Question: Dear Bishop Camillo, Thank you very much for your response to my numerous queries. I truly appreciate your time and effort in clarifying and explaining each query. I do not need logic or substantiation to my Christian faith or for my belief that Jesus Christ is my God and redeemer. I believe that my Christian faith is living and is my main life line. Nevertheless, it is very important for us ordinary Christians, who do not have other than the Holy Bible, to actually refer to and take correct knowledge and guidance from people of God, like yourself, to some of the unexplained beliefs and practices that are widely practiced by Catholics in general and are not practiced by other Christian denominations.
[Continue here for the question and answer from the Bishop]
Question: I thank you for your Pastoral Letter 2007 - 2008 – Eucharistic Amazement, and although I am a practicing Christian and read the holy Bible once in the morning and once before I go to bed at night, I wish to have some authentic clarifications on the following:
1. What is Water Baptism - and how is it different from the Baptism that is practiced in the Catholic church. Why is it called Baptism of the Holy Spirit and being Born Again by the Evangelic Church – The Light House church of Pastor Gerry Zandrast? 2. Why was Jesus Christ baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan when Jesus was the son of God? 3. The Rosary - who invented it? 4. The Rosary prayers - where are they mentioned in holy Bible? 5. Who invented the Stations of the Cross that we observe during Lent? 6. What is Charismatic, Catechist and Catechism? 7. The first 5 books of Moses in the Old Testament are part of the TORAH - the holy Book of the JEWS - why is it in the Christian holy Bible? I would appreciate your clarifications and response.
Answer: [Continue here for a detailed explanation from the Bishop]
Question: Is it during the season of Lent that we should say the Sorrowful Mysteries everyday? Or do we say our mysteries like we normally do.... I have also realised that we no longer strike our breast when we say the I confess?why is that? - Gomes
Answer: During Lent we can either recite only the sorrowful mysteries or as usual all the mysteries. The Rosary is a private prayer, so there is no official rule from the Church about it. Personally, I prefer to say all the mysteries as usual because we have to contemplate on the life of Jesus and not only on one part of it. Even during Lent we should meditate on His birth and other aspects of His life. The mystery of Jesus has to be contemplated in a complete vision, with the help of all the mysteries and at all times of the year. No one has stopped you from striking your breast when saying the Confiteor, there are many who do it and even the celebrant at Mass does it.
Question: Recently Our Church Deacon blessed my car upon my request. I was not aware that he was not a priest until recently. Do I have to bless my car again? Is it right for our Deacon to give the last blessing after Holy Mass and can he wear a priest robe since he can be mistaken for a priest like I was mistaken. - Peter
Answer: A Deacon can not only bless a car but he can also bless a marriage and conduct a Baptism. So, there is no need for you to bless the car again. A Deacon has this authority. However, I would like to remind you that the blessing of the car (or of a house or an office) is not addressed to the car itself (or to the house or the office) but to the persons who will use the car (the house or the office). After blessing, your car is no better than before, nor more sacred. You should be more sacred, more near God, you should thank God Who gave you the means to buy a car. Please, don't put a relationship between God and a car, but between God and you!
Question: I believe I am a sinner and I want to return to God through prayers but whenever I start praying, bad thoughts come to my mind which are forcing me to sin against the Almighty. I just feel that someone really trys to stop me from praying. I am having a horrible time, can you help me? what should I do to be successful in prayers? By looking at my past I feel may be God does not want me near Him. Please help me - Cajetan
Answer: If you feel you had lead a bad past, reconcile yourself with God with a good confession. Don't worry about the "bad thoughts" that come to you during your prayer. These are seeds of distraction sown by Satan who doesn't want you to pray. What is important is not that you pray well, but that you give to God your special time of prayer. Even though after 15 minutes of prayer you feel that you didn't pray, don't worry, what is important is that you have decided to dedicate at least 15 minutes to God daily. God will help you and be with you. He is your Father!
Question: Please could you encourage all your churches to pray for Zimbabwe, the situation is deteriorating. We had elections on 29th March the goverment lost the parliamentary seats and is withholding the presidential results - no one knows what is going on but there is fear and anxiety - our only weapon was peace and the ballot box we have no power against the might of the army please pray for us - Nontando
Answer: I pray for you and invite all our faithful to be in communion with you and your country in their prayers. Courage! God loves you!
Question: Can you give an explanation of the letters "I N R I" that appear on the cross Jesus was crucified on - Jaison
Answer: The letters "INRI" are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19). Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The words were "Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm." Latin uses "I" instead of the English "J", and "V" instead of "U" (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum). The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." The Early Church adopted the first letters of each word of this inscription "INRI" as a symbol. Throughout the centuries INRI has appeared in many paintings of the crucifixion. Pilate's title for Christ was actually written in three languages.
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title was read by many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, "Write not, 'The King of the Jews;' but that he said, 'I am King of the Jews'." Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written". (John 19:19-22)
Question: I have a small suggestion and I don't know if I am correct but always wanted to tell someone in our Church but hesitated, however, as you are so kind to go thru the mails and reply so promptly I really felt positive about our Church. I really thank you and may God bless you for such a good gesture of yours to reply to the mails. I felt so happy to see your mail in my inbox as if God has written these words for me...... I really mean it, a confidence within myself that someone is there at our Church to whom we can approach for our needs. Really may God bless you......
I am a resident in Kuwait since 11 years. I was here in a sort of girls hostel before marriage where all the others were Christians, but from different denominations. All had membership in their churches but I felt when we were in India we were a member of a Catholic Church and we used to contribute money towards the Church on a monthly basis. But in Kuwait why don't we have any legal paper stating that we are the members of the Church and why is there no fee for the same as a monthly subscribtion for members. Our Church has thousands of people who can contribute towards it every month if a monthly fee is charged as members and there are a lot of people who are really in need of money if the Church does not require it why can't the Church give it to the needy people. If the Church has less people for handling these matters, why can't some people voluntarily work at the Church to manage these things. Other Churches have Directories of their members so why can't we have one in order that people can call each other at the time of need as there are so many doctors, so many managers, and so many people in good posts who could be of help. Being a Catholic we can always contribute towards each other in what ever ways we can. A Directory will always help to know one another more specifically at the time of need. When I see the other people getting a call from their priest early in the morning on their birthday and anniversary day and the priest wishes them and says a small prayer, I really feel why am I a Catholic. No one in my Church bothers about me.... on my special days. It is like asking your mother and father to present you something on your birthday rather than they wishing us. I know we have so many people but for the members who have enrolled themselves in the Church if not a call, a SMS or an email message, a birthday wish from our Church and our priests would be nice. Why can't our Church hire some people for these tasks......... we really need this. Bishop ............ Atleast once in a month one or two Masses could be offered for those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. I don't know if I am correct or not, but many a times I regret that I am a part of Catholic Church as there is no belongingness. As a Catholic we only do one duty, that is coming once a week to the Church as we feel that atleast we have one Church of our own so we can go attend Mass any time at our convenience. After I saw your initiative and approach in the Pastoral letter and towards the mail, I felt you really wish us to be united. I heard you speaking at the one day Retreat at Abbasiya telling us that many people are going here and there and many are moving away from our Catholic faith. I really felt you are such a good person who gave a very sincere message as our own father.... to us... if one of us leaves how much bad the Church feels etc... I was touched by your words... I hope and I am confident that you will surely reply to me. Father, I am not very smart but can always help you if you require any sort of help.... like typing, coordinating etc... - One of your Parishoners
Answer: Thanks a lot for your long letter which I read with pleasure. Normally we don't give any certificate of belonging to the Catholic Church, except when this is required from the State authorities or for some specific purposes, like marriage. What is important is not to have in your pocket a paper certifying that you are Catholic but to have this in your heart and to show this in your behavior, especially when you are required to identify yourself before other people. Personal witness is much more important than a written certification.
