October 21, 2003

 

Subjects:

 

[21/Oct/2003:21:47:37] <Father Phillip> ktrene: This is my first time checking out this chat room , Hello Father Phillip
[21/Oct/2003:21:47:42] <Father Phillip> hey!
[21/Oct/2003:21:47:50] <Father Phillip> we're pretty laid back here
[21/Oct/2003:21:48:01] <Father Phillip> ktrene: Is there anyone else in this chat room or just the two of us?
[21/Oct/2003:21:48:23] <Father Phillip> just the two of us right now...i have a thing that counts the people, but you can't see them'it
[21/Oct/2003:21:48:47] <Father Phillip> ktrene: oh okay so I can't see others questions then?
[21/Oct/2003:21:49:00] <Father Phillip> you can only see them if i as the moderator decide to post them
[21/Oct/2003:21:49:11] <Father Phillip> ktrene: oh okay i see
[21/Oct/2003:21:49:30] <Father Phillip> i see everybody's questions and choose from among them which ones to post for the "whole" room to see
[21/Oct/2003:21:49:47] <Father Phillip> ktrene: well can i dive right in with some ??s that i've had?
[21/Oct/2003:21:49:52] <Father Phillip> go for it!
[21/Oct/2003:21:51:22] <Father Phillip> ktrene: well just to give you some background I've grown up Catholic so I know a lot about it, I wouldn't consider myself a Catholic anymore more of a protestant but my whole fam. is catholic, so i was just wondering about some cath. traditions
[21/Oct/2003:21:51:42] <Father Phillip> thanks, that's helpful
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:13] <Father Phillip> i'll try to answer whatever questions you may have
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:25] <Father Phillip> ktrene: i'm reading a book that raises a lot of my concerns about catholicism, so i'd been praying about it a lot, (about my confusion) and the next day I saw the ad int the school newspaper and I figure it's a God thing, so here I am
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:29] <Father Phillip> that's very cool
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:39] <Father Phillip> and i would say that it's probably the Holy Spirit!
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:44] <Father Phillip> God works that way
[21/Oct/2003:21:52:47] <Father Phillip> ::-)
[21/Oct/2003:21:53:23] <Father Phillip> the main thing is that you're praying about things that are important to you -- prayer is the key!

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Hierarchy and Priests

[21/Oct/2003:21:54:53] <Father Phillip> ktrene: haha, okay well i don't really understand why it is neccessary for the Pope, Bishops, Cardinals and all that jazz, i learned in a class that cath. believe that the authorities can only interpret the Bible, and that we shouldn't even need to read the Bible since priest will interpret it for us? It's as thought Priests are moderators between us and God?
[21/Oct/2003:21:55:18] <Father Phillip> good questions
[21/Oct/2003:21:55:22] <Father Phillip> well to begin
[21/Oct/2003:21:55:49] <Father Phillip> Catholics believe that in the New Testament the Lord set up the Church with deacons, priests, and bishops
[21/Oct/2003:21:56:12] <Father Phillip> so we definitely believe that those 3 orders of ordained leadership are necessary
[21/Oct/2003:21:56:34] <Father Phillip> now, things like cardinals and all that jazz are definitely non-essential add-ons
[21/Oct/2003:21:56:38] <Father Phillip> ktrene: because of Matthew 16?
[21/Oct/2003:21:56:48] <Father Phillip> well, sort of because of Matthew 16
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:01] <Father Phillip> but in what are called the Pastoral Epistles
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:07] <Father Phillip> over toward the end of the New Testament
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:17] <Father Phillip> like Timothy I and II
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:30] <Father Phillip> we see that the Church had deacons and presbyters
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:41] <Father Phillip> presbyters in Greek means elders or priests
[21/Oct/2003:21:57:48] <Father Phillip> either is a legitimate translation
[21/Oct/2003:21:58:06] <Father Phillip> and in those same places there are episcopoi
[21/Oct/2003:21:58:14] <Father Phillip> which means overseers or bishops
[21/Oct/2003:21:58:37] <Father Phillip> so we have concluded for as long as there's been a Catholic Church -- 2000 years give or take --
[21/Oct/2003:21:58:50] <Father Phillip> that God wants us to have deacons, priests and bishops
[21/Oct/2003:21:59:03] <Father Phillip> since it's in God's Word, the Sacred Scriptures
[21/Oct/2003:21:59:13] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay so Presbyterians and episcolpals believe that the elders act as how catholics believe bishops do?
[21/Oct/2003:21:59:19] <Father Phillip> well, actually,
[21/Oct/2003:21:59:42] <Father Phillip> Presbyterians believe that a person is ordained to be a deacon, priest, and bishop
[21/Oct/2003:21:59:55] <Father Phillip> they actually believe in what is called this "three-fold ministry"
[21/Oct/2003:22:00:14] <Father Phillip> but that ministry is focused in one person
[21/Oct/2003:22:00:29] <Father Phillip> whereas in the Catholic Church different persons often serve in the three different orders
[21/Oct/2003:22:00:47] <Father Phillip> and in the Episcopal Church they definitely have three different orders of ordained service
[21/Oct/2003:22:00:50] <Father Phillip> ktrene: awesome! i'm so glad to see it biblically based!
[21/Oct/2003:22:01:15] <Father Phillip> oh yeah -- most everything -- not everything -- but definitely MOST everything we do is biblically based

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The Way Catholics Use the Bible

Click here to read more information on this topic.

