Frequency of Confession

Q. I go to confession at least once a month. Most of my friends don’t go as often, and some don’t seem to go at all. A couple of my friends tell me I’m being OCD about it and I should get some help. I’m not sure how to tell them that they’re the ones who need the help.

A. Generally speaking, I think going to confession once a month is a great idea! It’s a very good way to stay close to God and keep His grace alive in your life! The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful gift from God because it’s His way of cleansing us of our sin and weakness. In His great love for us we are immersed in His Divine Mercy every time we celebrate that sacrament. So keep it up and don’t let your friends tell you differently.

As for trying to tell them that “they’re the ones who need the help,” let me suggest you do it in a very subtle and positive way. The best way to tell them this is by your good example. Share with them the blessings you see in your life by using this sacrament on a regular basis. Let your faith in God’s grace shine forth for them to see. Often, when our friends see good things happening in our lives, they will want to imitate what we are doing. So the more you can share the good fruits in your life with them, the better.

Since you mention OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), let me also offer a comment on this struggle that some people deal with. I offer it as a general comment that some need to hear rather than presuming that this is your struggle. But it’s worth mentioning since some people do struggle with this.

OCD is a very heavy cross. In the spiritual life it comes out in the form of scrupulosity. In this case the person becomes so focused on his/her sin that it seems everything is a mortal sin, and they can feel a need to go to confession all the time. In fact, some can feel as though they need to remember every last sin and offer every detail of their sins. And then after confession, they may worry that they did not confess everything and feel a need to return to the confessional right away. This is a real burden.

What I have found to be helpful in this situation is for the person struggling with this to go to confession to the same priest each time rather than several different priests. This way the one priest, who is aware of the tendency to scrupulosity, can help that person to stay balanced in their confession. Over time they can start to be freed of their scrupulosity and begin experiencing the freedom that God wants for them. Our God is a God of abundant mercy, and He wants us to know and experience that mercy.

Hope that helps clarify things. Keep up the good effort of practicing this wonderful sacrament!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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The Tough Topic of Pornography

Non Catholics Receiving Communion

Saving Your Souls

Why was I Created?

Charismatic Meetings

The Tough Topic of Pornography

Q. I have some friends who like to look at pornography on the Internet. My parents have always said that kind of stuff degrades women. When they start looking at the pictures, I just don’t look, but I haven’t ever said anything. I don’t really want to lose them as friends, and I don’t want people to think I’m weird. What can I do?

A. My dear friend…this is, unfortunately, a topic that affects more people than most of us want to admit. Let me offer a few thoughts.

First of all I think your parents response is absolutely correct! And I’d add that it also degrades men. This is a good conviction to keep in the forefront of your mind any time this discussion or temptation comes up.

Why is it degrading? As one very good chastity speaker I heard recently said, “The problem with pornography is not that it shows too much, rather, it shows too little!” I think this is a very good statement. What I believe he means is that pornography only shows the body of another and does so in a way that the person is turned into a selfish object of another’s disordered pleasure. We call this “objectification.” Therefore, it “shows too little” in the sense that pornography fails to show the true beauty and dignity of the person being exposed. It fails to reveal that this person is in fact a person…a son or daughter of God made in God’s image and likeness. It also does much damage to the person looking at the images, because it has the effect of drawing that person into a disordered sexual desire. This means that the person’s sexual desires will most likely become disordered and out of control by the use of pornography. This creates a sort of “imprisonment” and unhealthy attachment. As a result, the person caught in the world of pornography will have a hard time looking at others with dignity, respect and true love. It truly has the potential to affect one’s relationships in a very negative and selfish way. So, yes, it is degrading all the way around.

Regarding your friends who are looking at pornography and trying to expose you to it, you say that you “don’t really want to lose them as friends” and that you “don’t want people to think [you are] weird.” I have a couple of thoughts on this. First, it’s not “weird” in any sense of the word to respect the dignity of another person and to see them the way God sees them. God would never want you to look at another person the way they are portrayed in pornographic images. So, believe me, you are far from weird for not wanting to get drawn into this practice.

And as for losing them as friends, I think it’s important to understand what a friend is and is not. A true friend would not push you into this practice. A true friend would see that this is unhealthy and would respect this desire in you. So, if they do not want to spend time with you or make fun of you or even call you “weird” for not being interested in this, then I can assure you these are not your friends. I know the pressure can be strong to, in a sense, “fit in” with the crowd. But it’s not worth it. You are much better off standing your ground and experiencing their rejection than you are going with the flow of this disordered behavior. Recent brain science studies reveal that pornography can be as addicting as some of the most addicting drugs, and there are many who are so addicted that they simply cannot find a way to break their habits. This addiction, for many, can go on for years and cause much distress, guilt, shame and sexual confusion. And the end result is that an addiction to pornography can (and I dare say “will”) affect your healthy ability to love others in the way God wants you to.

