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Catholics/Questions Answered by Expert Edward Bode
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Latin Vulgate OT | 1/12/2012 |
| Q: What source text did Jerome use for his Latin Vulgate? Thanks. A: Basically, Jerome used Hebrew, Greek, and Latin texts in his "Vulgate" [a Middle Age term] begun in ... | |
| Meatless Fridays | 12/6/2011 |
| Q: Why is fish not considered "fleshmeat"? A: In the Catholic Church, for penitential purposes the usual distinction is between fleshmeat [animal] ... | |
| Immaculate conception | 11/30/2011 |
| Q: Ineffabilis Deus condemns "a distinction between the first and second instance of conception and ... A: I have no more information to add. However, Do the writings of Alexander or Pius reflect any ... | |
| Immaculate conception | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: Ineffabilis Deus condemns "a distinction between the first and second instance of conception and ... A: My grammatical analysis of the Latin wording by Alexander, "her soul in the first instant of ... | |
| 1007 | 11/19/2011 |
| Q: im getting 1007 on my watch most times i look nat it what is that A: I really do not know, Jason. Could it be a reference to October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the ... | |
| Vatican II -Documents | 9/24/2011 |
| Q: I request your help regarding the documents of Vatican II. Can you please help me by pointing out ... A: In LG, I especialy like chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8. 1 and 6 are paramount. IN GS, check part 1, ... | |
| Religious Spirituality | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: What is Religious Spirituality based on the teachings of Vatican II documents? A: Sister, all that I know is what the Council wrote in its Decree on the Renewal of Religious Life ... | |
| The Book of Proverbs | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: Given these verses: = BIBLOS:AKJV:MATTHEW04[4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not ... A: I was not aware of the preacher. God's inspired word teaches infallibly and inerrantly. He is ... | |
| The Book of Proverbs | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: Given these verses: = BIBLOS:AKJV:MATTHEW04[4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not ... A: Two basic rules of interpreting scripture: Determine the literary genre [the type of writing, of ... | |
| Book of Job | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: Could you comment on this thought from the book of Job. = (1) God Knowingly shows pride in Job, in ... A: I am not sure what you want me to say in reply. Most commentators see the climax of Job in chapters ... | |
| Book of Job | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: Could you comment on this thought from the book of Job. = (1) God Knowingly shows pride in Job, in ... A: Shawn, I am not an expert on the Book of Job; so, I cannot really provide appropriate answers to ... | |
| bible | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: How does one take care of something like the Bible? A: I am not sure what you mean. If you are referring to physical care -- take care of the bible [God's ... | |
| Haley Waldman / Eucharist | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for an explanation of how the communion wafer could hurt anyone if transubstantiation ... A: The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1373-1377, 1413 [available at ... | |
| Haley Waldman / Eucharist | 9/1/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for an explanation of how the communion wafer could hurt anyone if transubstantiation ... A: I am not familiar with Waldman. Theologically, the substance of the bread and the wine are changed ... | |
| what does it mean to be human? | 8/11/2011 |
| Q: What do Catholics believe it means to be Human and what doctrine founds this belief? Is human ... A: Humanity is described as made in God's image at the beginning of Genesis, where God is depicted as ... | |
| bible | 7/20/2011 |
| Q: How does one protect/preserved/archived the Bible in heaven? ANSWER: In Heaven, the blessed see God ... A: I do not know what something better might be. Theologians talk about secondary objects of the ... | |
| bible | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: How does one protect/preserved/archived the Bible in heaven? ANSWER: In Heaven, the blessed see God ... A: Henry, I am not sure what you mean by "convert to something else or what." Would you please explain? ... | |
| bible | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: How does one protect/preserved/archived the Bible in heaven? A: In Heaven, the blessed see God face to face, as St. Paul put it. So, I do not think that there is a ... | |
| Bible | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: How does one reprint the Bible? How is the original copy preserved so well? A: There is no one original copy of the bible. Rather, there are manuscripts of individual books in ... | |
| Transfiguration just a vision? | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: I was having a conversation with one of my JW friends and the topic of praying to the dead came up. ... A: 2 Maccabees is a good place to start -- BC and Jewish. Also, recall the encounters of Jesus with ... | |
| Transfiguration just a vision? | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I was having a conversation with one of my JW friends and the topic of praying to the dead came up. ... A: Horama comes from the basic verb [horao] which means to see; there are many nuances in the varied ... | |
| Bible | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: Why the greatest knowledge stores in some book (Bible)? ANSWER: St. Augustine [4th century AD] ... A: If God has chosen to record His word in written form, then He will take care through His providence ... | |
| Bible | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: Why the greatest knowledge stores in some book (Bible)? A: St. Augustine [4th century AD] commented that the bible teaches us the way to go to Heaven. A loving ... | |
| Need some information on nuns | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: I am a writer from India and wanted to know information about nuns and Convents. I am a convent ... A: Nuns devote their lives to prayer and to work. Each of these two major efforts vary greatly in ... | |
| Need some information on nuns | 6/5/2011 |
| Q: I am a writer from India and wanted to know information about nuns and Convents. I am a convent ... A: Nice to hear from India. Thanks, Prity. I cannot speak to the particular instances of nuns in ... | |
| Methodist??? | 4/28/2011 |
| Q: I heard at a catholic retreat the other day that the United Methodist Church and the RCC are more ... A: Vatican Council II allows people baptized into Christ to be called Christians. However, as we ... | |
| Methodist??? | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: I heard at a catholic retreat the other day that the United Methodist Church and the RCC are more ... A: As you know, Shawn, the Church is one and apostolic -- as well as holy and universal. The Second ... | |
| divinity of Christ | 4/24/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to show my Jehovah's Witness friend that Jesus is God. What is the best scriptural ... A: I do not know the JW NT. However, there are interrelated arguments from the NT that testify that ... | |
| saints/angels | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: Something happened to my family and I just two days ago and I wanted to know your whole take on the ... A: Lilly, I do not know how to give you an answer. Given what happened, it is fortunate that no ... | |
| broken religious items | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: I've been praying to stay in cancer remission and yesterday my rosary beads broke in half. Today, I ... A: I would not read anything into the 2 events that you mention. Keep on praying to our Blessed Virgin ... | |
| Bible | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: How does one know that the Christian bible is divinely inspired or endorsed? What is the basis of ... A: In the New Testament, several passages assert that scripture was inspired by God, for example, 2 Tim ... | |
| Judgement of Sins | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I don't really understand being punished by God for sins vs. forgiveness of sins by Christ. I was ... A: You are correct that "it's written on our hearts." The famous St. Augustine [4th century AD]wrote ... | |
| Lent | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: What are you supposed to do on lent? I have start late.What are diet rules and spiritual ones? A: Lent is a time of preparation for the Easter celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. ... | |
| word | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: Ave Maria! Why do we call the Pope Papa but the priests Pater? What is the differnece between these ... A: Helig Maria, ber för oss. Papa is Italian for Pope; the accent is on the first syllable [pápa]. The ... | |
| Sex | 3/9/2011 |
| Q: First of all I wanna know if masturbation is a sin. Not to get away from a problem but just for ... A: Good that you are intent upon doing what is morally right. I am not a moral theologian. So, I refer ... | |
| AA | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: I am a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. What I am wondering is this: In AA we are taught that ... A: Nice to know, Pete, that you are succeeding with God's graces to recover from your addictions. I do ... | |
| Justice | 2/10/2011 |
| Q: Throughout the bible we hear of God killing off groups of people because they didn't follow his ... A: Two thoughts are relevant: 1 -- New Testament brought to a conclusion the gradual revelation of God. ... | |
| bad words | 2/2/2011 |
| Q: Ave Maria! I have heard that it is evil to say the word Hey since in the bible a man said it who was ... A: Second thoughts: The Hebrew word "HE" means "behold". The Greek "he" is a form of the definite ... | |
| Celebrating Church Holy Days | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: Gal.4:10-11"You observe days and months and seasons and years...I have labored for you in vain." ... A: No. The context of the passage is that Paul is reprimanding the Christians who want to revert to ... | |