 

[21/Oct/2003:22:01:29] <Father Phillip> now -- about your question about reading the Bible
[21/Oct/2003:22:01:59] <Father Phillip> with infallible authority the Catholic Church teaches that "ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ"
[21/Oct/2003:22:02:16] <Father Phillip> that is to say, we cannot know Christ Jesus fully without knowing the Sacred Scripture
[21/Oct/2003:22:02:45] <Father Phillip> in all truth, i'm sorry to say that way too many Catholics fail to read and study and pray over the Scriptures like the Church wants them/us to do
[21/Oct/2003:22:02:58] <Father Phillip> but we definitely want our folks to read and to know and to love the Bible
[21/Oct/2003:22:03:03] <Father Phillip> ktrene: that'sgood to hear
[21/Oct/2003:22:03:09] <Father Phillip> it is VERY good to hear!
[21/Oct/2003:22:03:30] <Father Phillip> and yes, a priest is a kind of "moderator" between humanity and God
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:03] <Father Phillip> in the New Testament book of Hebrews, it says that every priest is supposed to be an intermediary between God and God's people
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:16] <Father Phillip> so we don't have any problem saying that priests serve in that way
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:19] <Father Phillip> ktrene: yeah, i've been Catholic for my whole life and was never encouraged to read the Bible
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:38] <Father Phillip> yep, i'm afraid that we have not done a good job encouraging people to read the Bible
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:44] <Father Phillip> slowly, slowly, slowly
[21/Oct/2003:22:04:50] <Father Phillip> we'll get there -- please God!
[21/Oct/2003:22:05:06] <Father Phillip> ktrene: sorry i don't mean to sound challenging, i just like to read direct quotes, where in Hebrews so I can read it for myself?
[21/Oct/2003:22:05:13] <Father Phillip> it's not challenging at all
[21/Oct/2003:22:05:18] <Father Phillip> glad you're asking
[21/Oct/2003:22:05:45] <Father Phillip> Hebrews 5:1--6
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:08] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay i just read it. but God also wants us to read it personally as well, don't you agree?
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:13] <Father Phillip> well of course!
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:27] <Father Phillip> God wants each of us to know God more and more deeply and personally
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:39] <Father Phillip> and one of the very best ways to do that is to read and prayer through the Scripture
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:46] <Father Phillip> that's the teaching of the Catholic Church
[21/Oct/2003:22:07:56] <Father Phillip> even though we haven't done a very good job communicating that
[21/Oct/2003:22:08:00] <Father Phillip> shame on us!

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Theology of the Sacraments

[21/Oct/2003:22:08:35] <Father Phillip> ktrene: In my class that I was talking about before, they described that Catholics believe that the Sacraments are the way to Salvation along with believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God
[21/Oct/2003:22:08:50] <Father Phillip> well, er, that's kind of right but not at all the whole story
[21/Oct/2003:22:09:35] <Father Phillip> we Catholics believe that in the Sacraments Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of God, is ACTUALLY and REALLY present so it is Jesus Himself who brings us salvation in the Sacraments
[21/Oct/2003:22:09:41] <Father Phillip> make sense?
[21/Oct/2003:22:10:28] <Father Phillip> when we consume the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is making His home in our bodies
[21/Oct/2003:22:10:45] <Father Phillip> in the Eucharist we are accepting Jesus Christ personally and deeply into our lives as Saviour
[21/Oct/2003:22:10:51] <Father Phillip> as our Saviour
[21/Oct/2003:22:11:15] <Father Phillip> every time we receive the Eucharist we are renewing that personal covenant of love and forgiveness and compassion with Jesus the Risen Saviour
[21/Oct/2003:22:11:40] <Father Phillip> ktrene: is that biblical? so can someone who has not done even one sacrament still be saved, just because s/he has not done the actions of the sacraments, but even if s/he truly follows Jesus as a Savior
[21/Oct/2003:22:11:49] <Father Phillip> of course it's biblical
[21/Oct/2003:22:12:14] <Father Phillip> in the Bible Jesus says, "This IS my Body; this IS my Blood"
[21/Oct/2003:22:12:28] <Father Phillip> He doesn't say, "this just sort of represents my Body and my Blood"
[21/Oct/2003:22:13:18] <Father Phillip> and of course a person who's never had any Sacrament can be saved as long as she/he knows, loves and follows Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:13:38] <Father Phillip> we can't tell God how to work -- God can and does save whomever He pleases
[21/Oct/2003:22:13:54] <Father Phillip> God just gives us the Sacraments as a tremendous help on the road to salvation
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:09] <Father Phillip> along with the Bible which is the other great help on that journey toward eternal life
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:31] <Father Phillip> ktrene: sorry that question was for a sentence before
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:34] <Father Phillip> ktrene: it was for about 10 sentences earlier, i do understand the part about eucharist
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:43] <Father Phillip> glad you understand the Eucharist stuff!
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:44] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:14:56] <Father Phillip> what were you asking about 10 sentences earlier?
[21/Oct/2003:22:15:05] <Father Phillip> i missed it, i'm afraid
[21/Oct/2003:22:15:16] <Father Phillip> i'm old but really nice
[21/Oct/2003:22:15:17] <Father Phillip> :-)

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Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

[21/Oct/2003:22:16:26] <Father Phillip> ktrene: it seems to me that protestants believe that the sacrament of baptism, is similar to when protestants say that a person is "born again" by choosing Jesus as their Lord and Savior
[21/Oct/2003:22:16:38] <Father Phillip> yep, i'd agree with that assessment
[21/Oct/2003:22:16:42] <Father Phillip> ktrene: Very Nice :)
[21/Oct/2003:22:16:52] <Father Phillip> awwwww, shucks!
[21/Oct/2003:22:18:43] <Father Phillip> ktrene: and for protestants, that is the only neccessary "action" that we need to do as a Christian, the rest is works through faith, but not neccessary for salvation, only the grace received at the baptism (or acceptance of Jesus) is neccessary for Salvation.
[21/Oct/2003:22:19:01] <Father Phillip> ktrene: that was more a statement, but do you agree or am i off?
[21/Oct/2003:22:19:08] <Father Phillip> no, i think you're on the money
[21/Oct/2003:22:19:21] <Father Phillip> but i would also say that we Catholics pretty much agree with that
[21/Oct/2003:22:19:33] <Father Phillip> Baptism is the only Sacrament necessary for salvation
[21/Oct/2003:22:19:58] <Father Phillip> and the "works" we preform are actually responses to the unimaginable goodness of God
[21/Oct/2003:22:20:01] <Father Phillip> ktrene: awesome, i love common ground!
[21/Oct/2003:22:20:05] <Father Phillip> me too!