I know that in many churches there is a monthly subscription. I don't like to raise help for the Church in this way. I don't want to "oblige" somebody to pay. Perhaps a person can pay for sometime, then, due to his/her personal situation, he/she may not be able to, and in this case he/she may not to come to Church because their subscription has not been paid. I prefer to leave people free. Of course, the Church is in need of the financial participation of the people, but this should come from the generosity of the people and not by any kind of moral imposition from us. In this way, we are still alive! God, who helps us to be here for you all, is always working in the heart of the poor people. Our Church is helping very many poor people. We cannot say whom we help, nor can we "publish" the amount we spend every year for the poor. But, be sure that we are helping a lot. Besides that, I always allowed the different associations to raise funds for the poor in India or in the Philippines etc. I know that the possibilities of our faithful are limited, so when they offer money to an association, they cannot offer (or they give much less) to the Church through the collections made during the Masses. So, to allow associations to ask for money means to have less money in the collections of the Church. Therefore, this is another way that we help the poor, through our associations.
The sense of belonging is very important. You express a very deep need: to be a community, where every one is known by the other. Other Churches are very small in comparison with our Church, where we have more than 300,000 faithful. However, we try to do our best. I personally have a long list of e-mail addresses and telephones and dates of birthday or marriages (dates of death included!) and normally I reach to these people on their special days. For example, at Christmas I received more than 100 e-mails and many SMS. I answered every one of them. I answer every one who writes to me or sends me an SMS, no one will remain unanswered by me personally. Also, I accept invitations to visit those who ... invite me. To appoint a secretary for that, as you suggest, is not the answer. It then becomes more official and impersonal with people, meanwhile people need a personal relationship with their Bishop and their priests. But, seeing the number of our faithful, it is impossible, in spite of my good will, to reach out to everybody, even though I am willing to extend my list. So, what to do? I encourage people to become members of one of the many pastoral groups that exist in every one of our three parishes. Meetings in a smaller group facilitates more personal relationships among the members. These groups are inserted in the parish, so as to have on one hand a belonging to the Catholic Church and on the other hand a more personal relationship with the others, thanks to these small groups of people who form a particular group. You may find: Charismatic groups, Jesus Youth, Neo-Catechumenal community, Legio Mariae, choir groups, Couples for Christ, Al-Shaddai, Faith and Light. Here people know each other and the sense of belonging to the Catholic Church is felt much more. If you join one of these groups you may find what you are looking for: a community! Thanks a lot for your availability to help me in the secretarial tasks. I shall take into account your proposal. God bless you.
Question: How many times can a person receive Holy Communion each day? I attended a regular Mass in the morning at City Church and then went to a special Mass in the evening at Salmiya Chapel, but I was not sure whether I should have received the second time. Joseph
Answer: Communion is an essential part of the Eucharist. When you participate at a Mass, you should do it in a complete and active way, with receiving Communion too. If you have reason to participate at a second Mass on the same day, then for that same reason you can also receive Communion. But, at the same time, I suggest that one Mass per day is quite enough. If you want to pray more, try to use other prayers. Perhaps you may feel that attending a second Mass may give you more time to pray specially if you don't know what kind of prayers to say. So, you may feel it is easier for you attend a second Mass, where every thing is already scheduled, than to make an effort for a more personal prayer. Personal prayer is extremely important to prepare yourself to attend Mass with all your heart and to thank God after Mass for what He has told you (through His Word) and done for you during the Mass. Mass is not merely a prayer, it is a participation in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary, it should be the center of your day; its readings should echo in your heart during the day. It is therefore better for your spiritual life to attend only one Mass per day and to more time in personal prayer in preparation for the Eucharist or as a thanksgiving for it.
Question: 1. Why is it that the Patriarchs -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob etc. and the Prophets -- Isaiah etc. are not called Saints like Peter, Paul etc.? 2. We have seen practicing Catholics fall victim to black magic even though they did not take part in any such thing. People resort to it due to jealousy/for revenge etc. Why does a practicing Catholic get sick/become alcoholic etc. due to this black magic and how can it be overcome? Are there any special prayers/ritual etc. by the Church for this? - Juliana
Answer: 1) The Church does believe in the Old Testament Books as revealed and inspired by God. But the personages, even the holy ones, are children of their time, mentality, milieu and pre-Christian period, which means that the Christian Spiritual and Moral perfection, incarnated in Christ, as Supreme Model (Mt 11 : 27 ff.) and, much less perfectly, in the Apostles after the Pentecost (For St. Paul, see l Cor 11 : 1) was not available nor possible for them. Yet, for their time and milieu, they were holy people. For us, those holy personages were people of God's, but with some limits.
St. Peter (1 P 3 : 18 - 21) states that all the souls of the Righteous were held in prison until the visit of Crucified Christ , at the eve of His glorious Resurrection. After that, they were untied, set free.
However, the Church logically takes the Model of Holiness and Criteria provided by Christ's Deeds and Teachings, and, at an inferior level, those of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the Apostles and other Disciples and holy men and women.
The Church does celebrate the Nativity and the martyrdom of John the Baptist, the fore-runner of the Lord, John, the greatest among those born from women, however the least in the Kingdom, meaning the baptized Christian, is greater than he. The Church also celebrates the feast of "the grandparents of the Lord" SS. Joachim and Ann, on July 28. (At the beginning of July a Feast of St. Ann is also recorded).
In the Jerusalem Diocese, in the Latin rite, "proper" Feasts and Masses are celebrated for: 'those of the holy Patriarchs and Prophets", in general; even St. David has his feast. We say "even" as his adultery with Bethsabea was no secret, and his penance was great (Psalm 51 (50).
So, in brief, the Church ”canonizes" saints according to the criteria of Christ, the Apostles, the Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church, after either a popular consensus ("Vox populi, vox Dei", meaning "the voice of the people is God's voice") or - recently - after a minute examination of the candidates' life, heroic virtues and miracles. A real court is set in the Vatican, and the "devil's advocate" tries his best to eliminate the candidates!
On the other hand, we do not know many things about most of the personages of the Old Testament. One may not overlook the difference - nor the discrepancy- between some of their behaviors and Christian ethics: for example the lie of Abraham about his wife, who he claimed to be his sister; the craftiness of Jacob...
