Spirituality
Sainthood cause of Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich; centering prayer
Q. Recently, I listened to Mel Gibson being interviewed about the making of his film, "The Passion of the Christ." He referred to the visions of a certain Anne Catherine Emmerich. That prompted me to read more about those visions, which I found to be inspiring and, frankly, life-changing. What is the Catholic Church's stance on Emmerich? Is she a candidate for sainthood? (Atlanta) Q. Having seen references in a book I read to something called "centering prayer," I decided to learn more -- and now I'm quite confused. A number of websites, which identify themselves as Catholic, condemn centering prayer as dangerous or even heretical. But I've also heard that centering prayer was developed and promoted by some Catholic priests. So I have two questions. First, is centering prayer a good thing or a bad thing? And if it's acceptable, then why do people object to it so strongly? (Finksburg, Md.)
Mass just too long? There are answers, and options
Q. At our parish, so much of the Mass is sung that the Mass lasts more than an hour. Also, when it comes time for the readings, the lector walks all the way up from a pew in the congregation, and that creates further delay. Then there is a minute of silent reflective time after the readings, which I find tedious. My husband and I (who are both of Social Security age) have no patience for such deliberate delay. Many parishioners have complained, but the pastor has dismissed our voice. What can we do, short of joining another parish? (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Q. My wife and I are in our mid-70s and have bought cemetery plots and made our funeral arrangements. We selected immediate burial, without any rites, ceremony or embalming. But after talking to family members, we are worried that perhaps, in not having a Catholic funeral Mass, we are sinning gravely and making an irrevocable mistake. Please advise us about this decision, which now weighs heavily on our hearts. (McCamey, Texas)
Pray for us: How a pledge of prayers for a friend links us to communion of saints
Columnist Michelle Francl-Donnay sees the connection between prayer, the hope of resurrection and people praying for each other -- one of whom is a dearly departed fellow columnist for The Catholic Standard and Times, Msgr. Francis X. Meehan.
Praying to family members; rules for liturgical ministers
Q. Sometimes when I pray, I ask for the intercession of certain well-known saints. But at other times I pray instead to departed people whom I have known, loved and respected -- my grandmother, for example, or my aunt. Q. Sometimes I'm confused about my church. Recently, as chairperson of parish ministries and acting on orders from my pastor, I had to tell a young woman who is in an invalid marriage that she could not serve as a lector or eucharistic minister. (She was devastated and felt rejected by her church.)
Look for the mercy of God, not his punishment
"The Bible" is the name of a TV mini-series that aired on the History Channel earlier this year and proved to be extremely popular. A husband and wife team produced it. They are actress Roma Downey (of "Touched by an Angel"), and reality show producer Mark Burnett (who produced "Survivor" and "Celebrity Apprentice").
‘Fear the Lord,’ but don’t be afraid — there’s a difference
Q. I often hear references, both in worship and in religious teaching, to "fear of the Lord." I struggle with this because I think of God as so forgiving and passionate in his love for the people he has created. Do we really mean "fear," or just the highest respect? (Farmington Hills, Mich.) Q. Regarding vocations to the priesthood, what is the church's stance on whether to let a homosexual person enroll in the seminary? (North Plainfield, N.J.)
Resist sleek cars, ‘living on the edge,’ Pope tells future priests, nuns
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Be joyous, authentic and loving while resisting fly-by-night commitments, catty gossip and sleek cars, Pope Francis told future priests, brothers and nuns. Vocations don’t come from catchy campaigns or pursuing personal goals; the consecrated life is the result of prayer and answering an “unsettling” yet loving invitation from God, he told […]
Pope: Escape from sin, don’t be afraid of where God will take you
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Don’t let sin and temptation be a trap — flee from evil and don’t look back, Pope Francis said. Sometimes “the only answer is to flee and not be embarrassed about fleeing. Recognize that we are weak and we have to run away” from harmful sins, he said July 2 during […]
Closing of consecrated church; Catholic funeral if divorced
Q. What is your opinion on consecrated churches? Can these buildings be closed and torn down? (Brookville, Ind.) Q. I have been a practicing Catholic for the past six years. My husband is not Catholic. Both of us were married previously, and both marriages ended in divorce. I want to know if I would be denied a Catholic funeral Mass because of our present circumstances. (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for July
General intention: “That World Youth Day in Brazil may encourage all young Christians to become disciples and missionaries of the Gospel.” Mission intention: “That throughout Asia doors may open to messengers of the Gospel.”