Comments on: Ask Catholics

By: My Domain

My Domain — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:22:19 +0000

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By: my blog

my blog — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:34:49 +0000

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By: Eric Shuster

Eric Shuster — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:03:53 +0000

Thank you for the work you are doing to help everyone learn about Catholicism and Mormonism. I have been blessed to publish my first book last week titled “Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest” (Cedar Fort). “Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest” is the captivating story of the conversion of my wife and I from Catholicism to Mormonism with comparisons of 40 key doctrines between both religions that drove our life-changing decision. The book delivers a unique journey of how we were able to retain the spiritual roots from our Catholic upbringing, while enriching our lives with a harvest of peace and joy that comes from membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—hence the title of the book. You can learn more about the book at http://www.catholic2lds.com. The book is immediately available on Amazon and other book retailers. God bless you all on whatever spiritual journey you are on towards a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

By: MikeCro

MikeCro — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:39:09 +0000

Hello. My parents baptised me in the Catholic Church when I was a child. Later in my life I was baptised mormon and ordained an Aaronic priest. Shortly after the mormon baptism took place, I realised my mistake and understood that the Catholic Church is the real Christ Church. I confessed my sin and received absolution. The Catholic confesser wanted me to give up completely contacts with Mormons. I wonder if it is possible to go to the sacrament meetings in a mormon chapel on Sundays without obstacles for receiving the holy communion in the Cahtolich Church.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:23:50 +0000

wow! thanks for answering that question on Limbo for me too… DH is Mormon and obviously doesn’t believe in infant baptism. this does a good job clarifying the whole Limbo thing.

By: Oscar

Oscar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:38:40 +0000

Dear Tomas1,
I would like to clarify two of the points you mentioned. Believing Catholics do in fact hold to papal infallibility – that is a Dogma of the Church. Catholics believe that Christ works in the Church to keep it free from error in its teachings on Faith and Morals. This means that – for Catholics – the Church has not erred in these teachings, no changed any of them, in 2000 years. It’s difficult to understand the distinction here, because of misconceptions about things like limbo.

Limbo was never an official church teaching. It was something that many theologians within the church held an opinion on for many years, but that the Church had adopted no official position on. So, the Vatican didn’t do away with any doctrine, because previously, Limbo was never a doctrine. Now, the Church affirms as a teaching that unbaptized babies are saved in the same way that many other individuals who are outside the Church may be saved through God’s grace. The Church has never claimed that only Catholics go to heaven – it will claim that the Catholic Church contains the fullness of the truth necessary for salvation, however. In other words, being a faithful Catholic and a good person will get you into heaven, as God instituted those requirements and sacraments for salvation. But, the Church teaches that while IT is bound to God’s sacraments, God is not restricted by them – so he can choose to save others outside the Church according to his understanding of each individual’s soul. So, to reiterate my position on your observation, the Vatican simply reaffirmed this teaching in reference to unbaptized babies – Limbo was never a doctrine of the Church, therefore it didn’t have to be done away with.

To return to the first topic you raised – the Church is definitely composed of imperfect individuals. I would say that the vast majority of them are good and holy people, and spiritual leaders (and I would say the same about the Mormon Church). This does not mean that the people in the Church are free from sin, or that if the Pope predicts rain tomorrow, the Church is made invalid if it’s sunny. Papal Infallibility relates only to teachings on Faith and Morals, made “Ex Cathedra” – meaning, the Pope is making the teaching known through his role as the earthly leader of the Catholic Church(rather than, say, an administrative decision regarding the Vatican bureaucracy. To my knowledge, no Pope has been excommunicated. However, there have been a few dastardly Popes who shamed the faith, but Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit intervenes in the Church to keep it free from error in the vital areas of teaching Faith and Morals. This is why certain Church DISCIPLINES, like the celibate priesthood, may change (although it’s highly unlikely), but DOCTRINES, like the male priesthood, cannot be changed by any Pope at any point in time – that is an article of faith.

I hope I’ve helped to clarify those issues for you. Thank you for your comments and interest.

God Bless!