To be concrete and practical: since Saints are models for our lives, the Christian Saints not only suit our evangelical Christological mentality and meet our need for Christian perfection but we do find some problem in many "holy personages" of the Old Testament. So, let us take their light - not dark - sides. See the Letter to the Hebrews, chapters 11 and 12.
2) To practice black magic or to become alcoholics is a sign that the person has big problems in his/her life and he/she does not trust God enough as his/her Father. Black magic has no power at all on any body. God is stronger than any kind of magic and He is the Father of all his children. So, those who practice these things should be helped to discover God as a Father who loves them. Perhaps what we provide in the church is not enough for such people, they need more. Our Vicariate has many possibilities for that: prayer groups, associations, neo-catechumenal community, etc. Encourage everybody to join something useful for the betterment of their life. Special prayers and rituals are not the solution, even though prayer is always important to overcome adversaries. We should however never respond to black magic with another Christian ritual but rather by re-discovering God as our loving Father and trusting in His love and grace.
Question: I would like to know how the dates for Easter and Ash Wednesday are calculated. - Cora
Answer: At the beginning, the Church, departing from Jerusalem, used to celebrate the Christian Passover, the Feast of the Lord's Resurrection three days after the Jewish Passover, Pessach, three days after the 14 of Nissan. Needless to say that every Sunday is the weekly celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Later, especially in the Niceae Council (325 A.D.) the Church was keen on distancing itself from the Jewish Passover and Calendar for the following reasons (at least):
1- The Jewish calendar- actually the Jewish year- is incomplete. As a matter of fact a second month of "Adar" is added every seven years or so.
2- The Church wished that the yearly celebration of the Lord's Resurrection be always ON A SUNDAY, being "the first day of the week" (in Hebrew : yom rishon) of the new creation, and in Greek "He KYRIAKE", "the day of the Lord" par excellence. (In Armenian : Gyragy'). So, the Nicea Fathers decided that the "Sunday of the Resurrection" (as the name "Easter" is used only in anglo-saxon countries, since the eighth century A.D.) BE THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EQUINOX OF THE SPRING, or : first Sunday after the FULL MOON of the Spring, namely the first Sunday after the 21st of March. And if the equinox-full moon falls on the 21st of March, Easter should be celebrated on the following Sunday.
As Jesus fasted for FORTY days, and as He asked us to follow His example in general, and as He prophesied (Mt 9 :14 - 15) that his disciples, people of the Wagging, would mourn and fast while the "Bridegroom will be lifted up from them" (on the Cross), the Church started with a three day fasting, the holy Triduum before Easter. But, since Jesus fasted BEFORE His ministry, Lent was fixed after Christmas , Epiphany and the Baptism in River Jordan.(Mt II and IV).
The ROMAN CATHOLIC Church (and many Protestant denominations) start Lent 46 days before EASTER, excluding SUNDAYS from fasting and abstinence (we have six Sundays in this period), and so Lent always starts on a WEDNESDAY, Ash Wednesday. This year (2008), it is on Wednesday Feb. 6, and Easter is on March 23. The Oriental (even Catholic) Churches, have TWO FASTING times in this period : LENT (forty days) + the Holy Week. Even on Sundays they hold fasting and abstinence - which makes them start Lent ON A MONDAY (this year on Feb. 4, two days before our Ash Wednesday). Apparently the AMBROSIAN RITE follows this practice also, as Lent starts on the Monday before our Ash Wednesday.
As for the Orthodox Churches, following the Julian calendar - which has a delay of 13 days in relation to the Gregorian one, the Feast of the Resurrection follows the same rule: it should fall on the FIRST SUNDAY after THEIR 21 March (=+13 days), after the full moon (equinox also) of Spring. As a matter of fact, there are many answers which are NOT theological but rather astronomical, in relation to the date of Easter. The Orthodox Church (outside the Middle East) follows the Catholic Gregorian calendar for the FIXED feasts, but for Easter it (i.e. the Orthodox) keeps the Julian calendar.
Question: What exactly does the Anointing of the Sick do? I had it several times and nothing happened. When one dies, is this the same anointing? Does it take away mortal and venial sins away? And is the Apostoloc Pardon still given at death? - Charles R.
Answer: The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: This sacrament confers a special grace which unites the sick person more intimately to the Passion of Christ for his good and for the good of all the Church. It gives comfort, peace, courage, and even the forgiveness of sins if the sick person is not able to make a confession. Sometimes, if it is the will of God, this sacrament even brings about the restoration of physical health. In any case this Anointing prepares the sick person for the journey to the Father's House (no. 319). This sacrament is for the sick, not for those who are about to die. For these people there is the Viaticum. The same document says: Viaticum is the Holy Eucharist received by those who are about to leave this this earthly life and are preparing for the journey to eternal life. Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ who died and rose from the dead, received at the moment of passing from this world to the Father, is the seed of eternal life and the power of Resurrection (no. 320).
Question: Dear Bishop Ballin, Greetings from Canada - I am writing to ask whether the Vicariate may be interested in my doing presentations in Kuwait on: Stem cells: the science and the ethics; Embryo technology: experimenting with humans; New Reproductive Technology: designing humans; the abortion - breast cancer link. I have lectured on biomedical ethics in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. I have spoken in numerous Catholic high schools, in parishes, and delivered the homily once. I use "Evangelium Vitae", and often refer to Fr. Euteneuer's "Human Life International". I believe the pill is an abortifacient, that life begins at conception, and embryonic stem cell research is unethical. My worldview is biblical. For your knowledge, I have been an evangelical protestant for 47 years. I trust this will not disqualify me. (I regard the Catholic positions on the sanctity of life as the most well-thought out). I could approach the local bishop here for a possible endorsement for the purpose of lecturing to your community. - Clement Persaud, Ph.D.
Answer: Dear Dr. Persaud: Thank you for your message and your good proposal. You know that these issues are particularly sensitive in our society and touches our Christian faith directly and my mission is to keep this faith sound. So do not be offended if I must make sure that everything you present is in line with the doctrine and the teachings of the Catholic Church on this matter as I do not want to create confusion in the moral life or the faith of our people. If your understanding of these biomedical issues are the same as that of the Catholic Church and if a Catholic Bishop in Canada can introduce (recommend) you to me, I would not hesitate to introduce your program into our Marriage Preparation Course in the Vicariate of Kuwait. God bless you.
Question: Please confirm if the new Family Register Book has to be sealed and signed by the Parish Priest. How can I know the dates of Confirmation for my child? - Ivy
Answer: It is better, or even necessary, that it be signed by the parish priest. In order to know the dates of Confirmation of your child (if they were Confirmed in Kuwait), please contact Fr. Joseph or Fr. Dominic or Fr. Melvin.
