is the place where he boggles the imagination with his “givingness.” Noody says this is easy, but MAN! is it ever WORTH it!
M
mercygate
Guest
Once again, for a short but reliable and good answer, go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The birth control issue is not about birth control. It is about the dignity of the human person. The theology of sexuality is an integral part of the value of human life.
A priest I know sometimes answers people who think birth control and artificial insemination and masturbation (yup – we can’t do that either) are OK by asking them a question: Does this practice make you more human?
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Mamamull
Guest
Scott Waddell:
I have a very ecclectic appetite for music, but at this point in my life – it is spiritual (and usually Catholic) or nothing. You know the old (name removed by moderator)ut equals output thing.
Love you, Scott even if I don’t groove on your music.
Yep. he keeps telling us how good his musical choices are and many of us just can’t quite go there.An apologist is simply a defender of something using rational argument. You can be an apologist for anything, not just Catholicism. (For instance, I am an apologist for progressive rock
I have a very ecclectic appetite for music, but at this point in my life – it is spiritual (and usually Catholic) or nothing. You know the old (name removed by moderator)ut equals output thing.
Love you, Scott even if I don’t groove on your music.
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Faustina
Guest
Birth Control goes against the natural law that God has given us. This is the way my priest explained it to me. The same holds true for same-sex “marriage”, abortion and stem cell research.
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rfk
Guest
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Scott_Waddell
Guest
Scott Waddell:
Yep. he keeps telling us how good his musical choices are and many of us just can’t quite go there.An apologist is simply a defender of something using rational argument. You can be an apologist for anything, not just Catholicism. (For instance, I am an apologist for progressive rock
I have a very ecclectic appetite for music, but at this point in my life – it is spiritual (and usually Catholic) or nothing. You know the old (name removed by moderator)ut equals output thing.
Love you, Scott even if I don’t groove on your music.
You should check out Mark Hollis. Kinda proggy in the Brian Eno vein and very Catholic. Or the Flower Kings. Proggy in the Yes/Genesis vein athough more mere Christian than Catholic. (Although their song “Devil’s Playground” is implicitly about Mary’s battle with the Evil One.
Scott
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