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Role of the Priest in Reconciliation

[21/Oct/2003:22:21:09] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay i'm going to move on... can we confess our sins to God without going through a preist? and if so, why do we always do it through Preists?
[21/Oct/2003:22:21:26] <Father Phillip> of course we can confess our sins to God without going through a priest
[21/Oct/2003:22:21:39] <Father Phillip> God is always delighted to hear from us!!! --- always!
[21/Oct/2003:22:21:45] <Father Phillip> ktrene: sorry i'm spelling that wrong, priest
[21/Oct/2003:22:21:52] <Father Phillip> i do love a good speller!
[21/Oct/2003:22:21:53] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:22:13] <Father Phillip> i would think that most Catholics don't "always do it through priests"
[21/Oct/2003:22:22:45] <Father Phillip> i think most Catholics express their contrition and sorrow for sins directly far more often than they go to a priest for sacramental absolution
[21/Oct/2003:22:22:50] <Father Phillip> and that's perfectly fine
[21/Oct/2003:22:23:13] <Father Phillip> but having the option of a priest is extremely healthy and life-giving
[21/Oct/2003:22:23:50] <Father Phillip> from a psychological point-of-view, having another human being to express in words the compassion and forgiveness of God is very helpful
[21/Oct/2003:22:23:55] <Father Phillip> it's very "incarnational"
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:16] <Father Phillip> the Son of God didn't become a book; he became a human being!
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:27] <Father Phillip> and so we need human beings to express the presence and love of Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:33] <Father Phillip> ktrene: i understand that the Bible also encourages us to confess our sins to others along with God, but some misunderstand it and believe that Priest absolve sins only
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:37] <Father Phillip> ktrene: i understand confessing to sins to one another, but it seems to me that only Jesus can absolve a sin, a priest could listen and give advice, but it seems that Priests take our saviors role when then absolve sins
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:51] <Father Phillip> ktrene: I like that about the Son of God becoming a man not a book
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:54] <Father Phillip> we aim to please
[21/Oct/2003:22:24:56] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:25:19] <Father Phillip> well now...this gets a bit technical but it's important
[21/Oct/2003:22:25:42] <Father Phillip> Catholics believe that only a priest can absolve sacramentally
[21/Oct/2003:22:25:44] <Father Phillip> BUT
[21/Oct/2003:22:26:00] <Father Phillip> remember what we said about Jesus being TRULY and REALLY present in the Eucharist?
[21/Oct/2003:22:26:29] <Father Phillip> well, in a similar way, we believe that Christ Jesus is TRULY and REALLY present and acting in 7 of the Sacraments
[21/Oct/2003:22:26:49] <Father Phillip> so we would say that it is, indeed, Jesus who absolves in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
[21/Oct/2003:22:27:18] <Father Phillip> but we would say that Jesus has in His divine wisdom chosen to allow only the ordained to share this particular aspect of His ministry
[21/Oct/2003:22:27:23] <Father Phillip> ktrene: so the Holy Spirit is with you when you absolve sins?
[21/Oct/2003:22:27:25] <Father Phillip> yepper
[21/Oct/2003:22:27:56] <Father Phillip> when the Risen Christ acts in the person of the priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God the Holy Spirit also acts as does God the Father
[21/Oct/2003:22:28:21] <Father Phillip> no priest has any authority at all to absolve sins -- we are sinners just like you and everybody else
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:09] <Father Phillip> but out of God's unbelievable goodness and majesty, God allows sinful persons -- ordained sinful persons -- to be the means through which that divine grace is brought to women and men in the Sacrament of Reconcilation
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:18] <Father Phillip> ktrene: why do you feel that He chose priests to absolve sins, I just feel like that is redundant of God, since He already sent his Son as the moderator, why do we need two?
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:21] <Father Phillip> two?!?!?!
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:33] <Father Phillip> we have only ONE Mediator!
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:38] <Father Phillip> and that's Jesus Christ
[21/Oct/2003:22:29:57] <Father Phillip> but because you and I are so incredibly stupid, we need lots and lots and lots of reminders
[21/Oct/2003:22:30:10] <Father Phillip> and that's what priests are in their/our sacramental roles
[21/Oct/2003:22:30:21] <Father Phillip> we are living, breathing reminders of Jesus and His work
[21/Oct/2003:22:30:43] <Father Phillip> ...of forgiving specifically in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