Question: I really wonder why the prayers in the Mass for us the Laity keep changing. I especially dislike how they changed my favorite "Gloria" into just repeatedly singing "Glory to God" many times. Sometimes I have to pray silently by myself "Glory to God in the Highest ..." but with the loud voices of the choir, I get lost in praying my "Gloria" to God. It seems the essence of our prayers are lost in this way. Also, I wonder why we don't strike our breast anymore when we say "Lamb of God....". - Rudy
Answer: You are right! When we sing a Liturgical Hymn, the text should be the same of the Liturgy. I shall pay more attention to that.
Question: I hope and pray to God that the answer to my question is a positive NO. Is our Church going to be demolished due to the construction of the flyover ? My family and I are very worried that our Blessed Church may be shifted to another place and we pray that this will never happen. May God bless you and our Church - Peter
Answer: In any case, our church will not be demolished by the flyover. The last time I met the Governor of Kuwait City and the Minister at the Kuwait Municipality. Both told me that the church will never be moved. For some reasons: 1) It is now a historical monument for Kuwait, since it has been there for more than 40 years! 2) Our church is not only a normal church but it is also the Cathedral! The seat of the Bishop and the reference point for teaching and for worship for all the Catholics in Kuwait. A Cathedral is not like any other church. 3) The land has been given by the Al-Salem ruling family. I hope that these reasons will be strong enough to avoid any adventure to our beloved Cathedral, in sha' Allah! (God willing). I have presented to both, the Governor and the Minister of the Municipality a plan on how to solve the problem of the traffic in our area without removing the Cathedral. God help us! The Virgin Mary intercede!
Question: Is it true that once a person is baptized in the Catholic Church, he/she remains baptized till the end even if they change their religion later in life? - Juliana
Answer: Yes, it is true. Once baptised we are children of God forever. God is not like us. We may abandon our children, God cannot. He is our faithful Father for ever!
Question: Is it right that according to our belief, all those who have bid adieu to the world so far have been judged and are in heaven / hell already ? If so , what is the judgement during the second coming of Jesus for? - Ann
Answer: The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us on the subject of the Last Judgment as follows:-
V. THE LAST JUDGMENT
1038 The resurrection of all the dead, "of both the just and the unjust," will precede the Last Judgment. This will be "the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of man's] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment." Then Christ will come "in his glory, and all the angels with him. . . . Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. . . . And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
1039 In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man's relationship with God will be laid bare. The last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life:
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All that the wicked do is recorded, and they do not know. When "our God comes, he does not keep silence.". . . he will turn towards those at his left hand: . . . "I placed my poor little ones on earth for you. I as their head was seated in heaven at the right hand of my Father - but on earth my members were suffering, my members on earth were in need. If you gave anything to my members, what you gave would reach their Head. Would that you had known that my little ones were in need when I placed them on earth for you and appointed them your stewards to bring your good works into my treasury. But you have placed nothing in their hands; therefore you have found nothing in my presence."
1040 The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. Then through his Son Jesus Christ he will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. The Last Judgment will reveal that God's justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God's love is stronger than death.
1041 The message of the Last Judgment calls men to conversion while God is still giving them "the acceptable time, . . . the day of salvation." It inspires a holy fear of God and commits them to the justice of the Kingdom of God. It proclaims the "blessed hope" of the Lord's return, when he will come "to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed."
Question: Can you please tell me which are the days of obligation in the year, that we must observe - Marcelle
Answer: Special Days of Obligation in the Vicariate of Kuwait are: a) All Catholics: 1. Christmas (25 December) 2. Assumption (15 August)
b) For Special Rites: 1. Syro-Malabars (3 July: St. Thomas) 2. Syro-Malankara (8 September: Birth of the Virgin Mary) 3. Maronites (9 February: St. Maroun)
Special Days out of Devotion: 1. St Mark (25 April) for the Coptic-Catholics 2. St. Peter and Paul (29 June) 3. All Saints (1st November)
Question: How long should one offer Masses for the soul of a departed loved one - Mrs. Fernandes
Answer: We should always pray for our departed loved ones and offer Masses for their souls. Our prayer is not only for our friends but it is also useful for all those who have died and who have no one to pray for them. Don't think about your beloved ones only, pray for all the departed. God likes us to pray for all because in that way we show him that we love all our brothers, not only our relatives/friends. When God finds love in our heart, He is extremely pleased, because He sent His Son for this very purpose: to bring us the love of God!
Question: I read your Lordships comment about the Catholic and other editions of Holy Bibile. I would like to know if the Bible published by International Bible Society is approved by the Church - Thomas
Answer: Yes, it is approved by the Church however, it does not contain the 7 books which the Catholic Church considers inspired, and which the Protestant Churches do not consider and so they are not included in this edition. It is better to have a Catholic Edition of the Bible. According to us it is more "complete". In order to identify the Catholic edition of the Bible look for the 'Imprimatur' and 'Nihil Obstat' which will appear on the first pages of the Bible.
Question: Why is the healing service are not conducted during the night vigil now? We kindly request to start this service again. - Jose
Answer: Healing service is a wrong expression and can mislead the people. People may come not to pray but to be healed! We retained the same prayers but we don't call it "healing service" but rather "Intercessions". We ask God to help the sick people but we do not want to ensure healing, in the literal sense that the expression "healing service" is understood. We must not joke with health! The most important thing in our life is not to be healed but to do the will of God.
Question: I had heard that recently the Vatican accepted the belief that Jesus is not the only way to Heaven...Is this true? and how so if it is - Liz
Answer: NO! It is not true. Jesus is our only way to Heaven. We cannot go to the Father except through Jesus: I am the Way; I am the Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father excepth through me (Jn 14,6).
Question: What about the saints, we venerate them, and ask them to pray to Jesus. Isn't that like intermediates when the Bible says in John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." What about kissing and touching their pictures that we do, and praying before it - Ann
Answer: The unique mediator is Jesus Christ. In the Catholic Church we believe that the saints, and first of all the Blessed Virgin Mary, have the role of intercessors by Jesus Christ and through him to the Father. They were with us and like us, now they are in heaven with God. They remain our relatives, friends, etc. whatever they were for us in this world. Why should they ignore us now? So their intercession is precious for us but it is always in Jesus Christ and through him, the unique mediator with the Father. We can express our affection or gratitude to the saints with kissing and touching their image, but many times people do this in a very pagan manner. It is not the kiss or the touch which brings you the intercession of a saint but your prayer coming from your faith in God the Father. When we ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary or of a saint we should first of all ask for their help so that we do the will of God in our lives. Jesus said: Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well (Mt 6,33).
Question: It is my pleasure to visit and read the Bible readings everyday on the site. But my suggestion is if it is in Arabic language it will be easier for me, (if possible). Especially we are in Arabian country. I agree with you that most of the people, who visit the church, are Indian and the Philippine nationalities and they take the big place at the church, but you should take care of the Arabian nationalities - Heba
Answer: This is the link, where you can find the Catholic Bible in Arabic www.albishara.org We will also link it to our web-site.
