I have a couple of questions. If any of you kind Catholic folks will take the time to answer, I’d really appreciate it.
1. Why do y’all call pope “Holy” “Father” even with capital H and F? Being a non-Catholic, I don’t understand how a person, an elected/selected(?) official of a church organization, could be addressed as such. To me, there is only one Holy Father and He is our God.
2. Why do you pray TO saints? After all, they were human beings here. I pray only to God in Jesus’ Name.
3. My neighbor told me that she does not believe Jesus had brothers. I don’t want to get into a religious discussion with a neighbor, so I don’t ask her.
These are sincere questions and I am not being sarcastic.
Thanks in advance.
Im not Catholic.
I dont get why “popes” take on new names when they are elevated to the CEO position within the Catholic chirch...
I dont get why Catholic Church took so long to use the ENGLISH LANGUAGE in English speaking societies...
My list of “don’t get”s goes on and on
“1. Why do y’all call pope “Holy” “Father” even with capital H and F? Being a non-Catholic, I don’t understand how a person, an elected/selected(?) official of a church organization, could be addressed as such. To me, there is only one Holy Father and He is our God.
2. Why do you pray TO saints? After all, they were human beings here. I pray only to God in Jesus’ Name.
3. My neighbor told me that she does not believe Jesus had brothers. I don’t want to get into a religious discussion with a neighbor, so I don’t ask her.”
You don’t believe these things because you are not Catholic. So stay not Catholic and you won’t have to worry about any of the above.
2. Why do you pray TO saints? After all, they were human beings here. I pray only to God in Jesus’ Name.
Do you recite a creed which includes a belief in "the communion of saints?" If so, that will be good common ground for understanding. Just as we ask each other in the flesh for prayers (the Church Militant), so we do with those we believe to already be in Heaven (the Church Triumphant)... we are asking for their spiritual support. Even when it comes to the much-maligned "Hail Mary", we ask Her to "... pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death."
3. My neighbor told me that she does not believe Jesus had brothers. I don’t want to get into a religious discussion with a neighbor, so I don’t ask her.
The early Church Fathers (who were closer to the actual events) declared that Jesus had no brothers or sisters through Mary. That isn't to say that Joseph didn't have children prior to his betrothal to Mary (he was fairly old) or cousins. In the Aramaic, these relationships don't have unique identifications... they are simply siblings of some relation.
I hope this helps and that I have not written anything that would cause someone to stumble. Please forgive typos... on an iPhone.
I invite you to my homepage (click my name) for more topics from previous threads. These things tend to repeat on here.
1. Revelation 15:4, Isaiah 40:25, Psalm 111:19, Matthew 23:9
2. 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 John 2:1, John 14:13-14
3. Mark 3:31-34