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Catholics often say we can offer our suffering as a sacrifice to God in exchange for salvation for ourselves and others. At the same time, we are told that salvation is a free gift from God. Are these two sayings contradictory?
We have been trying to conceive naturally over years but in vain. We have also been receiving hormonal therapy but turn out that the side effect has to put the therapy on halt. If sperms are collected through conjugal act & if parents shall instruct medical team to conduct IVF in a way so that fertilisation shall happen within wife’s body, would this be considered theologically not as mortal sin? What are other conditions for assisted conception be moral?Will parents giving birth be condemned?
I often thought Holy Spirit is always upper case H and S, until when I read NEW AMERICAN BIBLE (NAB), and it is written as “holy Spirit”. Example would be “and the holy Spirit was upon him” (Lk 2:25). Would you please explain?
I have a friend who calls himself an atheist. But he reads religious and theology literature extensively probably knows the Bible better than I. He asked me the following question and I don’t know how to answer appropriately: According to the Bible Herod killed many innocent children by his decree. This is infamous as an evil act. God killed many innocent children who were the 1st born child in Egypt. This is celebrated as a mark of God’s goodness. How do you reconcile the inconsistency?
We know that Jesus came to us by both water and blood (1 John 5:6). However, during Mass not all chalices have water put into them. Thus not all people who are called to share in this mystery get the water. Why is this so?
What am I supposed to feel when my younger brother brings his girlfriend to our house to stay overnight every day, even when I tried to voice out that this somewhat feels not right, but then my parents and my brother are totally against me and even arguments happened and made me feel so hurtful as they think that I am too conservative. Nevertheless I‘d apologised for voicing out and not being very polite to the girlfriend. Can I just keep quiet from now on already since nobody will listen to me.
Some folks from the church introduced Catholic charismatic prayer practice. One of them said she was a prophet who could deliver Jesus’s raw thoughts about my life to me. I feel uncomfortable and weird. What is your opinion on this kind of prayer practice?
Does the phrase “goodness is diffusive of itself” contradict to the free will of God? I think because God is goodness, and by the theory that “goodness by nature is diffusive of itself”, God MUST diffuse Himself by creating a universe, hence, creation of the universe is a necessary phenomenon instead of a free choice.
If one or a few drops of transformed wine into blood of Christ during a Holy Mass is spilled on the Corporal, then how the linen cloth is treated?
This was given by 2 priests under 2 occasions. 1. Church celebrates St John’s birthday in addition to his death because of his free of original sins when father tried to explain why only 2 saints, including Mother Mary, were celebrating birthdays. 2. Jesus visited St John before his death in person since John was martyred before Christ. Your kind clarifications are most needed. God Bless.
How do I discern my vision during prayers or mass? Are they my imagination or really a blessing from God? What am I to do with them other than being grateful and offering back to the Lord?
Why do we burn our petition during novena when God knows our intention before we write them?
Hello Father, I’m a young man and I often fall into the sin of lust and porn, but recently as I have been focusing on my prayer life, my ability to control myself has gotten much better. I still watch porn sometimes, but I’m able to control myself and resist the urge to actually masturbate. I want to know if this is a mortal sin because I sinned in my heart and chose to watch porn but I resisted and didn’t actually do the act. Please help me Father.
Fr. Ching, Hope you are well. This is the first time I email you. I am bothered by this Japanese Ryo Tatsuki’s predictions of the massive earthquake in 2025. I know we shouldn’t believe in it, and shouldn’t even read it, but people are talking about it and hard to avoid. I could only ask people to keep praying to God, but i feel that i am promoting it when I ask people to pray about this “predictions”. I have this conflicts in me. What should I do? And why would God allow this kind of disaster happen in the world….. Thank you for your time in advance.
Why are women not permitted to become priests in the Catholic church? As well, why are priests not allowed to marry?
If Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension are parts of God’s Salvation Plan, Judas’ betrayal would be necessary for God’s Plan. Is it correct?
When did the theology of the host contains both Body and Blood initiated in Catholic Church?
Is it ok to display an icon of Eastern Orthodox Saints after the 1054 schism? A orthodox nun sent me an icon of Sts Raphael, Nicholas and Irene and I worried that the Catholic church doesn’t recognise them.
Why do we Catholics have structured prayers other than the “Our Father”?
