Posted on 04/01/2005 10:22:54 AM PST by Dont Mention the War
Confirmed.
I guess the point is, the prophecies don't matter because they're not verifiable. Theologically, the last head of the Church, the Pope, will be Christ Himself.
Not at all, just messing with ya.... :)
Oh that picture is beautiful. So peaceful.
The Sacrament is Penance.
Yes, our souls can reside in a state of "purgation," or cleansing, but there is no longer any Church teaching about Purgatory of Limbo as being a "place."
Further, one cannot flunk purgatory. You make it to purgatory, and you are ultimately in Heaven.
Just to add a lighter vein to this someber thread...years ago, in Temple, my rabbi, the local RC priest, and Methodist minister had a joint interfaith youth group..we'd meet in different churches each time, and a different minister would explain an aspect of his faith, and take questions...So here I am, age 12, starting my bar mitzvah studies, and listening to this priest explain the Trinity to me. I'd never heard of it before, but it made sense..I had one question, so I raised my hand, and said to the priuestr.."I think I understand it"..at which time the priest broke out into a big smile and then said if that was the case then could I please explain it to him..
The Pope is brain dead.
The Pope is not brain dead.
Good grief, I wont believe the MSM until the doors close!
That comes from the prophecy of St. Malachy.
Here:
http://www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp
How about this. the pope is gravely ill and he will most likley pass before long. We are gathering here to offer our prayers.
When I was young, I didn't think about the Pope much. I was busy with life, just an ordinary slob trying to get by. As I grew older, and, once, felt the presence of evil, first-hand, when death came for my 15 year old son, I felt a sudden peace and my life was blessed by a miracle and my son was spared death. I learned the power of goodness and prayer.
Over the years, as many of us do, I found myself drawn to watch Pope John Paul's appearances on the news. Then I was among the crowds in Baltimore when he visited there. I truly felt his spirit, just as pervasively as I had felt the evil spirit years before. I watched him as he slipped into the state of "ecstacy" as he does when in deep prayer and I knew the comfort of his peace would be with me forever.
Once you have experienced that you are changed, and made ever aware to those auras. I am not a person who attends Mass regularly, but often enough. I never believed in auras before. I don't speak often of my faith. I just do what most of us do to get on with our lives.
Then, when my mother passed I started to use her Rosary to pray once a week. When my father passed, I put his green scapula in my wallet. It had been blessed by the Pope and given to my father in his illness by a nun. I suspect, somehow, God found a way to provide me with some reminders. And give me a sensitivity that has, ever since, served me well.
The Holy Father, so many miles away, somehow seems always attached to me, now. This is why I feel so deeply. I hope I am doing him an honor for the little grain of spirituality he placed in my heart and soul.
I hope I have not offended anyone with my fervor today. I suspect many have similar feelings and have been touched in some way by his love.
Thank you.
Trust me John, you don't want any part of purgatory!!! :)
actually, that picture has 2 of the century's giants.
I don't think my response was anymore "incorrect" than the continual Catholic-baiting questions we always get on Catholic-centric threads. I wish I had a nickel for every "Why do Catholics pray to Mary" question posted by a prot on a Catholic news, Catholic prayer or Catholic issues thread.
There's two types of evangelical come ons: the I'm an innocent so help me understand, not that I really want to, but because I want to lead you back to my interpretation of the bible. And the second type is the hit and run. I'm beyond thinking they're innocent questions. Five minutes on Google would get the question answered. It's not about getting the question answered.
Thank you! There is never a right time to be disrespectful.
But can someone explain to me, a Protestant, why Catholics pray to Mary?
Though she enjoys the glory of heaven, the Virgin Mary is still lovingly concerned with the struggles of Christ's Body on earth. So she constantly prays for our needs with a mother's love. Mary's intercession is entirely dependent on Jesus' role as the great Mediator (I Timothy 2:5). He is the One Way to the Father (John 14:6), all prayers to the Father must go through Him. Mary's prayers are no exception; she, too, prays to the Father in Jesus' Name. Belief that the saints in heaven intercede for us is biblical! The Book of Revelation portrays the twenty-four elders as offering our prayers to God like incense (Revelation 5:8). Those who sleep in Christ are still members of His Body, as are we. So we can ask them to pray for us the same way we would ask a fellow Christian on earth to pray for us.
And why do Catholics call the Pope "Holy Father"?
Because, like St. Paul, he is our spiritual father. We also call our priests, "Father".
A metaphor might help. When you break someone's window and apologize for the damage, in order for your apology to be valid or sincere, you must make an effort at restitution. Purgatory is like restitution in this metaphor.
Purgatory is not a third state, like heaven and hell. Those who attain the state of purgatory are necessarily bound for heaven. Purgatory is a state that serves to purify or purge the soul of all attachment to sin, since nothing unholy may enter heaven.
The souls in purgatory are termed "the Church Suffering." The Church on earth is termed "the Church Militant," and the Church in Heaven is "the Church Triumphant."
Funny I was curious as well when she posted the question as well and was grateful for the answer.
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