| Authority? | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: [[[We recognize the validity of authoritative interpretations of the teaching of Jesus as ... A: John speaks about the good Shepherd in a parable [10:1ff] and as a personal mission [21:15-19,25]-- ... | |
| Authority? | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: [[[We recognize the validity of authoritative interpretations of the teaching of Jesus as ... A: I am aware of your citations but do not agree with your interpretation. The sayings of Matthew [16: ... | |
| Authority? | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: [[[We recognize the validity of authoritative interpretations of the teaching of Jesus as ... A: That the teaching authority concerning the authentic interpretation of of God's oral and written ... | |
| Mary? | 1/28/2011 |
| Q: "Why is it, that catholicism places so much honour on Mary? Considering Jesus said this about His ... A: Most lilely, we will not agree on the meaning of scripture. I have given you my best thoughts on ... | |
| Mary? | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: "Why is it, that catholicism places so much honour on Mary? Considering Jesus said this about His ... A: My reference to John did not imply that Jesus' words during his public life had no meaning before ... | |
| Mary? | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: "Why is it, that catholicism places so much honour on Mary? Considering Jesus said this about His ... A: To understand what the bible says concerning a topic, one needs to look at all relevant texts. ... | |
| Self Study Program | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: Good Afternoon, One of my long term goals is to get a PH.D in Biblical Theology from a Catholic ... A: I am not sure at what level you consider yourself to be in regard to reading material. If you would ... | |
| In the beginning... | 12/26/2010 |
| Q: If we claim that the Judeo-Christianity as being true, how do we explain religions that predate it? ... A: The first or oldest is not necessarily the best. Two modern examples: the Model T and the first ... | |
| Apostles with power to forgive sins | 12/25/2010 |
| Q: "The bible is clear on Jesus' imparting to the apostles the power to forgive sins." Those are your ... A: You are correct [Mt 1:22, Mk 2:5 ff] that only God [and the divine Jesus]can forgive sins, which are ... | |
| The king james vs. latin vulagte | 12/25/2010 |
| Q: I was googleing something and came across a question someone asked and I saw your name by it. They ... A: The most recent critical edition of the Vulgate for Mt 3:2 is, as you state, "paenitentiam agite." ... | |
| abortion question | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: This was taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia..what does this mean? In regards to when an abortion ... A: I am not a moral theologian and do not answer practical moral questions. However, I can provide ... | |
| redeemer | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: Edward, I saw a speaker on EWTN the catholic network. I thought I heard this person refer to ... A: What the speaker may have said is that Jesus is the Redeemer, and Mary is referred to a ... | |
| Salvation, Repenting for sin, prayer..... | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: If you pray to God instead of Jesus when you are completely lost, (I was involved in drugs, ... A: Lisa, that you are praying is a worthy step toward attaining forgiveness of sins. The "hell" felt ... | |
| Is it valid? | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: A friend of mine and I have been investigating the intentions of some of our priests in our area ... A: From what you have said, Martin, I offer these thoughts: The pastor's words to you could have been ... | |
| Seminaries and Pontifical Universities in Rome | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: Can you make any suggestions about seminaries and pontifical universities in Rome. I am 37, an EU ... A: The Gregorian [Jesuits]and the Angelicum were the two usual universities for secular seminarians. ... | |
| Seminaries and Pontifical Universities in Rome | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: Can you make any suggestions about seminaries and pontifical universities in Rome. I am 37, an EU ... A: Nice to hear of your plans, Fred. Best wishes for your studies and ordination. You should be able ... | |
| eternal covenant for personal salvation | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: Could you answer me how does an understanding of the eternal covenant encourage one’s faith in ... A: Your question, Nicole, came in the Catholic category. However, I am not aware of the idea of the ... | |
| Evil | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: Would you mind taking the time to answer some of my questions? I am worried that some paths that I ... A: Nice that you want to find God. I am not a moral theologian but can offer a few thoughts about your ... | |
| The existance of evil and suffering in the world | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: 1.Do you believe that the concept of evil stems from sin , free will and the refusal to live by ... A: A complete answer to your questions would require a lengthy treatise, beyond the scope of this ... | |
| dogmas | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: Pax et bonum! I have understood that the roman catholic church had no dogmas in the beginning but it ... A: Tack! In the usual meaning of a dogma [a truth revealed by God], the Catholic Church began with the ... | |
| Confirmation/Baptism | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: ) So, it's confirmation year, and it's my time :) My dad was Lutheran and my mom was Catholic ... A: Nice that you are proceeding with your membership in the Catholic Church. Before Confirmation, your ... | |
| Mary apparitions | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: Are there records in church history where the church had concluded that some appartions of Mary ... A: I am aware that many reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been dismissed by Church ... | |
| miracles | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: It is stated in bible that the granting of miracles was given by God only to the 12 apostles that ... A: I am not sure to which biblical passage[s] you refer in saying that miracles are only for the 12 ... | |
| scripture questions | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: I've been reading the Bible and have a couple questions about what seem like discrepancies. In ... A: In Galations, Paul is arguing against those who want to rely on Jewish practices [the law] rather on ... | |
| How can I KNOW that the Catholic church is the true religion? | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: How can I KNOW that the Catholic church is the true religion? thanks, laura A: The Catholic Church has long proclaimed its claim to be the repository of the true and complete ... | |
| Pope and papal infallibility | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: Edward: First of all, thanks for offering your time to answer my question. A long time ago ... A: Ola, Alvaro! The dogma of papal infallibility refers to the teaching [not the practice or action] of ... | |
| Cathlic interpretation of the Bible. | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: I have done a lot of research on the way catholics interpret the bible. Is it true that catholics ... A: The bible is a library of sacred writings. The New Testament contains the final and definitive ... | |
| indulgences | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: I'm a passionate Catholic and am pretty good with apologetics but was wondering if you could provide ... A: The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1471-1479, deals with indulgences. The Catechism ... | |
| the unforgivible sin | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: there wer times in the past where i have met crazy christians and they wer just obsessed with ... A: The difficult gospel saying [Mt 12:31] about the unforgivable sin of "blaspheming [reviling] the ... | |
| questions about scapular | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know about the carmelite scapular is that true who wears the scapular won't suffer ... A: You are correct that the official [holy scripture and divine tradition] teaching of the Catholic ... | |
| Christian Values | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: Bode, I was wondering about Christian values. One hears frequently about Judeo-Christian values. ... A: That Jesus was truly God appears clearly in John -- for example, 1:1,14. The task of understanding ... | |
| Christian Values | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: Bode, I was wondering about Christian values. One hears frequently about Judeo-Christian values. ... A: One would expect that Jesus, in the line of Jewish prophet-wiseman would use the basic values of the ... | |
| Parables/Passages/Verse for scene in Screenplay | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: Hey Edward, I was hoping you could help me with a scene I'm writing. Brief background, I'm a repped ... A: Alex. I believe that the priest is not using the false idea that any means justifies the end. I ... | |
| Prodigal son or being punished for sin? | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: I've been struggling for some time now with what to take literal because God seems so angry in the ... A: I hope that you find the book helpful. Human difficulty with understanding the attributes of God ... | |
| Holy Spirit | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I was just wondering if the term, "holy spirit" is unique to Christianity, or if it has other ... A: James, as far as I know, the application of Holy Spirit to a Person of the Godhead comes from ... | |
| What to take literal | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I've been struggling for some time now with what to take literal because God seems so angry in the ... A: The OT library contains many literary types -- historical accounts, poetry, parables, prayers, etc. ... | |
| What to take literal | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I've been struggling for some time now with what to take literal because God seems so angry in the ... A: Maria, you correctly recognize that the New Testament places great emphasis on the positive aspects ... | |
