Why is having a Pope so important?

Our Lord said to St. Peter, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). The papacy (the office of Pope) is first of all a rock—a sturdy and unchanging foundation. We see other faiths that have separated themselves from the Catholic Church and now change their teachings to go along with whatever is fashionable or politically correct at the moment. The rock of Peter stands firm because truth is eternal—it doesn’t change with the times. Furthermore, Our Lord promised St. Peter that the gates of hell would never prevail over the Church. The Pope cannot betray the faith by teaching error. We call this the charism, or gift, of infallibility. When the Pope officially teaches in the name of the Church on matters of faith and morals, he cannot err. The Holy Spirit protects him, because he protects the Church. God will not lead his people astray. Finally, the Pope is the visible source of unity. Every organization needs a head, a leader. Christ is the head of his mystical body, the Church. The Pope represents Christ on earth. All of us, as members of the body of Christ, need to be connected to the head: the People of God in union with their priests, in union with their bishops, in union with the Pope. Through this unity, we avoid division and confusion, scratching our heads and wondering who really speaks for and represents Catholic teaching. The true teaching of the Church is that of the Pope and the bishops in union with him. We can never go wrong if we hold fast to that rock.

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What is so significant about the numbers 3 and 40 throughout the Bible?

As you have recognized, certain numbers have great prominence in Scripture. One example would be the number 12—twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles.
Throughout history, the number three represents perfection, completeness, and balance. Very often paintings are arranged in triangular fashion. Writers will often use a tripartite, or three-part phrase (e.g. “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”).
The perfection of the number three is an implicit recognition of the Trinity—the perfect balance of the Godhead. All of creation reflects the Creator himself, who is three persons in one God. That’s why this number features so prominently in Scripture. Even in the Old Testament, the number three gradually manifests the work and identity of the eternal Trinity. That’s one reason why, at Mass, we hear so many phrases in groups of three (e.g. Lord have mercy; Holy, holy, holy; Lamb of God).

The number 40 is generally a time of testing, trial, and judgment. There are many examples. We think of the Great Flood that lasted for 40 days and 40 nights; the journey in Exodus that lasted 40 years; 40 days that Our Lord fasted in the desert; 40 days that he spent with the disciples after the Resurrection and before ascending to his Father. 40 years was also considered the length of a generation, and has always been seen as a marker of a significant period of time. This association has very deep roots in human history, and Sacred Scripture reflects this.
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Does it mean you’re a sinner if you are kind and always good, but you never go to church?

Firstly, we’re all sinners. Scripture says that the just man falls seven times a day (Proverbs 24:16). We are constantly in need of God’s forgiveness. Hopefully, we limit ourselves only to venial sins. These are true sins, but not serious enough to sever us from the life of grace. We want especially to avoid mortal (or grave) sins. These sins are so serious that they deprive the soul of God’s super-natural life.
The obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is given to us in the third commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day. This obligation implies that someone can physically get to Mass. Someone who is legitimately impeded, due to serious illness or inclement weather, for example, is dispensed from the obligation. In those cases, there is no sin in missing Mass.
Assuming that one can get to Mass, though, he has a serious obligation to do so. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (1281).
Note the phrase “serious reason.” A sports game, for example, does not exempt one from this divine obligation. We ought to reflect on our priorities in life. In addition, it is a venial sin deliberately to miss part of Mass—arriving late or leaving early—without an equally serious reason.
So yes, we should be “kind and always good.” Part of being a good person, though, is to love the Lord your God with your whole heart (Matt 22:27). One way we show our love for God is to obey all his commandments. May our humble obedience cause us never to offend our good God, who loves us so much, and so much wants us to love him in return.
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Why can’t women be priests?

This is a common question, and one that, sadly, engenders a great deal of confusion. Let’s affirm from the start two key truths. Firstly, God made man and woman complete equals, fully made in his image and likeness. Secondly, no one has the right to be a priest. It is a grace, a call, freely given to those whom God chooses.

For all seven sacraments, we have to use what Our Lord used. For example, he used bread and wine for the Eucharist. We’re bound to that. We need water for baptism. We need one man and one woman for matrimony. And we need a man for holy orders. At the Last Supper, Our Lord made twelve men his first priests. And so, like all the other sacraments, we’re bound to do the same.
Sometimes people claim that Our Lord’s action was based on the cultural norms of his time, when women were not fully respected. No one who has actually read the Gospels can make such a statement. Is there anyone in history who cared less about public opinion, and gave more counter-cultural respect to women, than Jesus of Nazareth?

