The "What you always wanted to ask a priest but were afraid to" thread

[JoeNah]

When you go out on personal business, do you wear you collar? Do you think people treat you differently because of it?

Depends on what all I'm doing that day. If I'm on church business, I always have it on, but if I'm just running to the store for milk I may have on jeans and a tshirt. Many times if I'm doing "church stuff" at some point during the day, I'll just wear my clerics all day rather than changing back and forth.Definitely. I do both-- depending on what it is.

Have you ever gone somewhere wearing jeans and a Tshirt, (and it's the first time you've been there) and then gone back the 2nd or 3rd time wearing your collar, and experienced the "I-didn't-know-you-were-a-priest!" reaction?

I'm assuming that when you wear jeans and a Tshirt, that you DON'T make a public announcement, giving everyone notice!

 

[Mayflower1]

Hi! Is a priest different then a pastor?

 

[Arkanni]

have you done drugs before? visions.. not good bad head signs,

 

[Arkanni]

Hi! Is a priest different then a pastor?

IMO

 

[Father Rick]

Ok guys...

I don't know what happened here, but it looks like somehow during the 7/7/7 changes my subscription to this thread got screwed up.

I'll try to catch up everything...

 

[Father Rick]

Have you watched the movie 'Amanda'? During part of it (not the main story), a horse goes into the Priest's side of the confessional box while a little boy is talking to God, and listens in... hehe...
But yes, it's a very good movie - very moving.

How old do you have to be before you go along to confession?

No I haven't seen the movie...

As to confession, you just have to be old enough to understand what it is-- usually about 1st grade...

 

[Father Rick]

Father may I ask a question? About religion in general?

It's been a while since you asked this... but, yes, if you're still interested feel free to ask whatever questions you may have.

 

[Father Rick]

Hi, I Am In A Bad Marriage And Prior To Going In The Marriage, I Was Told That We Were "unequally Yolked", But Love And Youth Blinded My Vision. Does God Ever Change Or Fix People To Make Them Equally Yolked? As Far As Infidelity Goes?

It sounds like there are a lot of different issues here...

First, the phrase "unequally yoked" is referring to a Christian being married to a non-Christian. If the Christian is serious about their faith, this will obviously cause problems.

As to issues dealing with infidelity, etc. I'd be happy to discuss those with you, but that's probably better handled via pm.

 

[Father Rick]

When you go out on personal business, do you wear you collar? Do you think people treat you differently because of it?

Depends on what all I'm doing that day. If I'm on church business, I always have it on, but if I'm just running to the store for milk I may have on jeans and a tshirt. Many times if I'm doing "church stuff" at some point during the day, I'll just wear my clerics all day rather than changing back and forth.Definitely. I do both-- depending on what it is.

Have you ever gone somewhere wearing jeans and a Tshirt, (and it's the first time you've been there) and then gone back the 2nd or 3rd time wearing your collar, and experienced the "I-didn't-know-you-were-a-priest!" reaction?

I'm assuming that when you wear jeans and a Tshirt, that you DON'T make a public announcement, giving everyone notice!

LOL...

I've had those kind of reactions both ways. Parishioners who are used to only seeing me in clerics usually do a double take the first time they see me in jeans or a tshirt (or even better in shorts, tshirt and sandals on a church trip to Busch Gardens). Sometimes I run into people I know in Walmart or whatever and they don't even recognize me in street clothes.

Then there are those like my next door neighbor, who usually sees me working in the yard etc. He had lived next door for a couple of years before it finally sunk in that I am a priest. When it did, he told me "I knew that you were always doing all this ministry stuff, inviting me to church and all... but you're actually a priest!"

 

[Father Rick]

Hi! Is a priest different then a pastor?

The word "priest" is a transliteration into English (via Latin) of the word "presbuteros"... which you will find in your Bible translated as either "elder" or "presbyter", depending on which translation you use.

In the Catholic churches, there are 2 "levels" of ordination... deacon, priest, and bishop. Every clergy, regardless of their function, is one of these three.