| Pre-Marital Sex | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I was recently asked by someone why it is a sin to have sex before marriage. While I know its a sin ... A: In the New Testament, Paul speaks against fornication in these texts: 1 Cor 6:13-18, 7:2-9, 10:8 ... | |
| Idol Worship | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: God forbidden idol worship and other gods and angel worship. But Catholics are worship not only God, ... A: Catholics worship One God in three Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit [the Trinity]. The Son became ... | |
| Revelation | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: What is the formal teaching of the Catholic denomination on the symbols in Revelation 17 of the ... A: I do think that Jerusalem, but Rome, is the enemy in Rev. -- beast, dragon, and whore. I forgot to ... | |
| The Trinity | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: Bode. I'm not clear about the Trinity. Three persons but still one God? How is that not ... A: From natural reasoning, we know there can only be one supreme Being [divine nature], whom we call ... | |
| Confessing to a Lay Person | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I realize that under 99% of the time confession is between a Catholic person and his or her cleric. ... A: The answer to your question is: No. However, there is a realistic solution: perfect contrition. ... | |
| Major Differences of Catholic and Protestant Teaching | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a lot of questions regarding Catholicism and I'm grateful for the opportunity to ask someone ... A: I appreciate your seeking to undestand better what the Catholic Church teaches. While there are many ... | |
| EVOLUTION AND GENESIS | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a theologicalFor Christians, Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant, who accept as valid the ... A: That our universe is billions of years old does not militate against divine revelation. When ... | |
| Theology | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know how a Roman Catholic individual is designated as a "theologian" and by whom. ... A: Within the Church, some universities have the right [granted by the Holy See] to grant a theological ... | |
| Tithing | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: In regards to tithing, is it the churches teaching to tithe 10% of your gross income or 10% of take ... A: The practice of tithing comes from the Old Testament. For a recent interpretation by the American ... | |
| return of Jesus | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: When Jesus returns is that the final judgement? What happens? does the world end then or does the ... A: With the return of Jesus [parousia] come the general judgment and resurrection; purgatory will end. ... | |
| KJV | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: Was KJV a translation from the Latin Vulgata? ANSWER: KJV came from Greek manuscripts available ... A: There were many Greek manuscripts known in the 16th century. Many came from the Byzantine ... | |
| Slavery | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: How is slavery addressed in Scripture as to being humane/inhumane? A: In the New Testament, Paul deals with the defacto situation of slavery, which in the Roman empire ... | |
| King James Bible | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: What are some of the flaws in KJV Bible? A: When the translators of the KJB worked, many important ancient manuscripts and scrolls of the bible ... | |
| Jesus fish | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: what does the Jesus fish represent? A: If one takes the letters of the Greek word for fish, i-ch-th-u-s, and uses them as the first letter ... | |
| What is grace? | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: Could you please tell me : (1) What the church defines as "Grace"? (2) What grace mean in day to ... A: For a more complete look at justification, grace and merit, please check all the relevant paragraphs ... | |
| What is grace? | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: Could you please tell me : (1) What the church defines as "Grace"? (2) What grace mean in day to ... A: There are two main types of grace: Sanctifying [habitual] -- The justified people share in the ... | |
| Communion | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: With my retirement, I have become very interested in Medieval church history-say 600-1500, currently ... A: For many centuries from mediaeval times in the Latin Rite, the practice of the laity receiving Holy ... | |
| Marriage annullment | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: Raised in the Episcopal Church, I went through the RCIA program 17 years ago and today I continue to ... A: I am not a moral theologian. However, from the facts that you related: as a Catholic, you need to ... | |
| eternal damnation | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: Is a person who has never heard about Christ doomed to eternal damnation? If so, what does that say ... A: God wills that all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. See 1 Tim 2:4. So, ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: 1. What is Eternal Happiness and How do I obtain it? 2. How reliable is expert opinion from 0 to ... A: Christianity teaches that perfect and everlasting happiness after death [heaven]comes from doing the ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: 1. What is Eternal Happiness and How do I obtain it? 2. How reliable is expert opinion from 0 to ... A: 1. I have sent two answers on this question -- Do the will of God and observe his commandments. 2. ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: 1, What are the rankings of Gods and practically everything else? 2. What are the all the name of ... A: Concerning Christianity: God wills that we know, love, and obey Him in this life and share His life ... | |
| Revelations 21:4-5 | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: How can torment in Hell be eternal when in the world to come there "shall be no more pain?" ANSWER: ... A: Lamentatiions deals with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, not with divine punishment after ... | |
| Revelations 21:4-5 | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: How can torment in Hell be eternal when in the world to come there "shall be no more pain?" A: The verses to which you refer belong to the wider context of the final judgment [20:11ff]. The new ... | |
| Gaming in Bible | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: Many nonprofit organizations including churches use some benign form of gaming (Bingo, raffles, ... A: I know of no biblical verse that approaches the issue of gambling for charity. I do not think that ... | |
| reincarnation | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I truly believe in Jesus and the Holy spirit and God and i have been raised Catholic. I am just ... A: Reincarnation does not agree with the basic Christian doctrine that each person is responsible ... | |
| The boundaries of faith | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: Ever since I was a child I was taught Bible stories and loved them. Even though they made little ... A: Again, Augustine: Our hearts were made for Thee O Lord and they are restless til they rest in Thee. ... | |
| The boundaries of faith | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: Ever since I was a child I was taught Bible stories and loved them. Even though they made little ... A: The latest is not always the best. Collins' book is a very substantial study that deals with the ... | |
| The boundaries of faith | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: Ever since I was a child I was taught Bible stories and loved them. Even though they made little ... A: I cannot speak for the mind of Ray Brown, now deceased. Nor can I pole the current Catholic clergy ... | |
| Practices of Catholics | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I'd like to hear directly from a Catholic WHY your church focuses more on the worship & praise of ... A: Robyn, nice of you to ask a question about the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus. In the fifth century, ... | |
| intertestamental writings | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to locate a couple of verses from the Testament of Issachar, namely: 5:2 and 7:6; and ... A: RH Charles, The Apocrapha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Vol. 2[Clarendon: Oxford, 1913], ... | |
| Family Tree - Scriptural Basis | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know if you know if the Family Tree Masses / Generational healing have any basis in ... A: I am not familiar with the type of Mass intentions about which you ask. Not knowing the exact ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Church | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: Why did the one Christian Church divide into the Catholic and Orthodox church ANSWER: In the 11th ... A: "Filioque" [Latin: and the Son] refers to a phrase in a statement of belief [creed] that within the ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Church | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: Why did the one Christian Church divide into the Catholic and Orthodox church A: In the 11th century, the Patriarch of Constantinople was involved in a controversy over authority in ... | |
| Transubstantiation | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: I was in a debate recently with my Father over transubstantiation. He recently sent me an email ... A: The promise in John 6:36 does refer to the Eucharist -- who eats and drinks will never need another ... | |
| Conscience, Infallibility, and Heresy | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I'd be very grateful if you could either answer my questions or refer me to an intelligent ... A: Dr. Hadley, for taking the time to write. Infallibility refers to the dogmas of faith and morals ... | |
| Tubal ligation | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: I'm a 25 year old woman, married in the catholic church with two daughters. Last July I had a ... A: Christina, I am sorry to learn of your distressing medical issues. I did remember you and your ... | |