Question: I would appreciate to know in what conditions are the Catholic schools in your country. I have read that they are in expansion and that in countries as Jordan there is a great application of this type of schools. Such structures seem to decrease instead in the countries industrialized as it also shows the recorded negative trend in 2006 in USA. I have read that many Arabs as the journalist Magdi Allan, have studied in Europe from Jesuit monks. Now in the Catholic schools in the Arabic countries the young Moslems can directly study in these schools, remaining in their country of origin. The Catholic schools are an example for study and education, considering that in the Italian public schools there are by now many vandals. Do you have intention to numerically increase the Catholic schools in the your country? If in the future you increase the number of schools I am available to also work in your country as personal administrative - Elisabetta
Answer: The situation of the so called Catholic schools in Kuwait is not easy at all. For example, we must teach the Koran but we cannot teach Catechism to our Christian students. Another problem is the very high expenses for a school. Millions of dollars are first requested for a land or for building a school. And then there are other problems. In Kuwait we have three schools run by three religious congregations. The Vicariate has no responsibility over them and I don't think we will open a school in the name of the Vicariate. It is too expensive and we don't have the money.
Question: My name is Josephine and I belong to Sacred Heart Parish, Bahrain. One of our Praesidium is named as OUR LADY OF ARABIA, in this regard we would be anxious to know when is the feast celebrated and when should we start the novena. Also if you can send us a copy of the Novena, we will be very grateful. Thanks for your assistance - Josphine
Answer: The Parish of Ahmadi has for its patroness Our Lady of Arabia and goes under the title of the Church or Our Lady of Arabia. It is my desire that Our Lady of Arabia be the patroness of our entire Vicariate of Kuwait, but until now we have not decided the date of her feast. Please visit our website and we shall post the Feast date when it is known. The Novena is also hosted on our web-site.
Question: - I am from Muscat, Oman and I intend to apply for marriage annulment because the person whom I married never mentioned to me that he was involved with another woman (non-Catholic). Later I got to know that he married her in the Temple without my knowledge. I have sought advice from the Church and was told that the procedure for marriage annulment takes two years. I would like to understand what needs to be done to get the procedure done faster - Flower
Answer: I am the Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait and have no authority in Oman. Please, contact your Bishop, Mgr. Paul Hinder who is based in Abu Dhabi.
Question: (WARNING TO ALL OUR FAITHFUL - We are printing this scam letter to warn everyone not to fall into such traps of greed, as this is all false and used to entrap innocent and gullible people) My name is ........... a Swedish national. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone(not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Somalia and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them. The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of Seven Million, three hundred thousand dollars ($7,300,000,00) that I have with a finance/Security Company in Cote d'Ivoire west africa. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and despatch it to charity organizations. N/B: KINDLY NOTE THAT 20% of this funds must go to the tsunami victims,20% should go to the victims of huricane in the United State of America and another 25% for your effort and time. Please note that all correspondence as regards this project should be directed to my private mail box I await your prompt response. Kind regards,
Answer: Please don't defraud people with these stupidities. Don't write to me again.
Question: I am still confused. Yes I got married in the temple and then we had a court marriage but I have not changed my name . I believe and follow my faith and he does his, then why I can not receive holy communion. I am really confused please help me, in fact I had spoken to Fr. Peter also few months back when I did my confession and Fr. Peter answer was the same to remarry in the Church again, but when I spoke to my husband he said no. After being baptized and receiving holy communion and confirmation also, am I not Catholic? just because I got married in the temple does this one mistake of mine make me so far from Jesus please help me I need your help - Sylvia
Answer: You are a Catholic and have been baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Faith, so you should follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church, which is to get married in the Church, not only in the temple. So how can you go to receive Holy Communion if you are not married with the blessing of Jesus Christ through His Church? I would again recommend that you go to speak again to Fr. Peter, but not during confession, where there is too short time for explanations. Ask him for an appointment and go to see him in his office.
Question: My name is Sylvia I am 33 years old and a Roman Catholic Indian national presently in Dubai. In June 1991 I married a hindu. This was a love marriage which took place in the temple. After marriage I was irregular to Chruch and the last time I received Holy Communion was in 1991, prior to my marriage and I felt gulity. Can I receive Holy Communion after making a good confession, as I am confused since I married in the temple. Please help me - Sylvia
Answer: Before receiving Communion you must regularize your marriage in the Catholic Church. However, it is necessary that you see the Parish priest of Dubai, Fr. Peter.
Question: Ref: Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Cantate Domino, 1441. In the Latin Mass, the following words of consecration are used to bless the wine:" ....It shall be shed for you and for ALL so that sins may be forgiven." Even if we ignore the above papal decree, this not the word used by Our Lord in Mathew 26:28, but he said 'for MANY'. Does this not nullify the new mass? - Dominic
Answer: The New American Bible (Catholic Edition) explains with these words and I quote: "The liberation brought by Jesus' death will be for many" (cf Is 53,12). Many does not mean that some are excluded, but is a Semitism designating the collectiveness of those who benefit from the service of one, and is equivalent to "all". So, the new Mass is according to Scripture.
Question: On All Souls' Day, there is sometimes only one priest to go around to bless the large number of graves in the cemetery. Perhaps due to lack of time, he is unable to pass by each and every grave, does it mean that those graves remain unblessed? Thanking you in anticipation. God Bless Your Lordship for all the good works. - Angela
Answer: Before sprinkling holy water on the graves, the priest says a common prayer for all the departed faithful. Even if the priest sprinkles holy water from afar, the blessing is received by each and every grave, so do not worry about that. What is important is our intercession for the dead. When we die, we normally go to a place called "Purgatory", until we are purified and worthy to enter into Heaven, with God our Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary, all the Apostles, all the Saints and all who preceded us there! What a joy only to think of that! But how do we go out from Purgatory? The Church always teaches us that we should pray for the departed. This is true. The faithful departed have already received their personal judgment and they cannot intercede for themselves, their destiny is decided. But we can intercede for them, we can "push" them out from Purgatory and send them to Heaven. So, what is very important is to pray for them. The blessing of the granes is an outward sign of our prayer, but the blessing in itself without our prayer is nothing. It is good to bless every grave but only in order to invite the relatives to pray for their departed who are buried there. Once again, what is essential for our departed is our prayer and not only the blessing of the grave as such. At the same time, our departed cannot pray for themselves but they can intercede and pray for us. We are stronger than them in praying for them and they are stronger than us when praying for us. So, to ask our departed to pray and intercede for us is a very good practice of the Catholic Church. In this way, we are ONE Church, formed of those who are in heaven, those still in purgatory and those on earth. We are one family, the family of God.