So, stay strong and keep talking to your parents about this. That open communication with them will help you for years to come!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Non Catholics Receiving Communion

Saving Your Souls

Why was I Created?

Charismatic Meetings

Why do we have to go to Mass every week

Non-Catholics receiving Communion

Q. I went to my cousin’s wedding a few weeks ago and noticed that the priest made an announcement before Communion about who could receive it. It made me wonder why anyone who is baptized can’t take communion in any church. Can you explain?

A. Sure, I’d be happy to.

First of all it should be said that we, as Catholics, would love it if every baptized and believing Christian would receive Holy Communion! This is the desire of the heart of Jesus and is His greatest gift He has given us. It is the gift of His precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. But that desire, on our part, is not enough for us to be able to share this most precious gift with others. There are some other essential requirements that have to be met for others to properly be prepared to receive such an incredible gift.

It should also be said that Jesus Himself desires that all come to receive this gift of the most holy Eucharist even more than we could ever desire it. This is the gift of the New Covenant, the gift of His very life, the gift of everlasting salvation. This is the reason He came into the world! He came so that we could enter into perfect Communion with Him through His Body and Blood and, through this gift, enter into everlasting life. He Himself said, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him on the last day!”

So why don’t we just invite everyone, Catholic or not, to receive this precious gift at Mass? The answer is quite simple. In order to receive this gift, you have to believe in it fully. It would be wrong to receive this perfect gift of Christ Himself if you did not understand what this gift was or if you just thought it was a symbol or a representation of Christ’s body.

As Catholics we believe something very unique about the Holy Eucharist. It’s a belief that we share only with the Eastern Orthodox Churches which we do actually allow to receive Holy Communion in our Church. All other Christian religions believe something different than we do about the Eucharist. The bottom line is that if a Christian of another denomination truly believed what we believed about this Sacred Host and Precious Cup in the Catholic Mass, then they would convert to the Catholic faith to receive it. And to that we say, “All are welcome!” All people are most welcomed and encouraged to come to share our faith, make a full profession of faith, enter into full communion with the Catholic Church and, at that point, share in the Holy Eucharist.

I should also note that we as Catholics should not partake of communion in other Christian denominations if we happen to attend one of their services for some reason. The reason is that by participating in communion in their church, we would be saying we believe what they believe about communion rather than what we hold to be true. Let’s pray that one day all will be one in our Lord and share the same holy Catholic faith!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Saving Your Souls

Why was I Created?

Charismatic Meetings

Why do we have to go to Mass every week

Communion More Than Once A Day

Saving Your Soul

Q. I was told by a priest that going to church is not going to save my soul from going to hell. But it is how you lived your life. It is about believing in God and about love, forgiving, compassion to others. Is this true?

A. I would say the answer is both “Yes” and “No.”  And I presume that your priest would agree with the following clarifications.

It’s true that going to church cannot, by itself, save your soul from going to Hell.  An obvious example would be a person who lives a horribly sinful life all during the week and, then, as a way of making others think he is good, goes to church to be seen but is in no way interiorly invested in the worship.  In this case, the physical act of being in a church during Mass in no way means that you are truly “at Mass.”  To go to church means you are not there only physically, it also means you are there spiritually, worshiping God and growing in faith.

With that said, going to church for the right reason is part of the process of salvation.  God wants you there.  He wants you to come and worship in the Mass and to be nourished by Him through His Word and through the Eucharist.  So, if you are on the road to Heaven, that road will most certainly have faithful Mass attendance as part of the journey.

However, the contrary is true also.  It’s not enough to just do good things and to expect that these “good works” will save you.  God does not look down from Heaven and say, “OK, you’ve done enough good to earn a ticket to Heaven.”  No, salvation cannot be earned by what we do.

But be careful here.  The accurate answer really includes everything above and more.  Let me paint the full picture of salvation:

Salvation is a free gift of God and can never be earned by us.  It was won for us on the Cross, and the grace from Christ’s Cross is what saves.  This is the only way to Heaven!

We receive the gift of salvation when we let God into our hearts. And we surrender over to Him, giving Him control of our lives.  This produces the gift of faith.

When we have faith, we cannot separate that faith from our works.  In other words, if we truly believe and have Christ alive in our hearts, it WILL affect the way we live.  We WILL be forgiving, compassionate and loving to others.