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Ordination of Priests

[21/Oct/2003:22:30:46] <Father Phillip> ktrene: sorry Jesus as one and a priest's body (filled with the Holy Spirit) as the other, why can't we just have Jesus, why do we need an ordained priest?
[21/Oct/2003:22:30:58] <Father Phillip> (i know what you meant -- i was just kidding with you!)
[21/Oct/2003:22:31:14] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay gotcha:)
[21/Oct/2003:22:31:17] <Father Phillip> good!
[21/Oct/2003:22:31:23] <Father Phillip> we don't NEED ordained priests
[21/Oct/2003:22:31:48] <Father Phillip> God could have chosen to bring salvation to us by saying, "Eat Peanut M&M's and thou shalt be saved."
[21/Oct/2003:22:32:08] <Father Phillip> but for reasons that I'm not smart enough to figure out, God chose to save us in Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:32:34] <Father Phillip> and God chose to allow us to have a community of faith called the Church in which to live out our personal journeys toward Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:32:55] <Father Phillip> and God chose for some crazy reason to allow ordained priests to be reminders of Jesus' Presence
[21/Oct/2003:22:32:58] <Father Phillip> ktrene: as fellowship and encouragement!
[21/Oct/2003:22:33:03] <Father Phillip> preeeee-cisely!
[21/Oct/2003:22:34:03] <Father Phillip> in theological terms, Catholic tradition says that God deigns to allow humanity to be "co-operators" with God in the work of salvation
[21/Oct/2003:22:34:09] <Father Phillip> God doesn't NEED us
[21/Oct/2003:22:34:28] <Father Phillip> but to show how amazingly generous God is, God allows us to co-operate with Him
[21/Oct/2003:22:34:34] <Father Phillip> ktrene: about God chosing ordained priests is that where you were talking about Tim 1 and 2?
[21/Oct/2003:22:34:41] <Father Phillip> yeah, among other places
[21/Oct/2003:22:35:10] <Father Phillip> in many ways it's the Christian way of appropriating some of the heritage we've been given from the Hebrew Bible/Jewish tradition

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The Way Catholics Use the Bible, cont.

[21/Oct/2003:22:36:32] <Father Phillip> ktrene: it just seems that Catholics took those few passages too far, look at how big the New Test. is and how much it refers to Salvation through faith, and to base so much of a religion on sacraments through Ordained priests, which was only mentioned in a small portion of the new test., why aren't priests a small part of Cath. rather than almost the whole thing
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:05] <Father Phillip> i certainly hope that priests aren't anywhere near "the whole thing" in the Catholic Church
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:22] <Father Phillip> but unfortunately, i'm afraid you may be pretty darned close to being right
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:24] <Father Phillip> :-(
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:28] <Father Phillip> not a good thing
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:41] <Father Phillip> our Bishop is the most wonderful person on the face of the earth
[21/Oct/2003:22:37:47] <Father Phillip> and he has said many times:
[21/Oct/2003:22:38:06] <Father Phillip> "Remember that Jesus came to start what was, essentially, a lay movement."
[21/Oct/2003:22:38:35] <Father Phillip> i'm afraid it has way too much to do with power and control -- sinful uses or rather mis-uses of authority
[21/Oct/2003:22:38:38] <Father Phillip> God forgive us!
[21/Oct/2003:22:38:50] <Father Phillip> but on the other hand, don't throw the baby out with the bath water!
[21/Oct/2003:22:38:58] <Father Phillip> and besides that
[21/Oct/2003:22:39:11] <Father Phillip> it's kind of dangerous to read the Bible by percentages
[21/Oct/2003:22:39:35] <Father Phillip> it's the over all "tenor" and "direction" of the Scripture that seems most important to me
[21/Oct/2003:22:39:50] <Father Phillip> but we each have to follow our own consciences in matters like that, i suppose

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Personal Relationship With Jesus

[21/Oct/2003:22:40:51] <Father Phillip> ktrene: My mom is very hesitant with the term "personal relationship with Jesus" and i understand, but I do believe that it is possible, for me the definition of a personal relationship is that I seek God daily and learn more about Jesus' ministry and I allow the Holy Spirit into my body to guide me, she always questions "how can i have a personal relationship with Jesus who is dead"
[21/Oct/2003:22:41:12] <Father Phillip> you are right on the money!
[21/Oct/2003:22:41:16] <Father Phillip> and Jesus isn't dead
[21/Oct/2003:22:41:24] <Father Phillip> Jesus is more alive than we are!
[21/Oct/2003:22:41:54] <Father Phillip> He is resurrected, fully alive in heaven and here on earth among us through His Spirit and His people
[21/Oct/2003:22:42:02] <Father Phillip> ktrene: it's as though she forgets he conquered death and is alive, but since the terminology os Personal relationship isn't used in Catholicism what do you think about it?
[21/Oct/2003:22:42:32] <Father Phillip> i would say that every time a Catholic receives Holy Communion, he/she is forming/deepening his/her personal relationshipo with Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:43:40] <Father Phillip> and btw, "personal relationship with Jesus" is a perfectly ok term for Catholics to use -- we just need not to bashful about it
[21/Oct/2003:22:43:43] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:44:04] <Father Phillip> ktrene: i don't know about that, i know people who 100% refute Christianity, but go to church with parents, and obviously take the communion
[21/Oct/2003:22:44:42] <Father Phillip> i guess i'd say that i don't know what's in anybody's heart...so i'm reluctant to say that any person absolutely refutes Christianity 100%
[21/Oct/2003:22:45:12] <Father Phillip> i'm just a hopelessly optimistic person, i suppose
[21/Oct/2003:22:45:45] <Father Phillip> if a person is in Church -- even if he/she is there kicking and screaming -- there is something, somewhere inside of them that is in God's Presence
[21/Oct/2003:22:46:21] <Father Phillip> ktrene: i would just say the only way to deepen a relationship with Jesus is purely intentional not obedience or an action (communion)
[21/Oct/2003:22:46:27] <Father Phillip> ktrene: yeah thats true
[21/Oct/2003:22:46:51] <Father Phillip> i'd have to disagree with you about "the only way"
[21/Oct/2003:22:47:00] <Father Phillip> it's probably the BEST way
[21/Oct/2003:22:47:18] <Father Phillip> but Jesus is always the One Who takes the initiative
[21/Oct/2003:22:47:26] <Father Phillip> it's called the prevenience of grace
[21/Oct/2003:22:47:54] <Father Phillip> Jesus is always out there, inviting us, urging us, begging us -- out in front of us, leading, guiding, cajoling
[21/Oct/2003:22:48:06] <Father Phillip> and we are ALWAYS responding to Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:48:21] <Father Phillip> and lots of times we respond without having a clue that it's Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:48:37] <Father Phillip> we just move in a certain direction because it seems like a good idea or whatever
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:15] <Father Phillip> and we have no intention whatever of forming a relationship with Jesus, but Jeus has every intention of forming a personal relationship with us
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:18] <Father Phillip> ktrene: sorry urgin us to what (i mean i know what i believe) but what are you saying that Jesus is urging us to do?
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:26] <Father Phillip> urging us to be our truest selves
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:32] <Father Phillip> urging us to love Him
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:46] <Father Phillip> urging us to be compassionate toward ourselves and toward all other creatures
[21/Oct/2003:22:49:52] <Father Phillip> urging us to work for justice
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:03] <Father Phillip> urgining us to forgive those who have hurt us
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:14] <Father Phillip> urging us to see God at work everywhere in the world
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:24] <Father Phillip> urging us to be grateful for all that we have
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:37] <Father Phillip> urging us to share what we have with the least among us
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:44] <Father Phillip> got the general gist of it?
[21/Oct/2003:22:50:45] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:51:39] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay next question...