| Marriage | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: What exactly happens to a Catholic when he marries a Protestant in a Protestant ceremony? Is he ... A: If a Catholic marries a Protestant in a Protestant ceremony, in the general law of the Church that ... | |
| Cremation | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: My dad a non catholic was cremated and his wishes were for his ashes to be scattered by airplane ... A: I think that you are saying that you carried out the scattering of your father's ashes many years ... | |
| dream of latin phrase | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: i had a weird dream and need a little help. first off, i am not catholic or really very religious. ... A: I do not know how you may have come in contact with the words, which do have a meaning IF they are ... | |
| Original Sin and Dualism | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: My question is this: According to Catholic theology/doctrine, is it better to characterize Original ... A: Original sin basically involves persons lacking sanctifying grace [that God had given to Adam]. As ... | |
| Are we really in gods image? | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: People around the world differ due to the environment they were placed in be it asian, black, tall, ... A: My original answer: The reference to mankind in the image and likeness of God in Genesis 1:26 ... | |
| dream of latin phrase | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: i had a weird dream and need a little help. first off, i am not catholic or really very religious. ... A: adeo -- I go redeo -- I return donatus -- a past participle [masculine singular]: given, bestowed, ... | |
| angels | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I have read that we have a guardian angel. Why are they titled "guardian" It can't be for physical ... A: Guardian refers to care and intercession. I think that the primary focus is spiritual -- guardians ... | |
| new americn vs douay rheims | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: Why do we use the new american verison when it more resembles the king james ver., instead of the ... A: I do not think that the NAB is more like the KJ than the DR. Pope Pius XII asked that current ... | |
| 1 Cor 7:14 Interpretation. | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I am a Orthodox, and I am in debate with a Catholic on 1 Cor 7:14. According to this Catholic, 1 Cor ... A: There are three main historic opinions about the interpretation of sancitification in the verse: [1] ... | |
| remarriage | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: I am a divorced Catholic. I remarried a divorced Lutheran. I have experienced much conflict and ... A: I pray that you may have the grace to find a solution to your situtation that would reunite you with ... | |
| Concern | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: I am an interpreter with the USA army overseas. I may stay here from one to five years. I am ... A: When I said that I did not understand what the question was, I thought that I would have the ... | |
| Aramaic | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you were aware of any online word translators that will translate back and forth ... A: There are translations of the Aramaic torah and prophets. There are dictionaries also. You can do ... | |
| After death | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: When we die why do we reunite with our body and soul? Why not no just as in the spirit. ANSWER: ... A: Since God is a spirit, the reference to humanity as an image after a likeness [Genesis 1:26] does ... | |
| After death | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: When we die why do we reunite with our body and soul? Why not no just as in the spirit. A: Death separates the soul from the body. The immortal soul continues to live. Reunion with the body ... | |
| Question | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a question, to be clear, not from a legal perspective but strictly your opinion and thoughts ... A: I do not have any scientific research information. However, in Genesis, when Adam wanted a ... | |
| Question | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a question, to be clear, not from a legal perspective but strictly your opinion and thoughts ... A: Scripture from the beginning [Genesis] to the later books of the New Testament [especially Pauline ... | |
| Marriage in Peru | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: My first marriage was a civil wedding. I am marrying my Peruvian fiance in Peru in a traditional ... A: You need to communicate officially with detailed information about your previous marriage and ... | |
| Holy Water | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me who started the practice of Holy Water? when? Why? thanks A: Here is the article on Holy Water Fonts that appeared in the old Catholic Encylopedia: Vessels ... | |
| Unity of the Church, capital C. | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: Are Protestants and Orthodox Christians excluded from Christ's Universal Church on Earth? Or do you ... A: The Second Vatican Council spoke to membership in the Church [founded by Jesus Christ]. The council ... | |
| infant baptism | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: My 2 1/2 year old son is being baptized against my will. I'm an atheist and my wife was raised ... A: I am a theologian. So, allow me to explain the theoligical importance of Baptism. For ... | |
| the books of the bible | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: Can you explain why each gospel writer has such a different view of jesus and tell different ... A: Scholars have studied the "discordant concordance" of the gospels for many centuries. The root ... | |
| Lent | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I heard that if you are over 59 years of age you can still eat meat on Fridays during ... A: I am not a moral theologian. However, the general rule on abstinence is that it applies to all ... | |
| psalm 91 soldiers death | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: I saw that a soldier died on 8/05 and was praying psalm 91 on daily. I truely believe in the ... A: This psalm of trust with ocnluding verses of salvation is a favorite. I do not and cannot enter the ... | |
| (Col 1-24) | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: I don't understand how there is lacking in Christ's suffering. Wasn't his sacrifice perfect? ... A: I appreciate your developing an analogy to illustrate the doctrine of the Eucharist and the Mass. ... | |
| (Col 1-24) | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I don't understand how there is lacking in Christ's suffering. Wasn't his sacrifice perfect? A: Christ's sacrifice was perfect. However, it has to be applied to us and received by us. We do that ... | |
| One Baptism | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: What exactly does it mean in the Nicene Creed when we say we believe in "one baptism for the ... A: The Creed dates from the fourth century -- before the Ortodox separated from the Church headed by ... | |
| Conversion of Jews | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: Here is my question again. Just to clarify - I know of course that as per Vatican II it is possible ... A: Charles, for writing again. I have had time to do some research. I was unable to find the original ... | |
| Conversion of Jews | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: In the TV program 'Children of Abraham'... http://tinyurl.com/4fz4ze ...broadcast in the UK a few ... A: I recall seeing something about conversion of Jews recently. However, I cannot find that material ... | |
| Satan | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in ... A: This passage from Revelation is a true literary and figurative presentation of the final victory of ... | |
| Wondering | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: I have been a catholic for the first 12 years of my life I went to ccd. I got my confirmation and ... A: While there is life, there is hope. The Sacrament of Reconciliation [Penance; Confession] is always ... | |
| transsubstantion | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: Any explanatory comments about transsubstantiation would be appreciated. WIKI Encyclopedia contains ... A: Sounds OK to me. The Council of Trent [16th century] explained transsubstantiation in these words: ... | |
| Aux voir! | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: Mr. Bode...Nice talking at ya! PS. We need to learn more about the Second Council of ... A: Jiminy, I am not a historian of the councils. Constantinople II has been accepted as an ecumenical ... | |
| Reincarnation/Buddhist Theology | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: Back a ways Edward Bode (I think) was talking to someone ("Luke"?) and said there is no reference in ... A: Please excuse me for misspelling, Jiminy. I am at a loss as to how to respond to your concerns. I ... | |
| Reincarnation/Buddhist Theology | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: Back a ways Edward Bode (I think) was talking to someone ("Luke"?) and said there is no reference in ... A: In Jn 9;1, I see no reference to reincarnation but rather a belief that the sins of parents could ... | |
| Reincarnation/Buddhist Theology | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: Back a ways Edward Bode (I think) was talking to someone ("Luke"?) and said there is no reference in ... A: In Jn 9;1, I see no reference to reincarnation but rather a belief that the sins of parents could ... | |
| Heaven | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: Can non Catholics especially non Christians enter heaven? A: Who enters heaven, supernatural and eternal perfect happiness? First, we leave to the just and ... | |
| what do you think? | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: Jesus says he came to fulfill the law, but he says to turn the other cheek instead of doing it eye ... A: In Mt 5, Jesus summarizes His relationship to the [old]Law with a series of before and now. Some of ... | |
| baptism by fire | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: when I married my husband he was Catholic and I was not. I was given literature to learn about the ... A: Your thought is very interesting but one that I have never heard. If the reason for the fire is for ... | |
