English
A Protestant friend of mine said that since his parents were not Christians when they passed away, they might be in hell. He said if they are in hell, he would like to go to hell in future to be with them forever. What should I tell him?
1) Will it lead to superstition to greet people with 「恭喜發財」 during Chinese New Year? 2) Are all the Chinese New Year 「揮春」 like the 「福字」 and the symbols of the 「十二生肖」 will be the cracks to let Satan sneak into our house? 3) Can we read the little paper from the fortune cookies for fun?
Do Catholics have to get married in the Church? What if it is at the beach and the Priest officiates the wedding?
I was invited to my friend’s baptismal celebration at an Anglican Church in Hong Kong (St. John’s Cathedral). Is it a mass? Can I receive the Holy Communion?
How many times should we forgive friends or relatives? I feel like a fool, weaken character, relying on people, let them walk on me like a door mat, offered chances over and over again to be hurt instead, Jesus taught us to forgive 7×7. It is absolutely difficult to face in reality, but just to ignore. I can’t change people but to change myself.
Jesus preached mostly to Jews in His 3 years of ministry (except the encounter of the woman of Canaanite). He downplayed the Gentiles (Matthew 5:47, 6:7) and even instructed the Apostles to avoid them (Matthew 10:5). In the first few chapters of Acts, Peter also focused his ministry on Jews. But then God made a sharp turn converting Saul/Paul and sent him to Gentiles preaching the Gospel. Was the plan changed? Why?
My Catholicism training told me that we humans are prone to sin due to the scar which original sin had left us. This also proves that Holy Mary is “sinless” since she is immaculate. My two questions are 1) If this is true, then how could Adam and Eve committed the first sin given that they carry no original sin too and were full of grace. 2) If someone who has no original sin could still commit sins by free will (like Adam and Eve) then why do we say 100% Holy Mary is “sinless”?
Did Mary Mother of God give birth to other children?
About the messages of Our Lady of Fatima, I think the request that She asked Russia to be Consecrated to Her Immaculate Heart only be done partially, yes, several Popes (current Pope included) made the Consecration. But Russia has not completely converted yet, because Russia is Orthodox country now, while she indeed returned to Orthodox after Soviet atheism, I believe what Our Lady spoke in Fatima is that Russia will be Catholic if Her request completely be done. Father, what is your opinion?
You mentioned that we can offer each hour to God at the hour. Do you know where we can find a list of phrases we can use as intentions for the hour?
Is there a chance to know if our loved ones are in purgatory or in heaven? How can one enter heaven directly? How long will they stay in purgatory? My 14-year-old brother and my parents had passed away. I am asking the question for them. They were good Christians with immense faith but they were also sinners in front of God. Thanks father.
Can we receive Eucharist when we obtain absolution from a priest in confession but HAVE NOT completed all the required penances? Are we still in a state of mortal sin?
Why do we need to go to confession?
Why is online confession not allowed?
My catholic teaching told me that once we commit a mortal sin, we lose all the grace of God and we are not in communion with the Church or God. I fervently believe so. However, for a sinner to repent, despite the need of our free will to repent, we still need the grace of God in order to be aware of our darkness and evil and thus to seek the forgiveness of God. In a nutshell, a mortal sinner cannot repent without the grace of God while a mortal sinner is not in a state of Grace. Kind of a paradox?
Why do we see not much description about Jesus’s mother, Mary in the Bible? It only mentions mostly Mother Mary keeps things to her heart, like the loss of Jesus in the Temple.
How can I ask for forgiveness from my deceased mother, because I gave her a lot of troubles and back answered her answered her back all the time. I regretted it totally and I asked God everytime for forgiveness every time. What can I do more to fully make her fully understand and repent as I feel guilty and drained for all what that I did to her.? What penance or what should I do to tell her I love her and I am sorry for all what that I did to her.? She was for me but, to my poor understanding, I didn’t recognize it at that time. Help me father.
A practising Catholic will be marrying a non-practicing Catholic (who may not believe in God anymore) in the Catholic Church. Can they have a Nuptial Mass with the non-practicing Catholic not receiving Communion? Since sacraments should be received in a state of grace, and the non-practicing one obviously is not in such a state, what does it mean for the non-practicing one to receive the sacrament in that state? Will the non-practicing Catholic still receive the grace of Matrimony?
Is it against Catholic beliefs to celebrate pride?