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Satan

[21/Oct/2003:22:51:45] <Father Phillip> ktrene: why is it that as a Catholic I was barely ever taught about a working Satan and spiritual warfare, that Satan can be working deceitfully in my life as well
[21/Oct/2003:22:51:57] <Father Phillip> i have no clue why YOU weren't taught about this stuff
[21/Oct/2003:22:52:41] <Father Phillip> all i can say is that while Catholics do indeed believe that the enemy of our human nature is prowling around like a lion looking for somebody to devour
[21/Oct/2003:22:52:50] <Father Phillip> and
[21/Oct/2003:22:53:11] <Father Phillip> while we do believe that the counter-spirit is trying to work deceitfully in all our lives
[21/Oct/2003:22:53:24] <Father Phillip> we try to focus on the goodness and grace and compassion of God
[21/Oct/2003:22:53:39] <Father Phillip> only God will allow us to triumph over the evil one
[21/Oct/2003:22:53:58] <Father Phillip> and so we try to do what, again Hebrews, tell us to do:
[21/Oct/2003:22:54:05] <Father Phillip> Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus
[21/Oct/2003:22:54:18] <Father Phillip> and Jesus will take care of that other, "bad" stuff
[21/Oct/2003:22:54:23] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: What is the church's position on Homosexuality
[21/Oct/2003:22:54:36] <Father Phillip> hello
[21/Oct/2003:22:54:48] <Father Phillip> glad to welcome you to our conversation
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:13] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: sorry I guess I didn't get the format or process
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:19] <Father Phillip> nothing to be sorry about
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:23] <Father Phillip> we're glad you're here
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:31] <Father Phillip> ktrene have been having a conversation
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:37] <Father Phillip> and now we're glad you're here with us
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:49] <Father Phillip> ktrene: welcome!
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:55] <Father Phillip> see; told you so!
[21/Oct/2003:22:55:56] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:22:56:03] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: thanks
[21/Oct/2003:22:56:31] <Father Phillip> so everybody ok with talking for a minute about homosexuality?
[21/Oct/2003:22:57:04] <Father Phillip> ktrene: Ft. Phillip I'm going to get off but I'd like to chat again next Tues. God graanted me with a quetioning mind! Where can I get this week's transcript so I can reread it later?
[21/Oct/2003:22:57:36] <Father Phillip> ok -- have a good evening...the transcript for this evening won't be posted until probably this coming monday
[21/Oct/2003:22:57:49] <Father Phillip> but just go to the main QandA page
[21/Oct/2003:22:57:57] <Father Phillip> and go the "virtual library"
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:06] <Father Phillip> there you'll find past transcripts
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:10] <Father Phillip> by date and by subject
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:29] <Father Phillip> ktrene: okay wonderful thank you so much for your patience! Adios
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:32] <Father Phillip> ciao!
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:45] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: sorry I didn't mean to run anyone off. I just thought you got the questions and then answered them as you had time or if you felt they were appropriate.
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:50] <Father Phillip> no -- it's fine
[21/Oct/2003:22:58:56] <Father Phillip> you're not running anybody off
[21/Oct/2003:22:59:11] <Father Phillip> and that is pretty much what we do
[21/Oct/2003:22:59:24] <Father Phillip> ktrene really was about ready to go
[21/Oct/2003:22:59:29] <Father Phillip> so it's not a problem

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Homosexuality and Catholicism

