Please inform me of the Catholic faith?

Question

I am not Catholic, nor have I had much exposure to the faith, and there are some general questions I have.

Although it's a faith that I don't necessarily agree with, I am not here blasting anyones choice, this is just simply a set of questions.

1. Why do you pray to/through Mary? I mean, she had to be, no doubt, and very virtuous woman to be chosen for the task, but nowhere in the Bible do I see that we're supposed to pray to her.

2. What's up w/the confessionals? God saved us from our sins, never to return. I realize that someone might stumble, but knowing you can sin and confess seems like it's not sincere and really taking advantage of the mercy of God. Plus, what exactly are "Hail Mary's", and what is their purpose.

3. I know physically what a rosary is, but what are their purpose or how are they used.

4. What's up w/the Pope, what is his job, isn't that manrule? Please explain his relation with the church.

5. How do are Conservative Catholics different?

Thanks for your time

I ran out of room, lol, but here's some more.

Have any of you read Foxe's Book of Myarters? These atrocities were done by the Cathlics, how do you explain/justify this.

Also, how do you refute the things that people say about Catholics (idol worship, manrule, pedophiles, etc.)

Again, not trying to stir anything up, just simply curious.

Answer 1

I will answer as much as the space allows me to. But I am curious about the wording of your initial question. You say, "I am not Catholic, nor have I had much exposure to the faith" but - seemingly in spite of this lack of information, have decided that "I don't necessarily agree with,"

How can you decide whether you agree or not agree when your judgement is based on so little information? Just something to keep in mind.

<<1. Why do you pray to/through Mary? I mean, she had to be, no doubt, and very virtuous woman to be chosen for the task, but nowhere in the Bible do I see that we're supposed to pray to her.>>

Personal Intercessory Prayer to the saints is not mandatory - but it is Biblical:
God Desires and Responds to Our Subordinate Mediation / Intercessory Prayer
1 Tim 2:1-2 - because Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), many Protestants deny the Catholic belief that the saints on earth and in heaven can mediate on our behalf. But before Paul's teaching about Jesus as the "one mediator," Paul urges supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Paul is thus appealing for mediation from others besides Christ, the one mediator. Why?

1 Tim 2:3 - because this subordinate mediation is good and acceptable to God our Savior. Because God is our Father and we are His children, God invites us to participate in Christ's role as mediator.

1 Tim. 2:5 - therefore, although Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man, there are many intercessors (subordinate mediators).

1 Cor. 3:9 - God invites us to participate in Christ's work because we are God's "fellow workers" and one family in the body of Christ. God wants His children to participate. The phrase used to describe "fellow workers" is "sunergoi," which literally means synergists, or cooperators with God in salvific matters. Does God need fellow workers? Of course not, but this shows how much He, as Father, loves His children. God wants us to work with Him.

Mark 16:20 - this is another example of how the Lord "worked with them" ("sunergountos"). God cooperates with us. Out of His eternal love, He invites our participation.

Rom. 8:28 - God "works for good with" (the Greek is "sunergei eis agathon") those who love Him. We work as subordinate mediators.

2 Cor. 6:1 - "working together" (the Greek is "sunergountes") with him, don't accept His grace in vain. God allows us to participate in His work, not because He needs our help, but because He loves us and wants to exalt us in His Son. It is like the father who lets his child join him in carrying the groceries in the house. The father does not need help, but he invites the child to assist to raise up the child in dignity and love.

Heb. 12:1 - the “cloud of witnesses” (nephos marturon) that we are surrounded by is a great amphitheatre of witnesses to the earthly race, and they actively participate and cheer us (the runners) on, in our race to salvation.

1 Peter 2:5 - we are a holy priesthood, instructed to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. We are therefore subordinate priests to the Head Priest, but we are still priests who participate in Christ's work of redemption.

Rev. 1:6, 5:10 - Jesus made us a kingdom of priests for God. Priests intercede through Christ on behalf of God's people.

James 5:16; Proverbs 15:8, 29 - the prayers of the righteous (the saints) have powerful effects. This is why we ask for their prayers. How much more powerful are the saints’ prayers in heaven, in whom righteousness has been perfected.

1 Tim 2:5-6 - therefore, it is because Jesus Christ is the one mediator before God that we can be subordinate mediators. Jesus is the reason. The Catholic position thus gives Jesus the most glory. He does it all but loves us so much He desires our participation.


