We have a friend who claims that it is God's will that there be all kinds
of different churches, because what might appeal to one person might not appeal
to another. What do you think about this idea?
I think it is nonsense. Jesus taught us to pray that God's will be done, not our will. From the human perspective, it is proper to distinguish God's permissive will from His direct will. God permits evil and sin, including the founding of false churches and erroneous religions, but His direct will is clearly otherwise. The misuse of human freedom is always possible in every human decision while we walk on earth, but it is blasphemous to believe God can contradict Himself. One would have to hold such a blasphemous belief if your friend's claims were to be held. True religion is not concerned with what "appeals" to us, but rather what "appeals" to God. Our duty is to find the one true religion which comes from God and then adhere to it our whole life long. It is true that God has placed a disposition toward religion in every human person and if this is not met by the true religion then usually some other form of religion will be found and followed, either deliberately, or, more often, without personal culpability because of invincible ignorance, misinformation, etc.
Reprinted from January 23, 1998
Is it okay for a Catholic
child to attend Bible-school programs in another church in the summer? There
is no Catholic Bible-study for my children in our own parish and my sister-in-law
invited my daughter to attend the one at her non-Catholic Church.
It is possible that the non-Catholic school program might be harmless, but it is also possible that it could contain false religious teaching and harm the faith of your daughter. Unless you know for certain that her faith will not be harmed, I would recommend very strongly that she refuse the invitation from your sister-in-law. Why don't you talk to your pastor and perhaps start and run a Catholic Bible-school program in your parish? Also, obtain a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and go over it carefully, line by line, article by article, with your daughter during the summer. There is an abundance of Bible-related material in the Catechism and this will do much more good for your daughter than having her attend a non-Catholic program. It might also help you to know your Catholic Faith better than you do now.
Reprinted from June 19, 1998
Who are the Malabar Christians?
There are Christians who live in India, mostly in the southwestern part of that country. They are the descendants of the people initially converted to Christ by Saint Thomas the Apostle. They are divided into two rites, the Malabar Rite and the Malankar Rite. Most of these Christians are joined to the See of Peter in Rome so they are as Catholic as we are. Some of the Malabar Christians, however, are Monophysites, who reject the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, and these are still not joined to the Catholic Church. Some fell into the heresy of Nestorianism over the centuries, but these were converted back to the Catholic Faith by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. The Malankar Christians really never fell away from union with Rome, but they formalized their relationship with the Successor of Saint Peter in 1930. Each of these groups of Christians have the same Mass and seven sacraments as the Latin Rite Catholics, but their liturgy and ceremonies and some of their laws and customs are peculiarly their own.
Reprinted from April 24, 1998
Did Martin Luther teach that all sins are equal?
Yes. He taught that everything a human being ever thought or did was a mortal sin. Good works, in his view, are impossible for humans in the sight of God. In this matter as well as in many others, Martin Luther contradicts the Bible (1 John 5:16-17)
Reprinted from January 31, 1997
What is the religion called Theosophy
Theosophy is a strange religion invented by Helena Blavatsky. It combines elements of Hinduism, spiritualism, pantheism, reincarnation, clairvoyance, beliefs in astral body influences, etc. Madame Blavatsky was succeeded in 1890 as the head of this religion by Annie Bresant, who had previously been an Anglican and an atheist. Sometimes theosophists link up with a group called the "Liberal Catholic Church," which mimics some of the external rites of the Catholic Church, but in reality is an occult and evil sect.
Reprinted July 4, 1997
How did King Henry VIII of England receive the title, "Defender
of the Faith?"
When Martin Luther rebelled against the Catholic Church in 1517 and founded the Protestant religion and his Lutheran Church, King Henry wrote a book entitled, "Assertion of the Seven Sacraments" to rebut some of Luther's new teachings. The pope then bestowed this title on the king. Unfortunately, when Henry VIII grew tired of his lawful wife, he decided to abandon the Catholic faith so he could marry another woman. He had himself declared "Supreme Head of the Church on earth in England" and he killed anyone in his realm who refused to swear allegiance to his new title. Thus, the start of the Anglican Church can be dated to 1534, when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. Ironically, the monarch in England, who has to swear at his or her coronation to uphold the "Protestant Religion" still uses the title "Defender of the Faith."
Reprinted from March 14, 1997