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[21/Oct/2003:22:59:40] <Father Phillip> so, about your homosexual question...
[21/Oct/2003:22:59:43] <Father Phillip> ok?
[21/Oct/2003:23:00:00] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: yes that would be good
[21/Oct/2003:23:00:04] <Father Phillip> ok, cool
[21/Oct/2003:23:00:27] <Father Phillip> the Church teaches that one of God's great gifts to humankind is the gift of being sexual
[21/Oct/2003:23:00:36] <Father Phillip> no prefixes, just being sexual
[21/Oct/2003:23:00:52] <Father Phillip> the Church teaches that any good gift from God can be misused
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:08] <Father Phillip> and of course, the gift of being sexual can be misused
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:26] <Father Phillip> the Church teaches that sex in marriage has two primary "ends
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:33] <Father Phillip> one is procreative
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:42] <Father Phillip> to bring new human beings into the world
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:46] <Father Phillip> the other is unitive
[21/Oct/2003:23:01:56] <Father Phillip> to bring the couple closer in love and harmony
[21/Oct/2003:23:02:28] <Father Phillip> now, the Church says that genital expressions of sexuality should be used only in the context of marriage
[21/Oct/2003:23:02:56] <Father Phillip> so, on that basis, the Church, for instance, that masturbation is an inappropriate use of the gift of sexuality
[21/Oct/2003:23:03:04] <Father Phillip> specifically about homosexuality
[21/Oct/2003:23:03:16] <Father Phillip> the Church says the it is a "disordered affection"
[21/Oct/2003:23:03:35] <Father Phillip> the propensity to tell lies is also a "disordered affection"
[21/Oct/2003:23:03:44] <Father Phillip> does that make any sense?
[21/Oct/2003:23:04:50] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: All of it does except when you get to the disordered affection piece. I guess you mean that is viewed as sinful
[21/Oct/2003:23:04:54] <Father Phillip> not exactly
[21/Oct/2003:23:05:11] <Father Phillip> simply having a disordered affection is not sinful in itself
[21/Oct/2003:23:05:30] <Father Phillip> but acting on the disordered affection is what can become sinful
[21/Oct/2003:23:06:00] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: So if a homosexual is sexual than that would be a sin
[21/Oct/2003:23:06:28] <Father Phillip> the Church teaches that genital expressions of sexuality between persons of the same gender are sinful...yes
[21/Oct/2003:23:07:58] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: That is what I suspected but wasn't sure. I know at Mass you often speak of the injustices that are done to homosexuals so I know you are very compassionate with regard to their issues
[21/Oct/2003:23:08:13] <Father Phillip> i hope that i am compassionate to the issues of all people
[21/Oct/2003:23:08:15] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:23:08:31] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: That is what I suspected but wasn't sure. I know at Mass you often speak of the injustices that are done to homosexuals so I know you are very compassionate with regard to their issues
[21/Oct/2003:23:09:01] <Father Phillip> oops...sorry -- hit the wrong button and so repeated that last statement
[21/Oct/2003:23:09:58] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh . . . I know I'm jumping in at the last moment, but I was wondering why we believe that homosexuals cannot be married.
[21/Oct/2003:23:10:15] <Father Phillip> 's cool, man...or woman...i don't know which :-)

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Marriage

[21/Oct/2003:23:11:09] <Father Phillip> the Church has a very strong conviction that marriage can only be between one man and one woman
[21/Oct/2003:23:11:16] <Father Phillip> burns: What was that?
[21/Oct/2003:23:11:27] <Father Phillip> whether you're a man or woman -- but it's no big deal :-)

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Homosexuality and Catholicism

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[21/Oct/2003:23:11:35] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: I have a brother and sister who are both gay and it is so obvious that they are not created as typically male or female.Neither of them have any interests or behaviors similar to the gender that they are. It is hard to believe that God would create them as they are and that they would have to endure the hardships of being so very different and then not be able to express themselves sexually or in a relastionship is so sad
[21/Oct/2003:23:12:06] <Father Phillip> that sadness almost breaks my heart
[21/Oct/2003:23:12:29] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: Mine too
[21/Oct/2003:23:12:38] <Father Phillip> God bless you!
[21/Oct/2003:23:12:47] <Father Phillip> they are blessed to have such a sibling as you
[21/Oct/2003:23:12:58] <Father Phillip> God doesn't make junk
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:13] <Father Phillip> God makes beautiful persons
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:27] <Father Phillip> and we must cherish each and every one of them just exactly as God made them
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:31] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: thanks for your help. You are a wonderful gift to your parish
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:36] <Father Phillip> thank you
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:41] <Father Phillip> but it's not my parish
[21/Oct/2003:23:13:44] <Father Phillip> it's OUR parish!
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:19] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: Acutally I thought I had typed our parish because I do feel that it is ours
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:25] <Father Phillip> good for you!
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:26] <Father Phillip> it is
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:28] <Father Phillip> good night
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:32] <Father Phillip> sleep well

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Marriage

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[21/Oct/2003:23:14:41] <Father Phillip> burns: Why does the church feel so strongly that marriage is meant for one man and one woman?
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:54] <Father Phillip> hello
[21/Oct/2003:23:14:59] <Father Phillip> BooDoo: Thanks. Have a good night.
[21/Oct/2003:23:15:03] <Father Phillip> burns: Hi. : )
[21/Oct/2003:23:15:06] <Father Phillip> burns: Or is it founded in Tradition?
[21/Oct/2003:23:15:13] <Father Phillip> hummm...about marriage?
[21/Oct/2003:23:15:22] <Father Phillip> burns: Yes.
[21/Oct/2003:23:15:37] <Father Phillip> i suppose most people would say that it's both
[21/Oct/2003:23:16:03] <Father Phillip> surely the Bible seems to be pretty clear about marriage being a male/female sort of thing
[21/Oct/2003:23:16:07] <Father Phillip> burns: I see the basis for it in the Bible.
[21/Oct/2003:23:16:11] <Father Phillip> burns: But not totally.
[21/Oct/2003:23:16:22] <Father Phillip> so, help me understand what you mean, please
[21/Oct/2003:23:17:34] <Father Phillip> burns: The Bible is also clear on priesthood being a Levite thing.
[21/Oct/2003:23:17:38] <Father Phillip> burns: But we haven't stuck to that.
[21/Oct/2003:23:17:42] <Father Phillip> burns: So apparently there needs to be some other qualifier to make it a belief of the Church.