<<2. What's up w/the confessionals? God saved us from our sins, never to return. I realize that someone might stumble, but knowing you can sin and confess seems like it's not sincere and really taking advantage of the mercy of God. Plus, what exactly are "Hail Mary's", and what is their purpose.>>

Put simply, the "Confessional" allows for the oral confession of sins while one's identity remains anonymous to the priest hearing the Confession. As for the practice of Oral Confession of sins, this is Biblical:

The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins
James 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must “confess our sins to one another,” not just privately to God. James 5:16 must be read in the context of James 5:14-15, which is referring to the healing power (both physical and spiritual) of the priests of the Church. Hence, when James says “therefore” in verse 16, he must be referring to the men he was writing about in verses 14 and 15 – these men are the ordained priests of the Church, to whom we must confess our sins.

Acts 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today.

Matt. 3:6; Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as an historical practice (here to John the Baptist).

1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing both faith and sins in the presence of many witnesses.

1 John 1:9 - if we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanse us. But we must confess our sins to one another.

Num. 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution.

2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, there is punishment due for the forgiven sin. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin).

Neh. 9:2-3 - the Israelites stood before the assembly and confessed sins publicly and interceded for each other.

Sir. 4:26 - God tells us not to be ashamed to confess our sins, and not to try to stop the current of a river. Anyone who has experienced the sacrament of reconciliation understands the import of this verse.

Baruch 1:14 - again, this shows that the people made confession in the house of the Lord, before the assembly.

1 John 5:16-17; Luke 12:47-48 - there is a distinction between mortal and venial sins. This has been the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, but, today, most Protestants no longer agree that there is such a distinction. Mortal sins lead to death and must be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation. Venial sins do not have to be confessed to a priest, but the pious Catholic practice is to do so in order to advance in our journey to holiness.

Matt. 5:19 - Jesus teaches that breaking the least of commandments is venial sin (the person is still saved but is least in the kingdom), versus mortal sin (the person is not saved).

The Hail Mary is an Intercessory Prayer. "Hail Mary, Full of Grace" is taken from the Gospel account of the Annunciation. "Blessed are you among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of your Womb," is also taken from the Gospel account of the Visitation. The rest of the Hail Mary, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for our sinners, now and at the hour of our death" is an intercessory prayer asking Mary to pray for the conversion of sinners; that they will repent and seek her Son Jesus for forgiveness.


<< 3. I know physically what a rosary is, but what are their purpose or how are they used.>>

The physicial Rosary is a tool that allows one to keep track of their progress as one prays the Gospel. When one prays the Rosary, one is praying the Gospel. The Our Fathers and Hail Mary's is merely the surface of the Rosary. The meat of the Rosary is the Gospel itself. There are twenty mysteries, organized in four series with five mysteries a piece, that one mediates on as they make their way through the Rosary. They mysteries highlight events in the Gospel that have specifically to do with Jesus' ministry.


<<4. What's up w/the Pope, what is his job, isn't that manrule? Please explain his relation with the church.>>

Jesus established a Church on earth (His Kingdom of Heaven on earth), Since the real King (Jesus) of the Kingdom is in heaven, an earthly stuart occupies the highest earthly "office" in the Church. This line of stuarts (popes) can be traced all the way back to the first one, Saint Peter.

Peter has the Keys of Authority over the Earthly Kingdom, the Church
2 Sam. 7:16; Psalm 89:3-4; 1 Chron.17:12,14 - God promises to establish the Davidic kingdom forever on earth.

Matt. 1:1 - Matthew clearly establishes this tie of David to Jesus. Jesus is the new King of the new House of David, and the King will assign a chief steward to rule over the house while the King is in heaven.

Luke 1:32 - the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that her Son would be given "the throne of His father David."

Matt. 16:19 - Jesus gives Peter the "keys of the kingdom of heaven." While most Protestants argue that the kingdom of heaven Jesus was talking about is the eternal state of glory (as if Peter is up in heaven letting people in), the kingdom of heaven Jesus is speaking of actually refers to the Church on earth. In using the term "keys," Jesus was referencing Isaiah 22 (which is the only place in the Bible where keys are used in the context of a kingdom).

Isaiah 22:22 - in the old Davidic kingdom, there were royal ministers who conducted the liturgical worship and bound the people in teaching and doctrine. But there was also a Prime Minister or chief steward of the kingdom who held the keys. Jesus gives Peter these keys to His earthly kingdom, the Church. This representative has decision-making authority over the people - when he shuts, no one opens. See also Job 12:14.