Question: Once or twice a year I do miss Mass on Sundays. The next time I hear Mass I receive Holy Communion. Do I commit a mortal sin by missing Mass on Sundays and should not therefore receive Holy Communion? - Elena
Answer: Catholics are seriously bound to keep the Sunday obligation and holy days of obligation. The Church understands the Third Commandment ("keep holy the sabbath day") as requiring attendance at Mass on Sundays and specified holy days. Failure to meet this obligation is therefore considered a grave matter ...... A Catholic who is able to attend Mass (ie., he/she is not impeded by sickness or circumstances beyond his/her control), and yet chooses deliberately not to attend, knowing fully well that this is a serious requirement, commits a mortal sin. He/she must go to confession in true contrition, as soon as possible, to receive Holy Communion in a state of grace. See: The Sunday Obligation: CCC 2180 - 83
Question: How will I defend the Catholic Church if other denominations ask me about the "INQUISITION"? - Edd
Answer: The "Inquisition" is an obscure time in the history of the Church. People affirmed that they have been judged unjustly. This could happen in all human tribunals, even today. The enemies of the Catholic Church use this period of history to attack the Catholic Church and to draw people towards them. So, it is a kind of bad propaganda in order to attract the faithful and lure them towards their denominations. They are wolves among sheep. Simply, such people, who question the faith of others, are like criminals because they disturb the peace and conscience of the people in order to have an advantage for their own group. You must tell such people clearly that you are not interested in their doctrine and you should not give them an occasion to meet you again. Besides that, the "Inquisition" did not have only negative aspects. Many people were saved by the "Inquisition". Women who were accused of being devils and witches, would have been executed immediately if the Inquisition was not there to study their situation and to see if the accusations were true or not.
The following tract from Catholic.com is quite helpful in understanding the Inquistion.
Question: "Why do...your disciples not fast" (Mk 2:18), he said: "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast" Mark 2:19. Jesus works His first "sign" at His Mother's request: Mary is the beginning and the image of the Church as bride and Jesus is the Bridegroom - the Church is the Bride not the other way round - am I right? - Myra
Answer: Yes, you are right. The Virgin Mary is the first faithful of the Church. She believed in the word of God, so she was declared blessed by her cousin Elizabeth (See Lk 1,45).
Question: Gen 1.27-28 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them". Later it says God created Adam and Eve. Since God created people in his own image before he created Adam and Eve, what is the difference between the other people and Adam and Eve? The Church teaches that the first human beings are Adam and Eve from whence all human race comes. Please explain how it is so. - JF
Answer: The verse you quote (Gen 1:27-28) is the first description of creation. In this text man and woman (male and female) have been created at the last. The author wanted to say that mankind is above of all the universe, the fullness of all creation. In this context, therefore, it was not necessary to mention names (Adam and Eve). However, there was also another interpretation of creation (Gen. 2,4b-23). According to this vision, mankind is the beginning of everything else. All creation has meaning only if it is under the order of mankind. Therefore here it was necessary to specify who is the origin of this mankind: Adam and Eve. The teaching of the two texts is the same either if mankind is above all of creation or if he is its basis. The two visions complete the message: that the human being is the most important creature.
Question: Could you please shed some light on eating of (unclean animals)/pork by Catholics. As mentioned in the Old Testament this should not be eaten as it is unclean. We all know that Jesus Christ is the new Adam and the old has vanished and does not hold good. Is there any official church stand on this? - Edwin
Answer: Jesus said: "Nothing that goes into someone from outside can make that person unclean; it is the things that come out of someone that make that person unclean... because it goes not into the heart but into the stomach and passes into the sewer (Thus he pronounced all foods clean) ... It is what comes out from someone that makes that person unclean. For it is from within, from the heart, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean" (Mark 7:15-23). After these so clear words of Jesus Christ, the Church doesn't need to declare a particular stand. She has just to repeat the teaching of Jesus.
Question: I want to make a suggestion where marriage banns are concerned - i.e. insert a photograph of the prospective bride and groom on the notice. Should there be any objections, it would be easier to notify because many times we may not know the name of the person but do recognize them otherwise. Nowadays, every official document be it in Kuwait or abroad puts up the photograph of the individual. - Shaclads
Answer: In principle, it is a good idea. Practically, I have to see if it is possible. Thanks.
Question: My boyfriend has recently separated from his wife. The marriage was conducted outside church.,He is a Catholic and his wife was not at the time of marriage. I am a newly bapitzed Catholic. Can I continute to date him? Can we have sexual relations? Will it be considered a grave sin? He said he has the need and he cannot control the emotion and sex is important. But I insist that we shall not sin and I want to reserve sex till after we are officially married. Shall I leave him? - Jo
Answer: A marriage solemnized outside the Church is not recognized by the Church, so he is free to marry, provided he has legally terminated his previous marriage according to the laws of the country where he got married. Kindly seek clarifications from your parish priest to clear out all issues before you contemplate marriage. You cannot have sexual relations until after you are married. Anything contrary to this is a sin. Either you remain chaste and marry him in the Church or leave him. I would like to draw your attention to an important fact: Marriage in the Church has no meaning if it is just seeking permission to have sex without committing sin. Marriage should be an important point of your discovery of yourselves as well as of Jesus Christ and His importance in your family life. It is Jesus Who is the centre of your marriage and of your family life. You and your boyfriend should seek out a person or a prayer community that can help you grow spiritually and strong to avoid temptation. This will also ensure a spiritually mature and a healthy married life.
Question: Why is the offering/collection made during the offertory placed on the ground below the altar? Suggestion: Perhaps a small table could be placed below the altar whereby the offering can be placed. - Ivy
Answer: The offering/collection is very precious to God. Not because God loves money but because God knows that we are all attached to money. So, when we are able to renounce and offer some money for HIM, He understands that that sacrifice is big for us. Please, offer your participation to God, and not for other purposes. Just as we place on the altar the bread and wine, as symbol of our life, and they will be transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, in the same way, we place our offering near (or under) the altar within the Sanctuary. We offer to Him all that we live and endure in our life and also what is many times the main reason for fighting, wars, divisions in the family, etc. i.e. money! We ask God to transform this source of enemity into a sign of unity and brotherhood with all.
Question: I would like to know who has accounted (written) the Old Testament of the Bible? Also, Why does God call different people His sons, like : In Luke 3:38 , God calls Adam his son , in Jeremiah 31:9 , He calls Ephraim His oldest son and also in Exodus 4:22 , Psalms 2:7 The Lord calls various other people as His sons, Isn't Jesus His only son ? - Michael
Answer: The Old Testament, like the New Testament, has been written by many inspired authors. You can find in every book a particular style and spirituality. Every author, being at the same time, inspired by God, has expressed his experience in a very personal way. "Son" refers to a particular deep relation between God and a person. Sometimes the King is called "son", or even the Jewish People! In the New Testament, THE SON is Jesus: "You are my son; today I fathered you " (Lk 3,22), or: "This is my Son, the Chosen one. Listen to him" (Lk 9,35; Mt 17,1-9; Mk 9,1-8). By our Baptism we also became sons of God. His life is in us. Jesus Christ, through his Passion, Death and Resurrection, opened for us the door of Heaven. We were excluded because of Adam's sin. Now the Son of God has re-admitted us to the Family of God, our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit helps us continuously to remain sons of God, in spite of the many attacks from Satan who wants us as his sons and not sons of God. We are sons of God, God is in us, we are in God, we are not alone, our Father is always with us. Let us not be afraid of anything!