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Magisterium

[21/Oct/2003:23:17:47] <Father Phillip> burns: And I guess I was wondering how we can distinguish between the things that are Tradition and the things that are tradition.
[21/Oct/2003:23:17:54] <Father Phillip> you're pretty sharp!
[21/Oct/2003:23:18:11] <Father Phillip> the technical answer is
[21/Oct/2003:23:18:32] <Father Phillip> the Tradition is what the magisterium determines is the Tradition
[21/Oct/2003:23:18:36] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh . . . thanks . . . I have a good pastor.
[21/Oct/2003:23:18:41] <Father Phillip> lucky person!
[21/Oct/2003:23:18:44] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:00] <Father Phillip> but that's a somewhat circular argument
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:04] <Father Phillip> burns: (it's you) ; )
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:08] <Father Phillip> blushing
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:11] <Father Phillip> anyway...
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:21] <Father Phillip> burns: A little bit . . . does the magisterium ever change its mind?
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:26] <Father Phillip> yes, actually, it does
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:30] <Father Phillip> BUT
[21/Oct/2003:23:19:49] <Father Phillip> when that happens they dress it up in language that makes it SEEM as though they're not
[21/Oct/2003:23:20:04] <Father Phillip> technically it's called "the development of doctrine"
[21/Oct/2003:23:20:07] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh . . . beautiful.
[21/Oct/2003:23:20:20] <Father Phillip> true -- but it's not all bad, really!
[21/Oct/2003:23:21:02] <Father Phillip> it's the kind of thing that uses the analogy: an acorn is different than an oak tree...but they're really the same thing, blah, blah, blah
[21/Oct/2003:23:21:05] <Father Phillip> burns: When Galileo did the whole earth, sun thing . . . was he seen as rejecting the Tradition?
[21/Oct/2003:23:21:12] <Father Phillip> yes, that's a very good examply
[21/Oct/2003:23:21:19] <Father Phillip> example
[21/Oct/2003:23:21:52] <Father Phillip> and he was condemned (though not killed) for rejecting the Tradition
[21/Oct/2003:23:22:54] <Father Phillip> burns: So, although we believe the magisterium is the teaching authority of the church, we are free to reject its teachings?
[21/Oct/2003:23:22:56] <Father Phillip> no
[21/Oct/2003:23:23:05] <Father Phillip> we're not free to reject its teaching
[21/Oct/2003:23:23:09] <Father Phillip> burns: But they might be wrong?
[21/Oct/2003:23:23:40] <Father Phillip> we believe that God protects the Church in matters of faith and morals when the Church speaks in a definitive way
[21/Oct/2003:23:23:53] <Father Phillip> there are several ways that the Church can speak definitively
[21/Oct/2003:23:24:25] <Father Phillip> but we certainly know that the Church can be wrong -- and has been -- on issues that are not essential to the depositum fidei
[21/Oct/2003:23:24:30] <Father Phillip> burns: So those things spoken by the Pope from the throne of Peter are the only things we really have to hold onto as our Catholic faith?

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Ex Cathedra Papal Statements

[21/Oct/2003:23:24:47] <Father Phillip> we do have to believe papal ex cathedra statements
[21/Oct/2003:23:24:51] <Father Phillip> two of them so far
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:14] <Father Phillip> ever
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:25] <Father Phillip> one in 1854; the other in 1950
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:37] <Father Phillip> burns: Wow . . . were they with regards to Mary?
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:40] <Father Phillip> yepper
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:48] <Father Phillip> 1854 = Immaculate Conception
[21/Oct/2003:23:25:56] <Father Phillip> 1950 = Bodily Assumption
[21/Oct/2003:23:26:17] <Father Phillip> but our consciences are also bound by conciliar de fidei statements
[21/Oct/2003:23:26:49] <Father Phillip> and our consciences by those things which are held by the "consensus fidelium"
[21/Oct/2003:23:26:52] <Father Phillip> burns: Wow . . . I didn't realize ex cathedra statements were such an exclusive club.
[21/Oct/2003:23:26:59] <Father Phillip> about as exclusive as you can get!
[21/Oct/2003:23:27:06] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:23:27:17] <Father Phillip> i'll never make it into that club!
[21/Oct/2003:23:27:28] <Father Phillip> burns: Ha!
 

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Hierarchy of Truths

[21/Oct/2003:23:28:11] <Father Phillip> burns: So these are different levels of statements, and it is clear when they are being made what category they fall into?
[21/Oct/2003:23:28:20] <Father Phillip> there are, indeed, different levels of statements
[21/Oct/2003:23:28:34] <Father Phillip> and it is usually pretty clear when they are made what category they fall into
[21/Oct/2003:23:28:39] <Father Phillip> that's not always the case
[21/Oct/2003:23:28:47] <Father Phillip> but pretty much it's clear-ish

