The Catholic Church and its views and teachings on specific subjects.
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72 views
Can Catholics choose to be baptized by immersion?
I understand that the most prominent manner in which Catholics are baptized is by pouring. However, I saw somewhere that baptism by immersion is not considered wrong by the Catholic Church. (If this ...
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2answers
71 views
According to Roman Catholic orthodoxy, is Jesus Christ a human person, a divine person, both, or none?
I'll give you an example of a divine person: God the Father.
I'll give you an example of a human person: the apostle Paul.
According to Roman Catholic orthodoxy (note: cite it), is Jesus Christ a ...
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1answer
101 views
Was the Apostolic Tradition of rejecting soldiers from the church ‘permanent’, or was this ‘tradition' briefly enforced?
In the Bible Jesus encounters Roman soldiers but does not tell them to 'quit their day job'. Jesus encountered a centurion with 'great faith' as recorded in Matthew 8. Peter as well baptized a ...
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1answer
135 views
The soul's progression through purgatory
Does anyone know of any folklore in Christian mythology about what happens to the soul as it progresses through purgatory and into heaven? (Plus, of course, for systems that hold universal ...
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1answer
343 views
According to Catholic doctrine, what effect does the Last Judgment have on those who are already in heaven?
Catholics believe we are judged immediately after we die (Particular Judgement). Some of us will go to heaven. Then there is still the Last Judgement (or Final Judgement). What effect does the Last ...
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80 views
What is the Catholic biblical or canon basis saying some moral works without grace (transient or permanent) are good (or not have the nature of sin)?
I am trying to clarify the difference in my own mind between a traditional Catholic and traditional Protestant view of grace, specifically in terms of the 'works of unbelievers'. It seems hard to ...
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1answer
228 views
How long can a conclave last?
In a short time a new conclave for the election of the new Catholic pope is taking place.
I was wondering if we will have a new pope in a short time. I don't konw much about the previous popes in ...
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2answers
88 views
In Catholicism, what distinguishes a priestly blessing from a lay blessing?
Lay Catholics are encouraged to bless their children [and homes?] using particular formulas or patterns. As I understand it, these ought to differ in "manner" and formula from blessings performed by a ...
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31 views
What was the miracle of Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocch?
Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocch were beatified by Pope John Paul II. They were the first married couple to be beatified. They lived exemplary lives in Fascist Italy during WWII; but I can't find ...
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1answer
88 views
Does the great great grandmother in George MacDonalds Princess and the Goblin represent a Catholic conception of God?
I just finished reading the Princess and the Goblin and the Princess and Curdie written by George MacDonald, a prolific author of Childrens books and a congregationalist minister (albeit not one ...
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65 views
Were Catholics originally offended by the Sacred Heart?
According to a comment by Mr. Hayword, the Sacred Heart was something which was originally opposed in Catholicism, but I have not found clear evidence of this, only a citation of an Anglican who cites ...
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1k views
Does the Roman Catholic church recognize marriages outside of the church?
I'm curious about the status of marriages performed outside the auspices of the church. For example, if a non Catholic converts to the Roman church, but was married beforehand, does it "count". Based ...
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58 views
What is the origin and basis for the Catholic teaching regarding Mary's vow of celibacy prior to her betrothal?
In the answers to this question it is asserted that Mary had taken a vow of celibacy prior to her betrothal to Joseph. Thus, Joseph already knew that he and Mary would never have marital relations ...
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2answers
100 views
What is the biblical argument used by Protestants against the Catholic doctrine of Penance?
The Catholic Church holds to the doctrine of Penance. As I understand it, this refers to various deeds prescribed by a priest to the confessing person that must do to make amends for his own sin, ...
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208 views
What's the tradition behind hand holding during the Our Father at Mass?
In traveling around my diocese I've noticed that there are some parishes that are hand-holders and some parishes that are non-hand-holders and some people in the non-hand-holder parishes who persist ...
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82 views
What is the Catholic position on ethnic parishes today?
I was thinking about this comment concerning cliquishness in the churches and how they can help build each other up (or avoid strife).