| baptism by fire | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: when I married my husband he was Catholic and I was not. I was given literature to learn about the ... A: No Catholic teaching says that a person who dies in a fire goes to heaven in virtue of a baptism by ... | |
| Is it true? | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: Is it true that Lucifer once controlled Earth and that God had given it to him to preside over? A: No. Satan [Lucifer]tries through lies and seduction and deceit to lead humans away from the path of ... | |
| unclean spirit | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: I came across such a passage today: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders ... A: I did not mean that Mt or Lk made a mistake or taught an error -- the one God who inspired all ... | |
| unclean spirit | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: I came across such a passage today: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders ... A: I am not sure that the Mt/Lk passage clearly indicates that the man did in fact replace the "junk" ... | |
| unclean spirit | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I came across such a passage today: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders ... A: Nice that you took the time to delve into your concern. The short answer: When you clean out the ... | |
| Emmanuel | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: When it was announced to Mary that she was to be the MOther of Jesus, I recall that the angel said ... A: Emmanuel [God with us, which Matthew uses in a quotation from Isaiah] expresses the idea of what ... | |
| Sabbath | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: When in history did the Catholic Church change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week, as ... A: The book of Acts reflects the practice of the first followers of Jesus gathering on the first day of ... | |
| THE SOUL , AFTER DEATH | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: LET ME BE DIRECT........... WHEN YOU DIE , WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS AS TO YOUR SOUL......? ARE WE ... A: The official teaching of the Catholic Church is: Each person "receives his eternal retribution in ... | |
| Scripture | 1/24/2008 |
| Q: Is the Old Testament based on myth? I attended a class on Evolution and the Bible and the priest ... A: From what you have said, Sue, I think that several observations are in order: 1 - The OT and the NT ... | |
| validity of messiah | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: the old testament specifies that the messiah would be a direct blood descendent of david on his ... A: If you would give me the biblical reference to the Exodus passage to which you refer, I would be ... | |
| validity of messiah | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: the old testament specifies that the messiah would be a direct blood descendent of david on his ... A: I do not know the detailed criteria of what you report about lineage in Judaism. Is this ... | |
| validity of messiah | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: the old testament specifies that the messiah would be a direct blood descendent of david on his ... A: Matthew calls Jesus "son of David" and "Son of God." Matthew had to have thought that the two ... | |
| reincarnation | 12/7/2007 |
| Q: What is your own point of view on reincarnation, and what does the Church say about it? Thank You ... A: The [official]Catechism, published by the Vatican in 1997 is a compendium of Catholic teaching based ... | |
| reincarnation | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: What is your own point of view on reincarnation, and what does the Church say about it? Thank You ... A: I do not know how to persuade a non-Christian concerning the truths of Christian revelation. ... | |
| reincarnation | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: What is your own point of view on reincarnation, and what does the Church say about it? Thank You A: My position is the same as that of the Church: reincarnation is the antithesis of Chritianity. The ... | |
| SDA? | 11/10/2007 |
| Q: Any way I`m part of Seventh Day Adventist and I can't stop wondering why you guys do some of the ... A: Magdiel, for trusting that I would provide a polite answer. Jesus respected the teachings of the Old ... | |
| EXISTENCE OF ADAM | 10/20/2007 |
| Q: do you believe that Adam is a symbolic character or a factual character ?Many christian churches ... A: Science has not proven a contradiction to the existence of a first man and a first woman. Possibly, ... | |
| EXISTENCE OF ADAM | 10/16/2007 |
| Q: do you believe that Adam is a symbolic character or a factual character ?Many christian churches ... A: The real existence of the/a first man [Adam] is based on the revelation of God in scripture. See ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox relation | 10/13/2007 |
| Q: Can you please explain the relationship of the Catholic Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church? It ... A: I complement you for seeking to match candidates with Catholic teaching. May I suggest that ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox relation | 10/6/2007 |
| Q: Can you please explain the relationship of the Catholic Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church? It ... A: In the 11th century, many of the Catholics in eastern Europe and the Near East separated themselves ... | |
| Purgatory/Reincarnation??? | 9/27/2007 |
| Q: Is it possible that purgatory and reincarnation are one in the same? I do believe that the human ... A: Reincarnation contradicts the basic Christian belief that this one life that we experience is the ... | |
| Marriage | 9/17/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for some advice from someone who is a good Catholic and follows all the Church ... A: Lisa, I commend you for seeing your Catholicism as an important factor for a happy and blessed ... | |
| Marriage | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: I'm very thankful for the opportunity to ask you a question which is of a very high importance to ... A: Marina, for taking the time to write. Although I cannot provide a complete answer to your quandry, ... | |
| Purgatory | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: Do Catholics belive that everybody will pass through Purgatory when they die? Or is it only baptised ... A: Catholic teaching does not say that all persons will pass through purgatory before attaining the ... | |
| LORD/Tetragammon | 8/5/2007 |
| Q: Can you clarify LORD, Lord, Yahweh, Elohim? As I understand it, the original text has YHWH. This ... A: In Hebrew: the word elohim is a general word for God or any god. YHWH are the four letters that ... | |
| a | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: Yesterday, I went to a youth oriented church service. It was a service for college aged people and ... A: Chris, I have been thinking about your question but am not sure how to answer. Rather than saying I ... | |
| Annulments | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: My brother was asking me recently if someone is married in a non-Catholic Church and then divorces ... A: Catholics, they alone, are required to enter marriage in accord with the rules of the Catholic ... | |
| how can catholicism be right | 7/1/2007 |
| Q: I have recently been saved (a born again Christian) since the 30th January when i accepted Christ as ... A: I apologize for giving you an outdated website. I just checked to get the current site: ... | |
| how can catholicism be right | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I have recently been saved (a born again Christian) since the 30th January when i accepted Christ as ... A: Nice of you, John, to seek explanations of Catholic beliefs and practices. Purgatory: Two passages ... | |
| Question about religion | 6/17/2007 |
| Q: What is armageddon and the day of reckoning? Are they mentioned anywhere in the bible besides ... A: The meaning of the Rev passage seems clear: in the struggle between light/good and darkness/evil, ... | |
| Mary the mother of Jesus | 5/19/2007 |
| Q: When did Mary begin to take hold of he church Why does she appear to have such a high profile and ... A: I am not sure that counting icons would determine the role of Peter and Mary in the Church. The ... | |
| Disposal of amputated body parts | 5/19/2007 |
| Q: If a person has an amputation, what is the Catholic Churches teaching on how it should be disposed? A: I do not know the answer to your question and have not been able to track down a resource. My best ... | |
| Mary the mother of Jesus | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: When did Mary begin to take hold of he church Why does she appear to have such a high profile and ... A: I do not think that Mary has "taken hold" of the Catholic church. She has received great veneration ... | |
| Homosexuality | 4/22/2007 |
| Q: I notice in many Catholic documents about homosexuality that the term "homosexual inclination" and ... A: I really do not know what these other-than-Catholic groups might mean by "orientation." I do not ... | |
| buddhism/christianity | 4/22/2007 |
| Q: Edward! I don't know if you can answer this question but maybe you can. I've been reading about Zen ... A: I am not a student of Buddhism. The Catholic faith since the time of the apostles has emphasized ... | |
| buddhism/christianity | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: Edward! I don't know if you can answer this question but maybe you can. I've been reading about Zen ... A: The Council of Vatican II in its decree on non-Christian religions, commented that the Church does ... | |
| talkin with Lord | 4/9/2007 |
| Q: Hy Edward! Im Christian and i strongly beleve in God and Jesus Christ.. I was surfing on the ... A: All humans are descendants of Adam and Eve [a first set of parents]. Paul talks about this in ... | |
| Bishops | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: I have been reading my bible lately and am questioned by what I read. It is in the new testament ... A: Nothing in the New Testament requires that clergy be celibate. In the Catholic Church, celibacy of ... | |