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Marriage and Holy Orders

[21/Oct/2003:23:29:47] <Father Phillip> burns: Does the doctrine of marriage between one man and one woman fall into one of those statement categories?
[21/Oct/2003:23:30:38] <Father Phillip> hummmm...i would guess that most all of the bishops -- who really constitute the magisterium -- would say that marriage between one man and one woman fill into one of those really, really binding categories
[21/Oct/2003:23:31:05] <Father Phillip> since it's a Sacrament and all
[21/Oct/2003:23:31:50] <Father Phillip> burns: Yes. : ) However, was there ever a binding statement that married men could not become priests, ever?
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:03] <Father Phillip> no -- not really
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:25] <Father Phillip> celibacy for priests is looked at as a "disciplinary" issue
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:29] <Father Phillip> burns: But Holy Orders is a Sacrament, too. ; )
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:35] <Father Phillip> you're very right, of course
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:52] <Father Phillip> but there has always been a fact of married clergy
[21/Oct/2003:23:32:56] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh, sorry . . . Devil's Advocate
[21/Oct/2003:23:33:05] <Father Phillip> not at all: Truth's Advocate!
[21/Oct/2003:23:33:06] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:23:33:20] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh . . . I like that better.
[21/Oct/2003:23:33:23] <Father Phillip> me too!
[21/Oct/2003:23:33:34] <Father Phillip> remember that the first Pope was married
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:04] <Father Phillip> so celibacy is not intrinsic to the fabric of holy orders
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:10] <Father Phillip> burns: In Paul's epistles. . . .
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:14] <Father Phillip> burns: (now cut me some leeway here on my Bible skills . . . I'm Catholic)
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:19] <Father Phillip> baaaaaadddddd!
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:22] <Father Phillip> :-)
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:25] <Father Phillip> burns: I believe he has a discourse on the qualities of a good candidate for a Bishop (or something of the like)
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:35] <Father Phillip> burns: heh
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:44] <Father Phillip> burns: He mentions that he should be husband of only one wife.
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:51] <Father Phillip> corretamundo
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:57] <Father Phillip> correctamundo
[21/Oct/2003:23:34:59] <Father Phillip> got it
[21/Oct/2003:23:35:00] <Father Phillip> anyway
[21/Oct/2003:23:35:24] <Father Phillip> actually, it is in one of the pseudo-pauline letters, but you're absolutely right
[21/Oct/2003:23:35:28] <Father Phillip> burns: Now . . . if that were assumed for all Christians . . . why would it be necessary to mention especially for a Bishop?
[21/Oct/2003:23:35:38] <Father Phillip> if what were assumed?
[21/Oct/2003:23:35:43] <Father Phillip> burns: Okay, pseudo-pauline. ; )
[21/Oct/2003:23:36:04] <Father Phillip> burns: That all Christian men should be husband to only one wife.
[21/Oct/2003:23:36:07] <Father Phillip> good point
[21/Oct/2003:23:36:17] <Father Phillip> i'm not sure really
[21/Oct/2003:23:36:55] <Father Phillip> i suspect it has more to do with saying that a bishop ought not to go around marrying lots of women -- even serially
[21/Oct/2003:23:37:01] <Father Phillip> but i'm really not sure
[21/Oct/2003:23:37:11] <Father Phillip> burns: I see. . . .

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Doctrinal Development

[21/Oct/2003:23:37:28] <Father Phillip> burns: When was Matrimony declared a Sacrament?
[21/Oct/2003:23:37:35] <Father Phillip> it was "always" a Sacrament
[21/Oct/2003:23:37:51] <Father Phillip> but i believe that it wasn't until Trent that it was articulated by the Church as such
[21/Oct/2003:23:38:05] <Father Phillip> which would have been in the middle of the 16th century
[21/Oct/2003:23:38:22] <Father Phillip> but that's not to say that it only became a Sacrament at that point
[21/Oct/2003:23:38:25] <Father Phillip> burns: Do we believe there were Sacraments prior to the coming of Christ?
[21/Oct/2003:23:38:30] <Father Phillip> not really
[21/Oct/2003:23:38:59] <Father Phillip> Sacraments are means by which the grace of CHRIST are made present within the community of the Church
[21/Oct/2003:23:39:32] <Father Phillip> so, there were rituals and ceremonies before Christ which God used to communicate divine grace and presence, but they weren't "sacraments" in the technical sense of the word
[21/Oct/2003:23:39:49] <Father Phillip> burns: So then . . . really, there would have been no Sacraments until after the Resurrection of Christ because prior to that, he was physically present
[21/Oct/2003:23:39:54] <Father Phillip> precisely
[21/Oct/2003:23:39:59] <Father Phillip> good theological mind here!
[21/Oct/2003:23:40:16] <Father Phillip> burns: Heh : )
[21/Oct/2003:23:40:57] <Father Phillip> burns: Prior to Christ, plural marriages were accepted. . . .
[21/Oct/2003:23:41:17] <Father Phillip> yes, in the Hebrew Bible there is lots of evidence of something akin to polygamy
[21/Oct/2003:23:42:11] <Father Phillip> if you're interested in a look at marriage in the medieval period, John Boswell wrote an interesting though highly technical book on the subject, with a lot of info on "gay marriages"
[21/Oct/2003:23:42:16] <Father Phillip> burns: Then, at the coming of Christ, when two Baptized members of the Church married one another, the began conferring a Sacrament upon one another.
[21/Oct/2003:23:42:25] <Father Phillip> once again: you're right on the money
[21/Oct/2003:23:42:48] <Father Phillip> burns: John Boswell. I'll write that down.
[21/Oct/2003:23:42:52] <Father Phillip> he was brilliant
[21/Oct/2003:23:43:07] <Father Phillip> died at an early age, tragic loss to the academy
[21/Oct/2003:23:44:23] <Father Phillip> burns: Perhaps I should do some reading on the subject and return with some more educated questions. ; )
[21/Oct/2003:23:44:37] <Father Phillip> perhaps i should go to bed -- since i'm old and tired!
[21/Oct/2003:23:44:46] <Father Phillip> but your questions are EXCELLENT
[21/Oct/2003:23:44:52] <Father Phillip> don't put yourself down!
[21/Oct/2003:23:45:36] <Father Phillip> burns: Thanks! : )
[21/Oct/2003:23:45:40] <Father Phillip> you betcha
[21/Oct/2003:23:45:53] <Father Phillip> burns: And thanks for staying way past the allotted time.
[21/Oct/2003:23:45:56] <Father Phillip> my pleasure
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:00] <Father Phillip> you're a lovely person
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:02] <Father Phillip> take care
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:10] <Father Phillip> burns: Have a really good night. : )
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:13] <Father Phillip> already have!
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:15] <Father Phillip> ciao
[21/Oct/2003:23:46:21] <Father Phillip> burns: Bye.

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