Catholic Q&A

Any questions for about the Catholic Church? Ask away!

How would you "define" Mary, or your views of her? (or should it be "Her"?)

What is your opinion of Eastern Orthodox?

What do you think is the worst misconception Protestants have of the Roman Catholic (that is what you mean by "Catholic", correct?) church?

Mary is the Mother of God, conceived without sin and should be honored. her is acceptable.

I believe the Eastern Orthodox are our brothers and sisters in Christ and the division between us is saddening. I hope to one day see the two reunited.

The saddest misconception would either be about Mary or the Eucharist. These are two of my favorite teachings of the Church.

Lol yes. Roman Catholic.

Why isn't it OK for the EO and Catholics to remain separate? Can't they serve God to the best of their ability and do that in whatever denomination that works best in?

What happens when the Pope teaches something that disagrees with scripture? Are the Bishops allowed to correct him?

Because I believe the Church should be one. I think that divisions in the Body of Christ are bad and should be corrected.


1 Corinthians 1:10-13
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."

Also I believe in this thing called absolute truth. That there is an objective source of things that are right and wrong. It doesn't rely on how people think or feel but it rather is without regard for peoples beliefs.

The thing about the pope is that he can't speak falsely when speaking on faith and morals and ex cathedra.

Can you expand on the idea of ex cathedra? I think a lot of people don't understand what that means.

Ex cathedra means "from the chair". Basically it means when he is speaking with authority declaring doctrine or dogma. The pope has to basically say that he is speaking infallibly to be  infallible.

And how many times has a pope spoken ex cathedra?

How can a human being be infallible? I thought the only person who was that was Christ.

Catholics believe the pope is inspired by the Holy Spirit when speaking infallibly and therefore cannot teach wrongly. He is protected under the I will not let the gates of hell prevail against you.

@War Doctor
The pope has only spoken infallibly(ex cathedra) once since Vatican I defined it. Pope Pius XII declared infallibly that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul.


Countess asked a question but rescinded it. I will still post the answer.

No Mary is not worshiped. She is honored and revered and we ask her intercession for our lives but she is not worshiped. Only God is to be worshipped.

It was taken away because I had gone through that argument before. 

I will ask though, do you think Mary is maybe emphasized too much in the Catholic Church? Wouldn't be hanging her picture up with Christ's be giving the impression of them being on the same level?

What do you think is the best argument/reason for being a Roman Catholic rather than an Eastern Orthodox?

What do you think is the best argument/reason for being an Eastern Orthodox rather than a Roman Catholic? And how would you respond to that argument/reason?

The best reason to be Catholic is Tradition. It is the Church founded by Christ not just some person in the 1400s.

I don't know the best reason to be EO. You would have to ask WD

*cough*

I did say "argument/reason for being a Roman Catholic rather than an Eastern Orthodox?" not Protestant...

The same holds true for both EO and Protestants. Although I wouldn't say the EO started there own Church rather the EO and RC split from each other over certain doctrinal disagreements and largely political reasons. Also I believe the RCC is correct on the issue we disagree on, mainly the role of the pope which I see clearly laid out in scripture and early church history.

Could you respond to War Doctor's argument against the Roman Catholic?

War Doctor wrote:I think the pope is the best reason for being EO rather than RC. I think the overreaches of the pope is a reason a lot of liturgically minded Christians stay where they are while not knowing about Orthodoxy.

Have you ever attended an Eastern Orthodox Church? If so, what did you think of it?

What would you say to a Muslim who questions why your Christian faith is better than his? What makes Christianity the right religion?

What do the Catholics believe on the headcovering?

@Ox, I think the pope has overreached but I also think people forget the pope is human too. Humans make mistakes and even those put in a position of religious power can mess up. I think the example of the bad popes are further proof for the infallibility of the papacy. Even the most corrupt and unholy popes never tried to change church doctrine with their status. They did use the papacy for evil but still the church stands as a bastion of truth.

@Countess
No, I have not.


Christianity is the only religion whose founder has claimed to be God that has lasted and spread. Jesus was either crazy, lying, or he says he was. And from history we know he wasn't prone to lying, and he didn't show signs of madness so he must be who he says he is.

Head coverings are not necessary and are a matter of personal conscience.

Did the Apostolic Tradition say head coverings are not necessary or how is that conclusion drawn as it is instructed in scripture?

Do the EO and Catholics have their own set of Bishops or do they share them? If they don't, does that mean there are 24 bishops descending from 12 apostles?

Did Jesus give any evidence for saying that He was God?

The verses relating head coverings say that if any disagreement comes about because of head coverings they become unnecessary. I know some Catholics who do where them but they are not required.

They each have their own set of bishops. And like I think I mentioned earlier, there are more than 24 bishops because the church has grown so much.

The Bible is regarded as a historically accurate document and contained in that is Jesus saying he is God.

Were you raised Catholic? 

What Protestant churches have you visited and what were your impressions of them? 

What's the biggest problem in the RC church?

I was.

I have only visited two I think. The buildings themselves were very bland and boring. And the services were... interesting. The main focal point was the preachers words which was ok but it was very different from what I am used too. Worship seemed heavily focused on the band quality and not on the worship of God. Most of the time the band was right up front in the middle and it just seemed really people centered not God centered.

Complacency and moral relativism.

Hmm, well I would agree with you that loud heavy music can take the focus off of God.

What do you believe on wealth and giving? Is giving a requirement in order for one to be a saved Christian in the end based on Matthew 7? Can one have lots of wealth and still get to heaven?

I believe that we should give of our wealth to others. Not out of our surplus but rather out of our first fruits. Give what we get to God right away not wait to see what we have left. I don't think it is a requirement to salvation the same way baptism is. It is a good practice Jesus did say give to the poor. Yes people can have wealth and still get to heaven. They just cannot be attached to their wealth. It is hard for them because a they have more attachments.

Jehoshaphat wrote:@Ox, I think the pope has overreached but I also think people forget the pope is human too. Humans make mistakes and even those put in a position of religious power can mess up. I think the example of the bad popes are further proof for the infallibility of the papacy. Even the most corrupt and unholy popes never tried to change church doctrine with their status. They did use the papacy for evil but still the church stands as a bastion of truth.

I honestly don't find that very convincing... if you have power to do basically anything you want without much disagreement, who would care about changing religion or doctrine?

Jehoshaphat wrote:The pope has only spoken infallibly(ex cathedra) once since Vatican I defined it. Pope Pius XII declared infallibly that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul.

Whoaa...wait, wut? How does that make sense? I thought there were no "bodies" in heaven? And, was this that important of a decision? This sounds like a "cool-history-fact-but-really-has-no-application-to-our-lives-whatsoever" point...  

What are three main things Orthodox would have to change in order to be in communion with Catholics?

Do you know much about Eastern Orthodox?

What do you think of Icons?

Do you have pictures of Mary by herself?