| symbols | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: "I am looking at a few items for body art and wanted to question the relation to the catholic ... A: The lion and the lamb usually appear with a small child as a symbol of peace and comes from the Old ... | |
| quotations | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: Edward! Jesus said:"Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." (Luke 37)and ... A: Lk 17:37 [see also Mt24:27] shows Jesus' impatience by a saying that means either: [1] the birds of ... | |
| Judging | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: It is a common response to any disapproval of immoral behavior in society for someone to say, "Judge ... A: Often it is difficult to counter one bible quote [sometimes taken out of context]with another. ... | |
| faith | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: Is faith a supernatural free gift, bestowed on only those people whom God has chosen? Or is it ... A: Faith is a supernatural,free gift from God. God makes that gift available to everyone. Jesus ... | |
| hierarchy | 2/8/2007 |
| Q: I've got another question to you. I have a feeling that many feminists don't like the Roman Catholic ... A: Like you, Luke, I do not understand the regimentation for kissing the crucifix on Good Friday. ... | |
| free will | 2/7/2007 |
| Q: Is it true that our free will allows us to do only bad things, to do evil, and if there is something ... A: Lucas, you have touched the multi-million dollar question -- the explanation of God's actions in ... | |
| Funerals | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: A local pro-abortion politician recently died and, to my surprise, received a Catholic funeral Mass ... A: The Code of Canon Law for the universal Catholic Church has a rule that speaks to the denial of ... | |
| divorce | 1/9/2007 |
| Q: I was raised by a Catholic mother and non-Catholic Father but attend Catholic church with my Mother. ... A: I commend you for wanting to receive Baptism and also for your children. I am not a moral theologian ... | |
| annulment | 12/20/2006 |
| Q: I am sorry for bothering you again, but how long does this process usually take? So my marriage was ... A: The time required [few weeks, months] varies with the time needed for the priest to gather the ... | |
| annulment | 12/20/2006 |
| Q: Okay I am sorry for not being clear....I live on long island,NY in the US. I was baptized, my ex ... A: I thought of one further issue: Joining officially anothter religion. So:If you were reared as a ... | |
| annulment | 12/20/2006 |
| Q: I will be following up with my church, in the mean time I have been trying to gather some ... A: The exact requirements of an annulment depend on factors which I do not know in your case. From ... | |
| annulment | 12/19/2006 |
| Q: My ex husband and I were married by the justice of the piece...I am Catholic, he is not. I am ... A: From what you have said, Jenn, it may be possible for you to obtain an annulment. However, many ... | |
| love of Christ | 12/12/2006 |
| Q: Can you explain the concept of love that Christ spoke about? Love of God, love your enemies, love ... A: I'll try, Marc, to provide some thoughts. You are correct that one cannot love what one does not ... | |
| The Priesthood | 12/6/2006 |
| Q: Bode: How can I explain the Catholic Priesthood from the Bible. A Protestant argued that the ... A: Lee, explaining the priesthood from the bible may be a challenging task. However, I recommend these ... | |
| - | 12/1/2006 |
| Q: One of the chapters/books in the Bible is entitled "Ecclesiasticus, or the wisdom of Jesus son of ... A: The Hebrew original of the book identifies the author as Jesus Ben [son of] Sirach. This not a ... | |
| Mark 13 | 11/23/2006 |
| Q: Last sundays gospel. Jesus tells the disciples that the end of the world will be within this ... A: General comment: God, Who "can neither deceive nor be deceived", has revealed His message for the ... | |
| Divorce | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: How does the Church justify forbidding divorce in all circumstances, when Christ clearly allowed for ... A: The teaching of the Church rests upon both scripture and tradition. In the NT, Mt 5:32 makes an ... | |
| cremation | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: as a roman catholic,can I be cremated? A: The current rule of the Church [Canon 1176]states, "The Church earnestly recommends that the pious ... | |
| transubstitution | 11/4/2006 |
| Q: I, of course, understand that pantheism is not part of Catholic Dogma or teaching, however, you ... A: I thought that I had given the manin scriptural basis for belief in the real and substantial ... | |
| transubstitution | 11/2/2006 |
| Q: I am a protestant and would like to ask the question about this teaching. The pantheist believes a ... A: First, pantheism had/has no place in Jewish [and Christian] theology. One cannot find any trace of ... | |
| Mortal Sin | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: I just wanted to write back because your views re: mortal sin and my question, are really what I ... A: Glad to be of some help. The obligation to attend Mass on certain days is a grave obligation ... | |
| Revelation | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: Do you believe that God speaks directly to us today, or did His revelation cease with the New ... A: Go spoke directly to all mankind in the Jesus era [Jesus was and is the Word of God -- see John 1]. ... | |
| Looking for the text of Last Rites? | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: I'm looking for the text of the Last Rites ceremony, particularly in the case of Extreme ... A: The Vatican published a new edition of the Rituale Romanum [Latin] a few years ago. I do not know ... | |
| religion | 9/21/2006 |
| Q: Saladin, how does god beget a son which is "supposedly" god. Tell this day i have never understood ... A: To understand how God the Father can "beget" [a human term which attempts to understand God] God the ... | |
| divorce | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: In the situation where a person divorces his wife (or vice versa) without an annulment, remarries ... A: Johann, the dilemma that you propose has a solution. In such circumstances [the specifics of which ... | |
| divorce | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: What is the Church's position on divorce/annulment? I guess I'm really wondering about so-called ... A: Based on Jesus' teaching [see Mk 10:11-12], the Catholic Church holds that marriage which is ... | |
| satan | 8/16/2006 |
| Q: So what is the Traditional Catholic belief about the power of Satan (and his demons) in this world? ... A: Reports surface still about persons' being possessed by the devil or demons. There was a case in ... | |
| Gay Rights and the Catholic Church | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: I am 17 and have been raised Roman Catholic from birth. My problem with the Catholic church lies in ... A: Denise, I appreciate your concern and quandry. I, of course, do not know what anti-homosexual ... | |
| The majority | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: Bode: What should I answer to Seventh-day Adventists when they say that the majority of Christians ... A: Steve, I would not recommend arguing about Sunday worship on the basis that the majority is wrong. ... | |
| church | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: 1 Timothy 3:15 "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in ... A: According to the Greek text, "pillar and ground" are in apposition to "church". One could make a ... | |
| Ten Commandments | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: Bode: We Catholics support the Ten Commandments, we teach them in CCD classes, we hear them in ... A: I am not sure that you can satisfactorily explain the Christian change of the Jewish Sabbath to ... | |
| Relationship | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: Well, what I was wondering about was what that new relationship means in concrete terms. It's fine ... A: In concrete terms, we have special access to God because of sanctifying grace and the sacraments and ... | |
| Relationship | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: I've been hearing a lot lately from fundamentalists about having a "relationship" with Jesus. My ... A: Winston, you have a nice analysis of our relationship with Jesus/God with its basis in sanctifying ... | |
| born again | 6/29/2006 |
| Q: How would you answer a fundamentalist type who asks if you've been "born-again" or "being saved" or ... A: I like your answer. At Baptism, God comes, as you said. I would add: Before First Confession and ... | |
| Apologetics | 6/28/2006 |
| Q: What do you think is the best argument one could give to a fundamentalist/evangelical Protestant to ... A: I have an opinion as to the best apologetic. However, whether it would convince is another question ... | |
| prayer | 6/26/2006 |
| Q: What is the official Catholic view of prayer? I mean, I know that we are encouraged to pray that God ... A: Prayer is raising one'mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God; so said St. ... | |
| Catholics... | 6/18/2006 |
| Q: for respnding, a lot of it still doesn't make sense to me, like how you were saying that you have to ... A: What I am saying about understanding the bible, Rachel, is that one cannot just look at one ... | |
| Catholics... | 6/16/2006 |
| Q: I have many questions I would like to have answered if possible. 1. If someone doesn't pray ... A: According to Catholic practice, no one is obliged to pray the rosay. The rosary is a popular ... | |
| Praying to the statue of Mary.. | 6/15/2006 |
| Q: I have a whole lot of questions but i will settle for one that pertains to the catholic church and ... A: I cannot tell you what an individual Catholic thinks when kneeling to pray before a statue of Mary ... | |
| Catholics... | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: I have many questions I would like to have answered if possible. 1. If someone doesn't pray ... A: Adequate answers to your questions really require a lenghty conference with a knowledgeable priest ... | |
| Bible | 6/7/2006 |
| Q: Which Bible do you recommend? I just don't mean the translation- I also mean which Bible would have ... A: I know of two editions with which I am familiar. The Catholic Study Bible [Oxford, 1990] contains ... | |
