Religion – Why do we need it?

Have you ever been confronted with someone who thinks that we should not be seeking God through any particular religion, but that all we have to be is spiritual in our own way. They feel that every religion seeks the same God of the universe, so why be a part of a particular religion? Why label oneself a Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, etc.? They would ask, why do people want to put a label on God? Why does the world worship God in a separatist way? Can’t we feel closer to God without being a part of a religion?

Are Catholics free to become Freemasons?

Have you ever heard of a group called Freemasonry? What got me to thinking about this group was an article I saw in our little local newspaper. It showed a picture of the local Masonic Lodge’s ceremony of installing it’s new officers for 2015. So, is it okay for a Catholic to be a part of this group? Where does the Catholic Church stand on the issue of someone being a member of the organization known as Freemasonry? Is this organization just a “social” organization/club or do they have a certain theology that comes along with it?

Baptism Now Saves You

This weekend I was privileged to baptize my niece’s little baby girl after the vigil mass on Saturday. Since some of the family was not Catholic, it was a good opportunity to explain exactly what would be happening to her through this baptism.

Eucharist – Transubstantiation vs. Consubstantiation

As a Catholic, we believe that the Blessed Eucharist is the Sacrament. All other sacraments are enriched by it. It is the supernatural food given to us from heaven.

Finding and Accepting God on His Terms

We might ask the question; “Is God hard to find?” The answer would be, “not at all.” God can be discovered by our reason, by seeking Him or by His gift to us. If we just look at the universe, we can reason that there has to be a powerful force behind bringing it into existence. There is also a Wisdom directing it. God surrounds us and is closer to us than we realize

Tattoos – Is it against Church teaching?

Have you ever wondered if it is okay to have a tattoo? If we look around today, we will see many people who have a tattoo or a multitude of tattoos. It is seen as the hip thing to do today, especially for young adults. I can remember many years ago, it seemed that people who were serving in the military were more prone to get a tattoo, but not as much with regards to your everyday American citizen. But today, all of that has changed. So, for a Christian, and in particular a Catholic, is it okay to have tattoos put on your skin? What does the church teach about this matter? Is it morally okay?

Sin – Mortal vs. Venial

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But, are all sins classified as the same or is there a difference? Some folks who hold to the “once saved, always saved” theology might say, “There is no difference in the magnitude of certain sins. There is no venial or mortal sins. All sins are serious. The wages of sin is death!

Moral Conscience – God’s Law written on our Hearts

When it comes to a relationship with God, what is our understanding of a “moral conscience?” If you and I had never been told about the moral law, we would still have an idea of what is right and what is wrong in regards to how we live our lives and how we are to treat other people. This is what is known as the “natural law written on our hearts.” It is the law God has given each person and it is found in the depths of our being.

Early Christian Worship – What did it look like?

Have you ever wondered what early Christian worship looked like? Many Christians today want to find a Christian denomination that tries to live out their faith like the early Christians did. They try and recreate the Church found in the “Book of Acts.” But what would someone find if they really wanted to taylor their Sunday worship to that of the early Christians? I dare say it would have very little resemblance to many Protestant services found today.

Does Jesus’ Church Teach Error?

Infallibility – Who has it? Who did Jesus give His authority to? For a Catholic Christian, the answer is, “Peter and the Apostles and the Church he founded. That Church still has the authority to speak for Him in the area of ‘faith and morals’ because of the laying on of hands up until this very day.” But, for many Christians outside the Catholic Church, there is no man who is infallible, much less a Church.