Question: I would like to share my opinion on the prayer of the faithful, which we say after the Homily, can we add this "We pray for the Amir of Kwt Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, the ruling family members and the Officials in Authority, that the Lord may guide them and give them wisdom to run the country wisely, and keep them in good health." Your Lordship this is just an opinion and decision is all yours. - Elias
Answer: I pray every day in a particular way for our Rulers (Government and Parliament). However, in public it is preferable to avoid the mention of names specially in the prayer of the faithful. Perhaps somebody could understand this as a kind of politics or wrong Christian propaganda.
Question: Could you explain to me after repenting and confessing how we can purity our heart not to suffer in the purgatory. - Baita
Answer: St. John Chrisostomas suggests 5 ways: 1. Deep repentance of your sins 2. Forgiveness to all 3. Prayer 4. Offerings to the needy 5. Humility (Homilies, 2,6)
Question: 1. I want to know if there are Ghosts in the world and if yes, how do they come? do they dress like us? do they harm us? and how we know who they are. 2. We are told that sinners after repenting and confessing, all the sins are forgiven. After our death will we still have to suffer in Purgatory for the sins confessed? - Baita
Answer: What do you mean by "Ghosts"? We know that there are only Angels and Devils. Angels are the messengers of God and they protect us and guide us, for example, our Guardian Angel. Devils want the opposite, to draw us out of the will of God, to follow them, not God.
In Purgatory we are not purified from the sins that we have committed. Our sins have been pardoned in our confessions. But we have to purify our heart more because the sins we commit are the result of the impurity which is in our heart: attachment to the world in all its expressions, etc. Therefore, it is not the sin that has to be purified but the cause of the sin, which is our heart that made us sin in the first place!
Question: In yesterday's Gospel reading, the youngest son went back to his father and said "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." Was it because he realized that he did wrong or merely because he experienced hunger and humiliation and he did not mind being treated as one of his father's servants to satisfy his hunger? Was he really sorry for what he did and wanted to ask for forgiveness and reconcile with his father? - May
Answer: This parable (Lk 15: 11-32) in the Bible is usually entitled "The Prodigal Son". In my opinion, the correct title should be: "The Merciful Father" to emphasize God's endless mercy for the repentant sinner.
The younger son said to his father: "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me" and the father did. "A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery ".
What is the sin of the younger son? His elder brother will accuse him saying: "...this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property - he and his loose women - ...". The younger son will say: " Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you". So, what is his sin? We cannot say that he sinned against his father because he spent his inheritance. This inheritance was his and he was free to do what he wanted with it . So, the accusation of his elder brother " he comes back after swallowing up your property" is not right. The younger son swallowed up his own property that he inherited from his father ("Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me "). The younger brother sinned against God because he did not keep His commandments, but he said: "I have sinned ... against you". Why? We find the answer in that verse: "He left for a distant country ". This means that he cut his relations with his father. Every one of us has probably left his father and gone to a distant country. This is the reality of almost every one of our faithful of this Vicariate formed of expatriates only. But we have not interrupted our relations with our father. So, the problem of the younger son was not that he spent his own money in a loose manner, but that he severed his relationship with his father, he wanted to forget him. It is the same sin of Adam: to be totally independent of the Father.
But the father showed him immense mercy. The son had prepared his confession: "I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men ". The father "saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him" and did not allow him to complete his confession. The son had no time to say the last sentence of his confession ( "Treat me as one of your hired men") because his father ordered immediately to dress him as a very honorable man and ordered to begin a big feast.
Many times in life we feel that we are lost forever. We say to God: "I no longer deserve to be called your son / daughter". But, on the contrary, we do not leave God because He does not allow us to leave Him. He, like the father of the parable, welcomes us in spite of our grave sins and accepts us again as His beloved sons and daughters.
What is the sin of the eldest son? Apparently nothing, maybe he's saintly: "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours". Perhaps even we ourselves cannot say that because surely every one of us has disobeyed God in many of His orders. So, what is the sin of the eldest son? We find the answer in the comment of the father: " My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours". The eldest son never understood that his father was for him, was loving him, wanted nothing for himself but all was for him. He never entered into a personal, deep and loving relationship with his father. He was just an executor of his orders, but his heart was not there, perhaps it was with his friends (" Never you offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends"). No, his heart was not with his father, he was living in the house of his father, but not he was not "with" him. The lack of relationship with his father brought him to the same lack of relationship with his younger brother: " But, for this son of yours ..." His younger brother was not his brother but only the son of his father. His father replied: "Your brother here was dead...". And here the father reminded him that his younger son is his brother!
The experience of this eldest brother is our experience too. Many times we execute the commandments of God, but do we love God? We consider our Christian life a burden, an obedience to some precepts, things to do, prayers to be said. Yes, we do perhaps many things for God but our heart is not with Him, it is elsewhere. On the contrary God the Father is with us ;always and forever. He is with us in a special way since our baptism, when we became His own house. God in us! Me, the Temple, the house of God!!! I am not alone in my life, God is with me and in me. The parable tells us that the younger brother went back to his father, but, it doesn't tell us that the eldest brother entered into the house to celebrate the coming back of his brother. Perhaps he retained his attitude of refusal. We should not be scandalised by that because we do exactly the same when we are envious of our brother's happiness and good fortune or refuse him forgiveness.
We have to re-discover the bounty and the mercy of our Father, He is truly The Merciful Father!
Question: Recently I noticed that not many people know the way to the Sulaibikhat cemetery, as a result of which close friends and relatives sometimes miss out on the burial of their loved one. Considering the same, I thought it would be helpful if the Vicariate would publish the directions to the cemetery on its website. For this purpose, I have tried to map the directions, which I have attached herewith. - Sunitha
Answer: Thank you. We appreciate your thoughtfulness in this matter. Your map has now been made available here - www.catholic-church.org/kuwait/images/directions.gif
Question: We believe that " He will come to judge the living and the dead" I want to know if our dead people are not yet judged?
Answer: There is a personal judgement immediately after our death and there will be the final judgement at the end of the world, for the entire universe. This means that it is true that our dearly departed have already been judged. That is why they need our prayers, to help them be liberated from the consequences of the sins that they committed during their lifetime. They can pray for us but they cannot pray for themselves, their judgement has already been given. Don't forget that God is always a merciful Father, even in judgement. Try to follow Jesus and don't be afraid of judgement.
Question: I have a humble suggestion about confession at the Catehdral. I feel that it will be helpful if priests are available at the confessional before and after Mass on Fridays, instead of during the Mass. During Mass the Church is fully crowded and it is difficult to reach. Or any one room in the parish office can be alloted for this purpose. Also I would suggest the same for the 9 am children's Mass. I feel this will be helpful for many who want to receive this sacrament during Lent. . Thanks. - Lucas
Answer: Yes, it is the ideal to confess outside of the Mass. We should be be present during the entire Mass without leaving the Eucharistic celebration to go for confession. The Eucharist is a Sacrament and confession is another Sacrament. We should not celebrate them at the same time. Confession outside the Eucharist is also much more helpful for spiritual direction. However, in the Cathedral we have a unique situation due to the frequencies of the Mass and there is not enough time between Masses when one can go to confess, this is the reason our priests sit for confession during the Mass. If you feel that the place is too crowded or there is no time to go for confession in between Masses, then you can make an appointment with a priest to have a private confession. A personal and private confession is also very uplifting for spiritual development. So, courage!