| Morning After Day Pill | 5/28/2006 |
| Q: Im a doctor and catholic too, i like to know what the church think about the Morning After Day ... A: I appreicate your interest, Dr. Nacho, in doing what is morally correct. Please excuse my short ... | |
| God | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: Why does God allow suffering? A: Patrick, I have two answers that complement each other. One -- God through suffering allows us to ... | |
| So when saved people die,... | 2/27/2006 |
| Q: So when saved people die, will they have to wait until the end of the world to be resurrected and ... A: I thought that I had answered this question previously. If you did not receive that answer, please ... | |
| infant baptism | 2/19/2006 |
| Q: How can I respond to a friend that is baptist when she says that baptizing an infant is merely ... A: For about 1400 years before the Baptists proclaimed their new theory about Baptism, the Christian ... | |
| Hello Edward! Some time... | 2/18/2006 |
| Q: Some time ago a friend of mine, who does not attend a church, claimed that the church tries to ... A: Rubbish it is! Re virginity: The Jewish law and customs did not favor virginity but frowned upon it. ... | |
| What is the traditional Catholic... | 1/29/2006 |
| Q: What is the traditional Catholic belief about demonic influence? I know that we believe in demonic ... A: There are two classic places where Catholic teaching speaks in general about the evil influence of ... | |
| Hi Edward! I'd like to... | 1/28/2006 |
| Q: I'd like to ask you if it's a sin when you're not able to concentrate during prayers or when you ... A: I am not a moral theologian, Luke, but I do have a few thoughts that I could offer about attention ... | |
| Hello Edward! I know that... | 1/15/2006 |
| Q: I know that the law of the Church states that people shouldn't use contraceptives and that women who ... A: I am not a moral theologian. However, while animals are not human, we do owe them respect [not ... | |
| Scripture- Social justice | 1/2/2006 |
| Q: I am a 60 year old Catholic in a new bible study class on Social Justice. My question is in reading ... A: Nice to know, Rich, that you are delving into the meaning of sacred scripture. I am not sure how ... | |
| Crusades | 12/31/2005 |
| Q: Did not the Pope say that whoever dies on a crusade immediately goes to heaven? If that is the ... A: I am not a church historian. However, Samuel, let me comment on what I know about doctrine of the ... | |
| i just had a quick question.... | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: i just had a quick question. What does it mean when someone, during mass, goes up to receive ... A: Usaully, the action indicates that the person has approached for a blessing but is not eligible to ... | |
| Our father - heaven | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: In the "Our Father" certainly in Latin, French and Dutch as known to me, the translation of Christ's ... A: I wrote to a friend who is an internationally-known scholar on the NT. Here is his response: The ... | |
| moral theology | 11/13/2005 |
| Q: what is moral theology? A: Moral theology is the study of God's revelation and of human reasoning to determine both in theory ... | |
| Preterist doctrine | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: How are you today. I was trying to figure out where and when did the Preterist doctrine come about ... A: Since I was not aware of Preterist teaching, I did a web search and found numerous sites. The names ... | |
| Hello Mr Edward! "Let us... | 10/29/2005 |
| Q: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the ... A: You have stated the basic Catholic principles that mankind has the right to use animals for its ... | |
| Gal. 4:9 | 10/20/2005 |
| Q: Bode: Perhaps you can help me with a statement made by St. Paul. "Now that you have come to know ... A: I can understand your consternation, Tommy. The key lies in understanding the nuances of the words. ... | |
| Divine Mercy and Pope | 9/6/2005 |
| Q: I read and spread the messages Saint Fastina recorded in her diary that Jesus told her. Is it wrong ... A: Michael, I am not conversant with St. Faustina. So, I cannot help with specifics. Generally ... | |
| Prayer | 8/21/2005 |
| Q: A young Christian man was just killed, and his father is wondering why his prayers for his son's ... A: When we examine scripture, we need to examine all the verses that concern the subject. So, in regard ... | |
| Salvation | 8/15/2005 |
| Q: Will all non-Catholics/non-Christians be lost/go to Hell after death? A: The short answer is: not necessarily. God wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the ... | |
| Psalm 91 | 8/11/2005 |
| Q: A most loving Christian boy was just killed in Iraq one day after his 19th birthday. He read the ... A: To understand the mystery of evil requires the infinite mind of God, who in his wisdom and love ... | |
| Doubts | 8/4/2005 |
| Q: Can I be a Christian if I have doubts as to God's existence? I'm not totally sure... Thanks A: The customary statement of belief [creed]for a Christian begins: "I believe in one God, the maker of ... | |
| catholic beleifs | 7/27/2005 |
| Q: maetriya...ect. I got this information from Nasrinsafai.com. Can you please give me an opinion? Also ... A: I took a quick look at the website. I do not see Catholic teaching there. Fransiscans are a ... | |
| question | 7/26/2005 |
| Q: what do we beleive of how we were first created? Do we beleive in any science theories? Do we be ... A: Re creation of human beings: We believe that God created an immortal, rational soul and infused it ... | |
| question | 7/23/2005 |
| Q: //theend.org/book? And also if you dont forgive a mortal sin iss it true you cant go to heaven? A: I do not know about Dr. George but the site and the notion are not in the mainstream of Catholic ... | |
| question | 7/23/2005 |
| Q: so we dont know how to interpret these things, or how they will happen? will there be poeple alive ... A: In the creed, we say "[Jesus] will come to judge the living and the dead." In my opinion, the end ... | |
| catholic beleifs | 7/21/2005 |
| Q: Also I heard of something, i dont remeber exactly what it was but I think it is call abomination of ... A: To answer your second question first, Eric, the abominable or shameful desolation mentioned in the ... | |
| question | 6/27/2005 |
| Q: What do we believe about the second coming. Do we believe in a doomsday when eueryone is suposed to ... A: We do believe, Ryan, in the second coming [general judgment] when Jesus comes again at the end of ... | |
| Family planning | 6/25/2005 |
| Q: In my travels in NFP circles these days something brought to the forefront is that due to advances ... A: Beth, I am not a moral theologian. I am not sure how one balances giving the right to one's body ... | |
| catholic | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: Such findings are not surprising in an age of revolutionary advances in technology, researchers say. ... A: I cannot speak for Jewish and Muslim teachings, but the Catholic Church does expect the second ... | |
| catholic | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: Do we take revelation literallY? A: If you are referring to the Book of Revelation, it does contain a literal message presented under ... | |
| Tithing | 5/23/2005 |
| Q: Are Roman Catholics required to tithe, i.e. giving back 10% of income to the Church? What is the ... A: In the United States, the Catholic bishops have recommended that members tithe. Often, this is ... | |
| Jesus | 5/22/2005 |
| Q: Did Jesus have brothers and sisters? And if so, their names please. Answer - If you mean did Joseph ... A: Mk 3:31 gives no names, just "brothers" Mk 6:3 lists James, Joses, Judas, Simon and sisters. Jn 7:3 ... | |
| Jesus | 5/22/2005 |
| Q: Did Jesus have brothers and sisters? And if so, their names please. A: If you mean did Joseph and Mary have children, the answer is no. If you mean were there persons who ... | |
| Bible | 5/18/2005 |
| Q: Is there anywhere in the Bible that Jesus says that he accepts the faith of others for salvation? I ... A: Re Baptism: No passage says that Jesus accepts the faith of one person for that of another. ... | |
| Re: Sin of Omission | 5/14/2005 |
| Q: Would it be considered a sin of omission for Bishops who have been instructed to counsel an ... A: I am not a moral theologian, Paul, so I am not qualified to answer your questions. However, the ... | |
| Tongues | 5/13/2005 |
| Q: What is the Church's position on speaking in tongues? A: I am not aware of an official position of the Catholic Church about the gift of speaking in tongues, ... | |
| Gospel of John - New American Bible | 4/28/2005 |
| Q: Do you know how many times the word light is used in the Gospel of John in the New American Bible? ... A: I am sorry, Sister, that I do not have or know where one could find the exact info that you seek. ... | |
| catholic | 4/26/2005 |
| Q: so we dont know how to interpret these things, or how they will happen, the bowls, 3 days of ... A: j, I am not sure about all the bible references which you mention. However, the Book of Revelation ... | |
| Popes | 4/24/2005 |
| Q: With the recent election of the Pope, my non-Catholic friends have been bringing up papal history ... A: Some popes of the dark ages and the renaissance era did not live exemplary moral lives before they ... | |
| bible | 4/22/2005 |
| Q: In Ephesians 4:11 and I Cor 12:28, why does Paul talk about the importance of apostles and prophets ... A: Paul is talking about the church established by Jesus, messiah and Lord. Paul uses the word apostle ... | |
| - | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: Jesus said "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" ... A: Your question, Luke, about the saying in Luke 9:62, should be viewed in its context. One usually ... | |
| Judaism | 4/10/2005 |
| Q: Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the light and that no one comes to the Father except ... A: I am sorry, Andrew, that I cannot be of much help on your question. I must have missed the matters ... | |
| Re: Homosexuality | 4/6/2005 |
| Q: I have a few questions concerning what the Catholic Church Magesterium teaches about homosexual ... A: Your questions are really beyond my expertize as I am not a moral theologian. Re 1 & 2 & 3: I am not ... | |