Rev. 1:18; 3:7; 9:1; 20:1 - Jesus' "keys" undeniably represent authority. By using the word "keys," Jesus gives Peter authority on earth over the new Davidic kingdom, and this was not seriously questioned by anyone until the Protestant reformation 1,500 years later after Peter’s investiture.

Matt. 16:19 - whatever Peter binds or looses on earth is bound or loosed in heaven / when the Prime Minister to the King opens, no one shuts. This "binding and loosing" authority allows the keeper of the keys to establish "halakah," or rules of conduct for the members of the kingdom he serves. Peter's "keys" fit into the "gates" of Hades which also represent Peter’s pastoral authority over souls.

Matt. 23:2-4 - the "binding and loosing" terminology used by Jesus was understood by the Jewish people. For example, Jesus said that the Pharisees "bind" heavy burdens but won't move ("loose") them with their fingers. Peter and the apostles have the new binding and loosing authority over the Church of the New Covenant.

Matt. 13:24-52 -Jesus comparing the kingdom of heaven to a field, a mustard seed, leaven, and a net demonstrate that the kingdom Jesus is talking about is the universal Church on earth, not the eternal state of glory. Therefore, the keys to the "kingdom of heaven" refers to the authority over the earthly Church.

Matt. 25:1-2 - Jesus comparing the kingdom of heaven to ten maidens, five of whom were foolish, further shows that the kingdom is the Church on earth. This kingdom cannot refer to the heavenly kingdom because there are no fools in heaven!

Mark 4:26-32 - again, the "kingdom of God" is like the seed which grows and develops. The heavenly kingdom is eternal, so the kingdom to which Peter holds the keys of authority is the earthly Church.

Luke 9:27 - Jesus says that there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the "kingdom of God." This kingdom refers to the earthly kingdom of Christ, which Jesus established by His death and resurrection on earth.

Luke 13:19-20 - again, Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which grew into a tree. This refers to the earthly Church which develops over time, from an acorn to an oak tree (not the heavenly state of glory which is boundless and infinite).

Matt 12:28; Mark 1:15; Luke 11:20; 17:21 - these verses provide more examples of the " kingdom of God" as the kingdom on earth which is in our midst.

1 Chron. 28:5 - Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord. This shows that the "kingdom of God" usually means an earthly kingdom.

1 Chron. 29:23 - Solomon sits on the throne of the Lord as king in place of King David. The throne of God refers to the earthly kingdom.

Matt. 16:19 - Peter holds keys to this new Davidic kingdom and rules while the real King of David (Jesus) is in heaven.

Luke 12:41-42 - when Peter asks Jesus if the parable of the master and the kingdom was meant just for the apostles or for all people, Jesus rhetorically confirms to Peter that Peter is the chief steward over the Master's household of God. "Who then, (Peter) is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over His household..?"

Ezek. 37:24-25 - David shall be king over them forever and they will have one shepherd. Jesus is our King, and Peter is our earthly shepherd.


<<5. How do are Conservative Catholics different?>>

Strictly speaking, the phrase "conservative Catholics" really makes no sense because the term "conservative" is a political label and "Catholic" is a theological one.

Typically, the phrase (often presuming a negative conotation) refers to those Christians who strongly and openly support moral values that are often in-sync with true right-wing conservatives. Typically, right-wing conservatives and devout Christians are against abortion, against euthanasia, don't support embryonic stem cell research, and want to ban same-sex marriage.

Answer 2

I suggest you find a less biased source next time you want to learn about Catholics, because what you know so far is folly.

1. The Catholics do not worship Mary. They do not pray to Mary, in a literal sense. They ASK Mary to pray to her son, Jesus, on behalf of their souls so that they might have a better chance at salvation. They don't see themselves as worthy enough to ask such a thing of Jesus.

2. Confession doesn't work like you think it does. They confess so that they don't have to have a heavy weight of sin in their hearts before they receive the Eucharist.

3. A Rosary is a long series of different prayers. They're used to show devotion to faith and reflection.

4. The Pope is Christ's Vicar on Earth. Ever since Christ made St. Peter the rock of his Church (the 1st Pope), the Pope has been taking his place as the head of the supreme head of the Church, since Jesus has to be in Heaven.

5. They're not. They're just slightly less crazy than Conservative Protestants.

Answer 3

1. Read John 2, the wedding at Cana. Ask yourself why the part about Mary is in that story? Why didn't John just skip over that part and get right into turning water into wine? Catholics believe it is to show us that Mary intercedes for us. Furthermore, Mary isn't dead, she has received the gift of eternal life as all Christians are promised, so she's still a member of the Body of Christ. Asking her to pray for us is the same as asking our friends/family to pray for us...only better, because Mary has already been made totally pure and our relatives and friends still are stuck in the sinful flesh.

