Expert: Sal - 11/4/2010

Question
Catholic questions:  Who is the real virgin?  Mary the mother of Jesus or Virgin Guadalupe of Mexico.  Who forgives your sins, Priest, Pope?  Why are the 10 Commandments different in the Catholic bible compared to a Baptist Bible?  Don't Mormons use the same bible as regular christians do?  Aren't Catholics against birth control even though there is overpopulation in third world countries where they teach?  thanks for your help

Answer
Dear Tony:

Here are brief answers to your questions.

1. Both Mary of the Bible and the Virgin of Guadalupe are the real Virgin. They are the same person. Mary appeared in Guadalupe.

2. Only God forgives sin.

3. The commandments are the same in a Catholic Bible or a Protestant Bible. The Catholic Church and Protestants number them differently.  The Protestant 2nd Commandment is included in the Catholic 1st Commandment. This is because the Protestant 10th Commandment is split into the Catholic 9th & 10th.

4. Mormons use a traditional Bible, but they also use the Book of Mormon which they believe is just as inspired as the Bible.

5. The Catholic Church teaches that God’s law for reproduction does not allow for artificial birth control. Natural birth control such as Natural Family Planning does not violate God’s law.

Thanks for the questions.

Sal