| 'official' chatolic standpoint on godliness of the Bible. | 4/1/2005 |
| Q: I am not religious: my interest in religions is that of an observer. The Coran states clearly that ... A: Catholic belief is that the books of the bible are written by human authors under the inspiration of ... | |
| definition of meat | 3/25/2005 |
| Q: My girlfriend who isn't Catholic has asked me WHY fish isn't considered meat, and after looking for ... A: Ryan, I am not a moral theologian. However, I do know a few things about the church law on ... | |
| catholic | 3/24/2005 |
| Q: do catholics belive that we are living the end times? do we catholics not know how the end timies ... A: The gospels [for example, Mk 13:32] and St. Paul [especially 2 Thes] make very clear that we do not ... | |
| catholic question | 3/24/2005 |
| Q: i was looking up something father and i found some sites of people wo say they have visions of the ... A: The two sites were not attached. Some persons have experienced visions or revelations from God about ... | |
| what catholics beleive | 3/24/2005 |
| Q: do catholics belive that we are living the end times? do we catholics not know how the end timies ... A: The gospels [for example, Mk 13:32] and St. Paul [especially 2 Thes] make very clear that we do not ... | |
| question about a definition | 3/11/2005 |
| Q: I've been trying to understand the passage that goes (sorry, I don't have the scripture to reference ... A: I have searched for the reference but have not been able to find it. Without the specific ... | |
| Confession. | 3/6/2005 |
| Q: I asked another expert about I John 1:9 about who to confess to and he said Jesus Christ. If we ... A: As your questions suppose, Mary, sin is an offense against God; so, God is the one to determine the ... | |
| Hello. If a catholic commits... | 2/20/2005 |
| Q: If a catholic commits suicide for whatever reasons, mental illness, depression, etc. ,can he/she ... A: The Church currently allows a Catholic funeral Mass for persons who committed suicide. The Catholic ... | |
| Infallibility | 2/9/2005 |
| Q: Here is a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia EXPLANATION OF PAPAL INFALLIBILITY The Vatican ... A: I am not sure that the Pope is mistaken in not making a formal definition about women's ordination. ... | |
| Infallibility | 2/9/2005 |
| Q: Here is a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia EXPLANATION OF PAPAL INFALLIBILITY The Vatican ... A: Nice to hear from you, Charles, with your concern for the permanence of Catholic teaching. I do not ... | |
| Hello. I had a question dealing... | 2/8/2005 |
| Q: I had a question dealing about the Rapture and Tribulation. Can you tell me about it and what the ... A: Chris, the rapture is not a Catholic idea but one that comes from a group of evangelicals beginning ... | |
| marriage | 2/8/2005 |
| Q: Why does Paul say several times in Corinthians that it is not always good to look for a wife and get ... A: To understand all that Paul teaches about matrimony requires a study of all his letters. For ... | |
| Babies' souls | 1/21/2005 |
| Q: What happens to the souls of babies who are miscarried, stillborn, aborted or who die without being ... A: Jo, as you indicated, the immortal soul [infused at conception]of a human being continues to live ... | |
| Assumption sources and tradition | 12/26/2004 |
| Q: I am looking for a book (ancient history) about the Assumption of Mary. Can you help me? A: I did a quick check withoug success. You might look at newadvent.org -- old version of the Catholic ... | |
| some ways do the Catholic... | 12/6/2004 |
| Q: some ways do the Catholic social teachings of Vatican II contradict the values of our current ... A: This sounds like a homework question, which I do not do. I am not an expert on the detailed ... | |
| Hello. I was curious to know... | 11/27/2004 |
| Q: I was curious to know what the Church's teach was regarding to evolution. I have heard the Church ... A: The church holds that God directly creates the soul of individual human beings. So, the body of the ... | |
| suicide | 10/22/2004 |
| Q: Why does Catholicism forbid suicide? Is it in their teaching? Can you give any references? I the ... A: From early times, Christian tradition has condemned suicide as an offense against God, the giver of ... | |
| Mass | 10/20/2004 |
| Q: I read somewhere that some churches were built with numerous altars so that several masses could be ... A: For centuries, many large churches had more than one altar. The extra altars were used for many ... | |
| archeology and the Bible | 9/18/2004 |
| Q: What is the differences in The Bible and archeology? Are they related some how? Are they any ... A: You have asked a question about which many, many volumes have been written. Two classic books on the ... | |
| Be Like God | 9/16/2004 |
| Q: What happens to human being s who strive to be like God on their own terms? A: I am not sure what is the exact intent of your question. However: For a creature [human being]to ... | |
| Eating Meat on Fridays | 9/11/2004 |
| Q: In RC teaching, was / is eating meat on Fridays a sin and if so since when in history was this so ... A: references to Friday abstinence go back at least to the second century AD. Traditionally, meat has ... | |
| doctrine | 9/8/2004 |
| Q: What is the difference between doctrine and dogma? A: A dogma is an official teaching of the Catholic Church that has been declared part of the revealed ... | |
| Catholic beliefs | 8/25/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me, as i am having an argument with a friend, if the following ... A: Emily, here are the correct answers to your discussion: 1- F The Holy Spirit is the Third Person 2 - ... | |
| Eucharist | 8/24/2004 |
| Q: I am a former Episcopalian and now belong to the Disciples of Christ Church. Both, of course, are ... A: I too have seen the news to which you refer. We have talked about the case here. I have two ... | |
| gays | 6/23/2004 |
| Q: why do the catholic's hate gays? because the way i see it, god has given the gays the same suffering ... A: If Catholics "hate" homosexuals, they are not following the teachings of Jesus or the Catholic ... | |
| interpretation | 6/16/2004 |
| Q: i know that the catholic church is the interpreter of the holy bible. does that mean that there is ... A: The Church has not officially defined the meaning of every, or most verses, of sacred scripture. In ... | |
| cremation | 6/15/2004 |
| Q: Is it more biblical for a Christian's body to be buried or cremated after death? Will the choice, in ... A: Christian respect for the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and the expected resurrection of the ... | |
| Thanks for taking the time... | 6/6/2004 |
| Q: I was raised protestant, and my husband is Catholic, as are my children. Lately I have felt very ... A: Jesus' words which you quoted convey the essential message that He is the one and the only mediator ... | |
| unforgivable sin | 6/5/2004 |
| Q: What exactly is the "unforgivable sin" mentioned in Mark, Luke and Matthew? A: Blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven -- Although there are no limits to God's mercy, a ... | |
| Hello, How are you today.... | 4/27/2004 |
| Q: How are you today. I was wonderering since the Sabbath is on Saturday and God said that the Sabbath ... A: Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets [Mt]. He altered explicitly some things in the ... | |
| Hello, I was wondering what... | 4/15/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering what Sacred Tradition is and what examples of it would be. And would this be ... A: Tradition is an authentic and valid source of revelation. Tradition is the living transmission of ... | |
| Romans | 4/14/2004 |
| Q: Is this a correct interpretation of Romans 7:2? Is it really trying to prove a point about marriage ... A: I think that the passage is using monogomous marriage to illustrate Paul's point about fidelity to ... | |
| Hello, i have a question regarding... | 4/13/2004 |
| Q: i have a question regarding salvation. Is baptism necessary for salvation? I was discussing this ... A: Discussion on the basis of the bible alone can sometimes be difficult. For Catholics, the Council ... | |
| Hello, i was discussing salvation... | 3/26/2004 |
| Q: i was discussing salvation with a Protestant friend of mine. He was talking about the theology or ... A: Chris! What your friend proposes is the classical Protestant position of the 16th century. The ... | |
| Test questions for high school teachers of moral theology | 3/13/2004 |
| Q: - Edward, Thank you for your quick response to my question. Please let my inquiry resonate in your ... A: I shall keep your request in mind, Brother. At this time, I do not have contacts at the high school ... | |
| Test questions for high school teachers of moral theology | 3/13/2004 |
| Q: Please identify your e-mail with "Edward Bode". I note you have taught religion in high school. As ... A: I wish I could help you, Bro. Malcolm. I have not taught in high school for more than 30 years. At ... | |
| why gospel spread word of mouth? | 2/18/2004 |
| Q: it seems inconsistent that god's perfect love, as revealed in the bible, is spread by word of mouth. ... A: Your question, Troy, has occupied theologians for centuries. Basically, the answer is the mystery of ... | |
| Hello. I had a question about... | 2/10/2004 |
| Q: I had a question about indulgences. I read some info. on how they were used/abused in the past. I ... A: Cris. Indulgences are still alive and well. They are the remission of the temporal punishment due ... | |
Catholics
Answers by Expert:
Edward Bode
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Catholic dogma, especially as related to Scripture. I have a doctorate in biblical theology [University of St. Thomas, Rome]. I do not answer questions concerning personal moral situations -- ones dealing with right and wrong [sin].
Experience
I have taught Catholic thought in grade and high schools, and in college and universities.
Organizations
Catholic Biblical Association
Publications
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, The Bible Today.
Education/Credentials
Graduate degrees in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, in scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas; all in Rome
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