Smaller towns in rural America with large immigrant Hispanic ...
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82 views
Do Catholic children near death recieve the Eucharist as Viaticum
Canon law says that anointing of the sick is to be done to someone having attained the age of reason, same as reception of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance.
However, as "Food for the ...
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101 views
What role does the Vatican play in marriage annulments?
I've heard that every annulment must go through the Vatican in some capacity. Does every annulment get reviewed by some tribunal there or is it just a rubber stamp for the tribunal of the diocese from ...
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84 views
Has the matter of salvation - whether it is by works or by faith alone - ever been considered on any councils of the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
Prior to Luther's Reformation, has the matter of salvation - whether it is by works or by faith alone - ever been considered on any councils of the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
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76 views
Justification of perpetual virginity of Mother Mary [duplicate]
How do Catholics justify St. Joseph not being able to consummate his marriage with his wife?
It would seem as though the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity is at odds with Catholic teaching ...
4
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2answers
126 views
How do the Catholic and Protestant understandings of “Regula Fidei” differ?
In the Hermeneutics course I am taking, a definition of "Regula Fidei" was posed that seemed different from the way my Catholic acquaintances use the term. How is the term Rule of Faith used ...
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3answers
174 views
What's a reiki infused rosary?
Kind of weird and new agey, but I was looking on etsy.com for handmade rosaries and there are all kinds of ones that are apparently used for new age spiritual purposes. They look just like regular ...
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2answers
154 views
Why do some Catholics file up for commmunion?
My wife was telling me about how in Spain, it's common practice to just go up to receive communion pretty much at random whereas in my experience I've always filed up (even when I was in Germany for ...
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1answer
103 views
What is the Roman Catholic position on literally reading the Flood account in Genesis?
Elsewhere on this site, the question of whether the Roman Catholic church supported evolution was answered with evidence that the Catholic position is that evolution could be true. That is, because ...
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2answers
62 views
What is “Traditionalist Catholicism”
Pure curiosity, I see that Mel Gibson is an adherent of Traditionalist Catholicism. Is this a part of "normal" Roman Catholicism, or some distinct branch? What are the differentiators here?
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102 views
Does a list exist showing Papal succession from Peter through our current Pope?
If I'm not mistaken, the claim of the Catholic Church is that Papal Succession is unbroken all the way back to Peter.
Is there a list of popes and the history from Peter to the present day? If so, ...
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186 views
Do Catholics reject the sola of the Reformation
The Reformation brought five solas that gives bonderies on how the Protestant view the biblical teaching. Here is the five solas:
1. Sola Gratia (By grace alone)
2. Soli Deo Gloria ...
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2answers
64 views
Where was Catholic doctrine defined before the Catechism?
Apparently the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) has only existed since 1992.
Was Catholic doctrine clearly defined in a specific set of sources before CCC? What would a priest have referred to ...
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2answers
178 views
What is the biblical basis against Sola Fide (salvation by faith alone, apart from works)
One of the key points of the Reformation was the doctrine of Sola Fide, that salvation is by faith alone, apart from works. This was a contrast from the doctrine of the Catholic church.
What, then, ...
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1answer
121 views
What is the basis for the Catholic teaching that abortion is immoral/sinful?
What is the doctrinal basis for the Catholic teaching that abortion is immoral? I understand that these will be based on Scripture, but will likely come from official Catholic documents.
So, I'm ...
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2answers
49 views
What does “Catechetical Formula” mean?
I ran across the phrase in this question, and a Google search just keeps bringing me to the Ten Commandments example found in the link on the question. I'm not finding a definition anywhere. So what ...
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62 views
What religious significance is there in marriage for Catholics and Protestants?
To be clear: This is not a question about why Catholics and Protestants get married. This is not a question about the biblical support for or against marriage. (I am very much for marriage).
I ...
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70 views
What is the basis for the Catholic practice of only the priest drinking from the common cup during communion?
I've heard from a number of people that in most Catholic churches, only the priest drinks from the common cup in communion. Is this true?