Question: I would like to know how do I transfer my baptism record permanently to my residing parish in India, if I was baptized in the Holy Family Cathedral. - Donald
Answer: You can request a certificate of your Baptism from the Cathedral at any time, but we cannot transfer the registration to your parish in India. The reason is that the Church is very particular and sensitive with regards to sacramental / church records, in order to avoid confusion, duplication and mistakes. The Sacraments are a special and personal encounter between God and a Christian, they are not superficial or just something that is done as a formality.
Question: I have become a regular Night Vigil member and Servant of the Lord - my only request is - can we have more of the Parables explained or the Life of the Saints told to us during the Vigil? There are so many saints and so many parables, which many of us read, but can't understand. I am one of them I admit. It would be great to hear this. I am sure it will keep everybody alert and there would be less yawning in the church. - Julie
Answer: The purpose of the Night Vigil is adoration. We go there to adore Jesus Christ present in a particular way in the Eucharist. To read the lives of saints is good but it should be done at another time and on other occasions. For example, a group of families can meet in a house to read the interesting life of a saint and to pray together. Courage!
Question: What is the meaning of "Communion of Saints"? In the Apostles' Creed, it is written in the last part "I believe in the communion of saints". But in the new creed (the longer one - which we are now reciting during the Holy Mass in the Vicariate) it is missing. Why is this part not included in the longer one? What is the difference between these two creeds? - Biju
Answer: We have two formulas of the Credo: one is called "Symbol of the Apostles" and the other comes from the Nicea-Constantinopolitan Council. Both come from the rite of the Baptism, where we have three questions: Do you believe in God the Father, ... God the Son ... God the Holy Spirit. What we call "Symbol of the Apostles" is the short one. It is an ancient profession of faith which was in use in the community of Rome. It is very ancient and sometimes it has been said that it had been formulated by the Apostles themselves before they separated from each other in Jerusalem in order to go to evangelize over all the world. We have no documents proving that this Credo has been formulated by the Apostles and I think that they had other more important things to do before sitting at a table to fix that formula of the Credo. However, it is from them that we received everything: the right knowledge of the personal mystery of Jesus Christ, His work for mankind and the plan of our salvation that God revealed and realised in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and with the ministry of the Church. So, this formula is very dear and near to the faith of the Apostles.
In the year 325, three hundred Bishops met in Nicea (Turkey) and they formulated a more developed Credo. Thelogical discussions went on even after the Council of Nicea (325) and in 381 another Council took place in Constantinople where the Bishops added other details to the formula of Nicea but they affirmed a very important statement: We modify the text of Nicea because we see it necessary, but it must be clear that after us it will not be possible to modify it again, this is forever. In fact, in 451 in the Council of Calcedonia (Turkey) the Credo of Nicea-Constantinople
(the Nicene Creed) was proclaimed as the Credo of all the Churches! This Credo is the one we say now in our Masses.
Even though in the Nicene Creed there is no explicit mention of the "communion of saints", this is included in the articles concerning the Church: "We believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism... we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come ". The Communion of Saints is the family of God made up of the Church Militant (those alive on earth), the Church Penitent (those undergoing purification in Purgatory in preparation for heaven), and the Church Triumphant (those already in heaven). Together we form one Church, we are in communion - they pray for us, we pray for them (we support and assist each other with our prayers) so that we all may one day enjoy eternal happiness.
Question: Our utmost devotion should be to God alone and Jesus said that He is the only way to the Father. Therefore, I would like to know, is the Rosary a necessary prayer? By praying the Rosary, doesn't it seem that we are placing Mother Mary higher than God Himself, since the 'Hail Marys' far outnumber the 'Our Fathers' and Glory Bes'? - Cora
Answer: Of course, our devotion must be to God the Father through Jesus Christ. However, the intercession of our Mother Mary is to take us to Jesus Christ and to God the Father. As Pope John Paul II said, "To Jesus through Mary". Her intercession is not independent from Jesus Christ, like in the normal family the role of the mother is not separated (or should not be) from the one of the father. We venerate the Virgin Mary (we don't adore her, we adore only God) because she is the Mother of God and she wants us to be with Him. Besides that, if you notice, the prayer "Hail Mary" is almost all taken from the Gospel, which, along with the tradition of the Church, is the source of Jesus Christ's teaching, and we glorify her for the 'fruit of thine womb 'Jesus'', Who is the center of this prayer. Don't worry, ask the Virgin Mary to make you to know Jesus Christ better and she will do it.
Question: I have come across a site on the internet for live electronic Holy Hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed on webcam. Is it right to accept it or not (according to Church teachings). Your advice is needed. Elias
Answer: Your question is very interesting. Prayer is always good, even through a website. BUT: do you prefer to see your children in person or in a photo? or even through a website/webcam? It is the same with God. We need to see Him really present in the Blessed Sacrament and not through a website or webcam. I like to stay before my Father personally, to look at Him, to speak with Him directly and not on a website. Don't allow modern technology to enter into your personal relationship with God. God is a living Person, our beloved Father, not a computer!!
Question: I am so excited to be in direct communication with a Bishop of a Church in the very heart of Islam. I have learnt from your recent press interview that the number of Catholics in Kuwait is upsurging, and therefore there is need to build a bigger Cathedral and to do that you will seek "permission" from the relevant authorities? Why? Fr. Vincent
Answer: Any permission for building a church or any other structure, as a matter of fact, needs to be given by the Government or relevant authorities. I think that this is also the case in Uganda where you are.
Question: Does the Church of Kuwait belong to the Latin Rite? If not, to what Rite? Are there religious men and women in the Vicariate? Is the Catholic Faith persecuted/discriminated in Kuwait? I have never been to Kuwait or the Middle East and the information given will be helpful and may form part of my discernment. JR
Answer: In Kuwait, the Catholic Church has many rites: Latin, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, Maronite. We also have Masses in many languages: Tagalog, English, Konkani, Tamil, Malayalam, Arabic, French and Italian. The Church in Kuwait also has active priests and religious sisters stationed here. In fact, Kuwait is also the home of the Apostolic Nuncio for the entire Gulf Region. Besides, in Kuwait, there are Churches of other Christian denominations for the Anglicans, the Evangelicals, etc. We have complete freedom to worship and there is no persecution or discrimination for other religions in Kuwait. We are happy..
Question: Is smoking, consuming alcohol a sin for Roman Catholics? If 'yes' or 'no', then why? - Rudy
Answer: Jesus Christ says: 'Can't you see that nothing that goes into someone from outside can make that person unclean, because it goes not into the heart but into the stomach and passes into the sewer? Thus he pronounced all foods clean. (Mt.7:18-19). If nothing can make us unclean, why should it be forbidden to smoke or to take alcohol? The problem is that a Christian has to moderate smoking and alcohol or else he becomes a slave of these things. A Christian belongs only to Go