2a. Jesus saves us from sin, absolutely! But the Bible says to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16) and it's a good thing to do because we are held accountable for our actions and also because it's really great to be told that Jesus died for our sins and thus we are absolved from them. A confessional is better than other means because we can remain anonymous, and priests are specially trained to counsel us how to avoid sin in the future. It's as sincere as the confessing person wishes it to be (and if the person is not sincere, he or she has not made a good confession and it doesn't "count".)

2b. The "Hail Mary" is two quotes from Scripture (Luke 1:28 and Luke 1:42) followed by a request that Mary pray for us. We pray it to get help in living the way Jesus wants us to live.

3. The Rosary is a set of meditations on the life and works of Christ. As we meditate on these events, we pray, and the beads on the Rosary help us keep track of our prayers so that we can fully train our minds to think on things of the Lord.

4. The pope is the leader of the church on earth, but Jesus is his boss. His job is to pray for us and to lead all people (not just Catholics) to Christ. No different than whomever is the head of your church, except the pope is a true successor to the Apostle Peter and most leaders of other Christian churches can't say that.

5. Conservative in what way? Dress? Politics? Investments?

Answer 4

Pope is in charge of the Catholic church.

Rosaries are essentially prayer reminders. For every little bead you say X prayer for every big bead you say Y prayer and for every link you say Z prayer. I forget which is assigned where as I have been Catholic Free for years now.

Hail Mary is a prayer and like all prayers you request something.

Think of praying to Mary as like asking your Grandparents a question. That is really the only way I can put it and what I said isn't exactly correct.

Answer 5

May I suggest that you go to Catholic Answers at http://www.catholic.com and then look at the left sidebar: You will see many subjects. You can click on one and see tracts that will answer your questions. Also, the search engine will search 20 years worth of articles from "This Rock" magazine. There are a lot of great articles there too

Also, the"official" Catechism Of The Catholic Church is online at: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/entiretoc1.htm
This is a difficult document to read. (The book is about three inches thick!) But, there is a wealth of information there too if you take the time to learn how to navigate it.

Answer 6

1. The angel gabriel and Mary's cousin both say "Hail to Mary full of Grace the Lord is with thee! Blessed art though amoungst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." They said she would be called Blessed! The Catholics HONOR her for her role and often turn to her to help relay their prayers.

2. Jesus died to free us from Original sin. If we do not take responsibility for our actions, then his death would be in vain.

3. It is a tool to focus on the "mysteries" of Jesus's passion and death!

4. He is the symbolic leader an is interpreter of God's word. He is not God. He is the one who is suppose to bring us into the modern world of thinking while keeping us humble.

5. They don't change with the times.

Answer 7

I don't trust my own words, so here are words written by someone more learned than I
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm
(teaching on Mary)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm
(the sacrament of Penance)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13184b.htm
(the rosary)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm
(the pope)

Traditional Catholics did not particularly like the edict of Vatican II.

Answer 8

1. http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu67.htm
2. http://www.monmouth.com/~blanchett/_AskThePadre/00000008.htm
3.http://www.scborromeo.org/glad/c10.htm
4.http://www.catholicmissionleaflets.org/leafpope.htm
5.http://www.catholicplanet.com/articles/conservative1.htm

Hope this helps. These are the best explanations I could find for your questions. Of course, many will answer only to bash the Catholic Faith. I hope you are looking for sincere answers.

Answer 9

Whoever is pope at the time of the antichrist will be "the false prophet". Catholics worship graven images and have other gods before Jesus (Mary as a co-redemer). Oh yeah, and didn't they used to kill people who would not convert to their religion? Anyway I could go on, but here is your answer: Yes it is a FALSE RELIGION! The Bible even warns us about the catholic church in the end times. For more info go to www.endtime.com

Answer 10

I would not waist my time trying to compare the catholics to the bible. The admit they are not a bible baised religion the work of a bunch of man maid rules that are ment to confuse you into thinking you need a man to go through to get to GOD. I was a catholic and had my children in the church till one day I saw the truth about it all and I was mad. still mad. any how it is very confusing .

Answer 11

the scoop about the catholic religion is that it works like an antena for the devil in the past.... every catholic is like a secret micro phone hiding in your society.... christianity is just as bad morons to the right of them morons to the left of them...