Assuming it is true, what is the basis for this teaching?
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1answer
63 views
According to Roman Catholic Doctrine, does everyone spend time in purgatory?
As I understand it, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is place of suffering called Purgatory where people spend time being purged of the sins they committed on earth. However, it seems ...
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2answers
85 views
Catholic Theology and Transubstantiation
I'm a bit rusty on my Catholic theology, but I don't every recall any specific set of rules or parameters that govern which substances can and cannot be subject to transubstantiation. Basically, the ...
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1answer
70 views
According to the Catholic Church, what happens to a person who is in the process of learning about Catholicism, if that person dies?
Suppose a person is learning about the teachings of the Catholicism, and dies before that person has reached a conclusion whether he or she would like to join the Church. According to the teachings of ...
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1answer
143 views
What personal possessions did Pope John Paul II have at the time of death?
The pope recieves no salary, but from what I understand, popes do have some personal possessions. A personal possesion is something that you own. For example, Pope Benedict XVI, I believe, had a ...
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1answer
144 views
Non-movable feasts in the Lent and Easter seasons
The latest possible date for Ash Wednesday is March 10th and the earliest possible date for Pentecost is May 10th. Besides the movable feasts, is there any indication that the Catholic Church places ...
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135 views
When did the older English spelling of the endings of Isaiah and Elijah stop being used in the Catholic Church?
I was reading Archbishop Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ and he always refers to Isaiah and Isaias and Elijah as Elias.
I know that's one of the traditional English spellings, but when did it change ...
3
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1answer
82 views
Why did it take so long for papal infallibility to be defined?
I have a question about papal infallibility. According to this source,
That the Church is infallible in her definitions on faith and morals is itself a Catholic dogma, which, although it was ...
3
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1answer
65 views
From where did Mary get the attribution of “Full of Grace”?
The Catholic prayer referred to as a "Hail Mary" ascribes the phrase "full of grace" to Mary. The Scriptures describe both Jesus and Stephen as being "full of grace". In Greek, this is "πλήρης ...
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2answers
194 views
Why aren't I considered illegitimate?
So, my dad is a baptized Catholic, but was raised Presbyterian. When he was in his twenties he married a woman in the Catholic Church who left him within a year (and got married to his best man... sad ...
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3answers
420 views
Do Catholics refer to all martyrs as Saints? [closed]
How is someone deemed a Saint as opposed to a martyr in Catholicism? At first I was thinking the only requirement was to killed for your faith. Is this accurate?
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0answers
23 views
According to Catholic law and rules, is postponing of the Rite of Acceptance OK?
This is a follow-up question for Are those instructed before baptism considered catechumens before entering the catechumenate formally?
In Czech Republic the pre-baptismal formation is often called ...
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42 views
Is there any connection between the country of origin of Popes and nearby large gatherings of Catholics or Councils?
Not that a run of 2 means anything (or Rio is in Argentina like I mistakenly assumed It is just down the road) and given there were hundreds of years of Italian popes to skew this statistic, but it ...
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368 views
When did the practice of Confession in the Catholic Church begin?
Confession, specifically the practice of confessing one's sins to a priest, is a quite common practice in the Catholic Church. When and how did this sacrament first originate and become codified as ...
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38 views
How does an adult become a Catholic? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the requirements for a Protestant joining the Catholic church?
So, a Protestant decides he wants to become a Catholic. What does she need to do?
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0answers
76 views
The origin of celibacy for Catholic Priests [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When did the prohibition of marriage for priests in the Catholic church originate?
When and why did the Vatican decide that Catholic priests should take a vow of ...
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2answers
174 views
What is the hope in Roman Catholicism?
I'm coming at this from the evangelical reform side of salvation. For the evangelical, salvation is made for us by Jesus on the cross. There is nothing else we can add to make us more saved, or less ...
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2answers
136 views
Are funerals a way to reduce the time of the dead in purgatory
I was reading an article on TVTropes and I've found this :
In a way, there's a "Person Needs Prayer Badly" in medieval European Catholicism... in order to go to Heaven (or reduced their time in ...