Nor does this teaching undermine the inherent worth and dignity of women. No organization on earth has done more to honor women and affirm their dignity than the Catholic Church. The holiest person who ever lived is our Blessed Mother. Who more truly than she could look at Our Lord and say, “This is my body”? And yet, for some mysterious reason, she was not ordained a priest. Men and women, although equal, are different. A man is able physically to represent Jesus Christ, the eternal high priest.
Not only does Scripture support this teaching, but so does Tradition. As Catholics, we hold as divinely revealed those truths that have been believed always, everywhere, and by all. For 2,000 years, no church that maintains Apostolic succession (believing the same faith handed down from the Apostles through the line of bishops) has ever deviated from this practice. We take that as a clear sign of God’s truth.
This teaching is not a matter of mere Church discipline, something that can be changed, such as the rules on fasting. This is infallible, unchangeable doctrine. In the words of Blessed Pope John Paul II, “I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful.” So, even if a rogue bishop “ordained” a woman, nothing would happen. It’s simply not possible to make her a priest.
In the end, the sacrament of holy orders is not something manmade. No human authority created it; no human authority can change it. Let us strive to grow in faith by humbling ourselves before the mystery of God’s sacraments, and thank him for the gift of the priesthood he has given to his Church.

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When was the Bible written, and is there an original copy?

We usually think of the Bible as a book; in fact, it’s many books. The word Bible comes from the Greek word Biblical, meaning “books.” The Old Testament contains 46 books, the New Testament contains 27 books. The Old Testament books were written during a span of over a thousand years, starting around 1200 BC. There was, of course a long oral tradition before that. The latest books of the Old Testament, such as Maccabeus and Wisdom, were written within a century of the birth of Christ. The New Testament was written in a much more compressed timeframe. The earliest New Testament book is probably the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, written around the year AD 50. The latest books of the New Testament are the works of St. John, the last Apostle to die. St. John’s Gospel and Epistles were written around the last decade of the first Christian century (AD 90-100). Of course, all the books of the New Testament come from the preaching of the Apostles. That’s why the Catholic Church has always rejected the principle that scripture alone (sola scriptura) is the source of revelation. Scripture comes from Tradition, and together with the Apostolic Tradition forms the source of revealed truth.
There is no original copy of any of the books of the Bible. That’s not to say archeologists won’t ever discover one! The oldest Old Testament manuscripts were found near the Dead Sea between 1946 and 1956, and date to around the fourth century of the Christian era. The oldest New Testament manuscript is a fragment from St. John’s Gospel, and dates to around the year AD 125.
We always bear in mind, too, that while the books of the Bible were written by human authors, these authors were inspired by God to communicate to us the truths necessary for our salvation.

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What is the proper way to receive Holy Communion?

First, make a bow and say “Amen.” This is a statement of faith. You’re declaring that you really believe that this is the Body of Christ.

The universal norm for Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is to receive on the tongue. The communicant waits for the priest to place the host securely on the tongue. The ancient image of the pelican highlights the theological background here. The mother pelican pierces her heart with her beak to place her own flesh and blood directly into the waiting mouths of her children. So, too, does Holy Mother Church feed us, who are entirely dependent upon her for our nourishment. We cannot feed ourselves!
Some countries have special permission from the Holy See to allow communicants to receive in the hand. The United States received such permission in 1977. If one wishes to receive in the hand, he should extend his hands, high enough for the priest to see them, placing his left hand over his right. The communicant should wait until the priest has placed the host in the hand before walking away. The hands should be slightly cupped, so that the host does not slide off. After the priest has placed the host in the left hand, the communicant then takes the host in his right hand and consumes it. One should not extend the thumb and index finger to “pinch” the host from the priest or take the host directly from him.
If the communicant receives in the hand, the host is to be consumed entirely and immediately. The communicant may never walk away with the host! Also, the communicant has the responsibility to make sure that no particles of the host remain on his hand. Even the smallest fragment or “crumb” is the God of the universe, and we must avoid the sacrilege of allowing any particles to fall to the ground.
The communicant should not receive with only one hand, “popping back” the host as if it were an aspirin. This would not show proper respect to the Blessed Sacrament. If someone is unable to receive with both hands, due holding a child or using a cane, for example, then he should revert to the universal norm of communion on the tongue.

On this Feast of Corpus Christi, let us strive for ever greater reverence for Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. May the way we receive express the faith we profess.

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If you keep committing the same sin over and over again, does God still forgive you?