When we have faith, we will also hear God calling us to Sunday Mass faithfully, and we will need to respond to that call from God in how we want to keep the flame of faith alive in our hearts.  You cannot say “I believe” and at the same time refuse to worship as God wants.

All of this, together, is a brief summary of the full picture of salvation.  

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Why was I Created?

Charismatic Meetings

Why do we have to go to Mass every week

Communion More Than Once A Day

Baptism and Salvation 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 9

  Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day Nine

Thou, on those who evermore

Thee confess, and Thee adore,

In Thy sevenfold gifts, descend:

Give them comfort when they die;

Give them life with Thee on high;

Give them joys which never end. Amen.

The Fruits of the Holy Ghost

The gifts of the Holy Ghost perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Ghost, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue, more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Ghost. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive, and become a powerful incentive for still greater effort in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.

Prayer

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits: charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, modesty, self-control and chastity, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration, may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy compassion / to watch over me in my weakness. / Holding the pierced feet of Jesus / and looking at His five Wounds / and trusting in His Precious Blood / and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart / I implore Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy love. / Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom / that I may despise the perishable things of this world / and aspire only after the things / that are eternal, / the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, / the Spirit of Counsel / that I may choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, / the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself / and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, / the Spirit of Piety / that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, / the Spirit of Fear of the Lord / that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him. / Mark me, dear Lord, / with the sign of Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 8

 

 Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day Eight

Bend the stubborn heart and will;

Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

Guide the steps that go astray!

The Gift of Wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of Wisdom it is written, “all good things come to me with her, and innumerable riches, through her hands.” It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: “Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power, and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.

Our Father (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy compassion / to watch over me in my weakness. / Holding the pierced feet of Jesus / and looking at His five Wounds / and trusting in His Precious Blood / and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart / I implore Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy love. / Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom / that I may despise the perishable things of this world / and aspire only after the things / that are eternal, / the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, / the Spirit of Counsel / that I may choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, / the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself / and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, / the Spirit of Piety / that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, / the Spirit of Fear of the Lord / that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him. / Mark me, dear Lord, / with the sign of Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 7

 Novena to the Holy Spirit

We ought to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more fly to Him Who is the never ceasing Fount of Light, Strength, Consolation and Holiness.” – Pope Leo XIII

Note: The following novena was written by the Holy Ghost Fathers over 100 years ago and was reprinted several times.  It is prayed for the nine days prior to Pentecost.  

Forward

The novena in honor of the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the directions of Our Lord Himself when He sent His Apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian.

The Church grants the following indulgence: “Partial indulgence to those who participate in a public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the Immaculate Conception.” (The Enchiridion of Indulgences, Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968, #34)

Though this novena can be prayed any time of year, it is traditionally prayed from the Friday after Ascension Thursday (when the Ascension is not transferred to the following Sunday) until the Saturday before Pentecost.

Day Seven

Heal our wounds ~ our strength renew;

On our dryness pour Thy dew!

Wash the stains of guilt away!

The Gift of Counsel

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth.”

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.

Our Father (prayed once)

Hail Mary (prayed once)

Glory be… (prayed 7 times)

Act of Consecration and Prayer for the Seven Gifts (prayed once)

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

On my knees / before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses / I offer myself, soul and body / to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. / I adore the brightness of Thy purity / the unerring keenness of Thy justice / and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength / and Light of my soul. / In Thee I live and move and am. / I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. / Mercifully guard my every thought / and grant that I may always watch for Thy light / and listen to Thy voice / and follow Thy gracious inspirations. / I cling to Thee / and give myself to Thee / and ask Thee / by Thy compassion / to watch over me in my weakness. / Holding the pierced feet of Jesus / and looking at His five Wounds / and trusting in His Precious Blood / and adoring His opened side and stricken Heart / I implore Thee / Adorable Spirit / Helper of my infirmity, / so to keep me in Thy grace / that I may never sin against Thee. / Give me grace / O Holy Ghost, / Spirit of the Father and of the Son / to say to Thee always and everywhere / “Speak, Lord / for Thy servant heareth.”

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost

O Lord Jesus Christ / Who, before ascending into heaven / did promise to send the Holy Ghost / to finish Thy work / in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples / deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me / that He may perfect in my soul / the work of Thy grace and Thy love. / Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom / that I may despise the perishable things of this world / and aspire only after the things / that are eternal, / the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, / the Spirit of Counsel / that I may choose / the surest way of pleasing God / and gaining heaven, / the Spirit of Fortitude / that I may bear my cross with Thee / and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, / the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself / and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, / the Spirit of Piety / that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, / the Spirit of Fear of the Lord / that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him. / Mark me, dear Lord, / with the sign of Thy true disciples / and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. / Amen.