Are you curious about something you've seen at mass?
Do you wonder what it's like to live in a rectory or to hear confessions? Have you ever wondered, "Why does the Church do that?" Go ahead – ask a priest!
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I was wondering if there’s a priest who does house blessings? And if so, is there a stipend for it?
Any priest can do a house blessing! There is not a stipend attached to it at all. However, if you would like to give the priest a little gift for doing it, that would be fine. Reach out to your local priest and ask him.
Questions about the Chotki prayers
Does the Catholic Church permit the faithful to pray the prayers appropriate to the chotki?
Yes.
Are the chotki prayers of Eastern Orthodox origin?
Doubtfully. To my knowledge, the chotki prayers were said by the eastern monks in ancient times before the Great Schism. They are still said by non-Roman Rite Catholics in full union with Rome.
Does the Church have anything to say about the chotki prayers?
In The Raccolta (1946 version), an official collection of prayers of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church,
“Jesus Son of David have mercy on me.” is indulgenced with 500 days and a plenary indulgence (given the usual conditions) if it is said every day for a month.
Therefore, the Catholic Church highly recommends this short prayer to the Son of God (and by logical extension other variants of the Jesus Prayer).
Is it ok to pray the chotki instead of the holy rosary due to the difficulty I find meditating on the mysteries and saying the prayers?
The repetition of the Jesus prayer is a spiritually fruitful way to pray. However, there is a particular greatness to the rosary and it should not be given up too easily. Numerous saints have affirmed the excellence and privileged efficacy of the rosary. The Blessed Virgin Mary at both Fatima and Lourdes explicitly requested the rosary to be prayed. Moreover, at least twelve encyclicals and several other papal documents exist on the subject the holy rosary, exhorting the faithful directly and indirectly to pray it regularly, with Leo XIII affirming its miraculous origin.
Perhaps focusing on a word or very small part of a mystery while reciting the Hail Marys would help. Alternatively, you could simply announce the mystery at the beginning of the decade and focus on the words of the Hail Marys until meditating upon the mysteries becomes more natural.
What is Lent?
The Lenten Season is like a spiritual Spring Training until Easter. The penitential season of six Sundays and 40 weekdays prepares for the high feast of Easter. Lent begins Ash Wednesday and ends with the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in the evening known as Holy Thursday. Lent is form the Anglo-Saxon word which means Spring. Sundays are considered mini “Easters” as you celebrate the Lord’s Day. If you are exercising a Lenten discipline, some people cheat on this day and some don’t; let your conscience guide you.
How old was Jesus when He died on the cross?
Though the exact age is unknown, tradition holds that Jesus was 33 years old when he died. Given historical contexts and data, it seems that he would have been around 33 when he was crucified and he died. The current way of noting the year (2019 AD) begins from the year of his birth (Anno Domini is Latin for "Year of the Lord"). The years prior to the Birth of Jesus are referred to as BC – Before Christ.
Why did the Church come up with a new Catechism when we already had the amazing Roman Catechism? Why not just simply update the Roman Catechism instead of writing a new one? I actually don’t get moved at all by the “poetic” language in the new Catechism. I only really read the Roman Catechism. Why did they write a new one?
There have been many different Catechisms in the Church throughout the centuries. There was a Jerusalem Catechism, the Catechism of Trent, the Baltimore Catechism, a little Catechism of St. Francis, etc…. Many of these were designed and written for different audiences varying according to age, geography, devotions, and other things. For instance, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued an Adult Catechism and a Youth Catechism. Both of these target specific demographics.
The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council asked that a new Universal Catechism of the Catholic Church be produced as one of the fruits of the Council. When the Catechism was promulgated and published under the Pontificate of St. Pope John Paul II, this goal of the Second Vatican Council was achieved. This is why the Church produced this new Catechism. All the other Catechisms can be used for teaching and for growing in our faith. One Catechism does not necessarily replace another one.
I spent one year in the occult, but I recently became a Christian, and I regret my past. I found out about the mark of the beast, and I am worried now, because the mark is supposed to be on the right hand or the forehead, and last year (when I was in the occult) I got a tattoo on my right hand. That tattoo means a specific card from the tarot deck. Will I not be forgiven for that?
Praise God for your conversion and his work in your life! Thankfully, there is no sin or evil that we choose that is beyond the Lord’s mercy, provided that we turn away from it with sorrow and humbly ask for His forgiveness. The Lord can surely forgive your decision to get a tattoo that is evil or contrary to the Christian faith.
Two suggestions:
I have heard of similar situations where people have had the tattoo removed OR had an artist “Christianize” the current tattoo. This can relieve you of a permanent reminder of the Occult and instead, you’ll have a reminder of Christ the Victorious King who conquers all evil.
If you are Catholic, I highly encourage you to visit with your local priest in order to renounce your past involvement with the Occult. We have some beautiful and powerful prayers that were specifically written to break any bonds, promises, or oaths that may have invited demonic influence in a person’s life. This is a powerful spiritual remedy and can provide a greater experience of the freedom that the Lord Jesus desires for your life.