No matter how many times we may fall into a particular sin, God always forgives us if we are truly sorry. If we are weak in a certain area, we might realize that there’s a strong likelihood that we’ll commit that same sin at some point in the future. All we need, though, is the desire not to commit that sin again. We call this a “firm purpose of amendment.” You can’t really be sorry for a sin if you’re planning to commit it again!
We show the sincerity of our resolution by avoiding the “near occasions of sin.” If I really don’t want to fall into a certain sin, then I need to do my best not place myself in a situation where I’m going to be tempted, where the likelihood of committing that sin increases dramatically.
Of course, we receive God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of penance. This is the way Our Lord removes our sins, just as he forgave sinners when he was on earth. Jesus gave this power to the apostles, his first priests: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:23). Especially if we fall into mortal sin, we should run to the confessional and avail ourselves of God’s mercy. He doesn’t just forgive our sins, he takes them away forever. How grateful we should be to have a God so rich in mercy, who has given us this wonderful sacrament to assure us that his mercy endures forever.
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Why can't priests get married?

People often think of celibacy as missing something, as not getting married. Healthy, mature celibacy is a gift from the Lord that frees a priest or religious to devote himself not just to one person or to one family, but to all people, to all families. The priest is called to be a spiritual Father to everyone—caring for his flock, teaching them, nourishing them, etc. Celibacy allows the priest the freedom to be available when-ever, wherever he is needed. The demands of family life would limit his ability to make that complete gift of self. Ultimately, the priesthood isn’t a job, or a hobby, or something to do “extra” for the Church. It’s an identity—celibacy speaks not to what a priest does, but who he is at every moment, in every situation. The Church requires celibacy from her priests not just for practical reasons, though. On a higher plane, the priest imitates the celibacy of Our Lord, the great high priest. The celibacy of priests and of consecrated men and women reminds people of our heavenly goal: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage” (Mt 22:30). The bonds of marriage last until one spouse dies; in heaven we will all share in the divine love of the Trinity. Celibacy tells the world that we are not made for this world, that there is something greater, something beyond. Perhaps that’s why the world so often misunderstands the gift of celibacy. It can be puzzling to see how strongly people react to priestly celibacy—often in negative ways or with misplaced pity. Priests aren’t ordained under false pretences! But priestly celibacy is a reminder—sometimes even an unwelcome reminder—that sexual activity is a gift reserved exclusively to life-long, life-giving marriage. It’s not as if the unmarried man, or even the married man, has complete sexual license to act as he wants, with whomever he wants. When a society fails to understand and appreciate the gift of celibacy, it reveals a larger misunderstanding of what marriage and sexuality are for, as well. The healthy celibate life and the healthy married life are meant to complement and reinforce each other, both involving sacrifice in their own way, and each living out the Christian life according to God’s eternal plan for us.
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Why can only Catholics receive Holy Communion?

Communion means “union with.” When we receive Holy Communion, we show that we are in union with Our Lord and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Someone who is not united with us in faith, sharing the same belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, refrains from receiving out of respect for that difference. Only Catholics are admitted to Holy Communion because of that union we share in our common faith. The desire to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion actually inspires many to become Catholic. Even Catholics, though, have to maintain that unity by remaining in the state of grace. A Catholic who loses the state of grace through mortal sin—such as deliberately missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation— has ruptured that mystical union. To receive Holy Communion under pain of mortal sin is called a sacrilege--the abuse of a sacred person or object, in this case, Our Lord himself! That’s why any Catholic who should have the misfortune of falling into mortal sin should always make a good confession and receive absolution before approaching Our Lord at the altar. Let us always try to receive Our Lord with greater reverence and devotion, grateful for this greatest gift that he has giv

What does INRI on the cross mean?

INRI is a Latin acronym. In Latin, the letter I is the same as J. INRI stands for Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judaeorum. In English, it means Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. This is the inscription that Pontius Pilate placed above Our Lord on the cross. It was common in the ancient world for the crucified to have some brief description of their crime affixed to the cross. Here, Pilate takes the charge leveled by the Jewish leaders—that Jesus proclaimed himself a king—and uses it to remind them that he found no guilt in Jesus. In a sense, Pilate gets the last word. He had the inscription written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, representing the three great cultures of the ancient world. St. John, who recounts the episode in his Gospel (19:19), often employs irony. In this case, Pilate unknowingly gets it exactly right: Jesus is the King of the Jews, and of all mankind. The three languages highlight his universal king-ship. Behold your king! Here he reigns on his throne, crowned with thorns, the king who conquers death and saves his subjects—you and me, so that we can reign with him forever in heaven.