A priest may serve in a wide variety of ministerial roles... from pastoring, to chaplaincy, to counselor, to administrator, etc. depending on his particular skill set.

While it is unusual, in the Catholic churches, a deacon may serve as the pastor of a parish... a bishop may also be serving as the pastor of a parish, although usually he will be overseeing an entire geographic area and not just one church.

In Protestant churches, they don't have priests (long story) although the clergy person overseeing a particular church is usually understood to be "a pastor".

 

[Father Rick]

have you done drugs before? visions.. not good bad head signs,

No... I've never done drugs.

I'm not sure if I understand the 2nd half of that.

 

[MotherBrigidClare]

time has now gone by and questions have built causing me alot of grief wondeirng the why's and how's that i guess i didn't really think about too much at the time. my desire to be Catholic was just so strong and i still feel Catholic but this is one aspect that i just can't wrap my head around. although i will say you're one of the first to ever show my that

Dear Kimber,

I would like to share with you another perspective on our Catholic Faith. How beautiful it is to assemble with God's people on the day He set apart for entering into His rest, and receiving the precious gift of His Body and Blood, to be given His strength for the journey.

He wants us to desire that from the heart. There are many things He calls us to do that help us in our journey towards sanctity. The Church has put serious warnings on things that the Lord wishes us to do from the heart...these warnings inspire fear....a lesser motive for going to church than Love. For some it is good if they heed these warnings and perhaps they will get a touch during Mass and grow in sanctity, until they really want to be there from the heart.

We are Old Catholic, but live a more monastic lifestyle...but I would like to share with you that we also are very uncomfortable with legalistic requirements that totally bypass the real issue...where is our heart on Sunday? We do not believe that a soul will be condemned to Hell because they didn't go to Mass on Sunday.

We do believe that if that becomes a habit, without repenting for neglecting the Lord, that can eventually kill the Spiritual life of that soul. But if a person loves God and makes it a point to go to Mass on another day, we believe there is no guilt.

The Lord said that He would write His law on our hearts and move us to follow His decrees. From the heart...not legalistically. We have a problem with rules and regulations that ignore the state of a soul's heart but keep them in line by holding punishments over their head. Using fear to modify their behavior, and keep them coming back. I even question whether someone should be recieving the Lord if they are there just out of fear. Do they really understand what is taking place?

Hope this brings a little relief to your heart. He is watching over us with Love and concern, not a clip board checking off every time we break one of the rules written by man.

May His Mercy and Kindness make everything clear to you, and give you peace.

+Rev Mother Brigid
episcopa,
theearlychurchofphiladelphia

 

[Forest]

Hey everyone!

I haven't been over in this part of the forum very often, but thought this may be a good chance to get to know some of the folks here.

So... feel free to ask any questions you may have... or just chat about the weather or what's for lunch.

Blessings!

I have always wondered if a non-Catholic like me wanted to confess to a priest what would happen?

 

[Father Rick]

I have always wondered if a non-Catholic like me wanted to confess to a priest what would happen?

If you wanted to go to confession you would be welcomed...

 

[ParaCristo]

I like your Avatar....what is that from?

 

[Father Rick]

I like your Avatar....what is that from?

I'm not certain where it came from originally....

It is used on the entry page for the Order of St. Michael the Archangel (www.orderofsaintmichael.org) , a religious order focused on deliverance and healing, of which I serve as abbot.

 

[peacefulfire]

Have you ever accidentally laughed during a confession?

 

[Father Rick]

Have you ever accidentally laughed during a confession?

LOL...

Actually, I have laughed during confessional... but not in the way you are asking.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the "order" of confession, but what occurs is as follows:
1) the penitent confesses their sin to God (in the presence of a priest) and asks God for forgivenness.
2) the priest briefly offers pastoral counsel on how to turn from that sin, and when appropriate assigns penance (that is an act of repentance, which may be a time of prayer, reading certain scriptures that deal with that particular issue, etc.)
3) the priest pronounces absolution.


Now... during that time of pastoral counsel, sometimes some humorous moments have come up. That doesn't mean that I'm not taking the confession seriously... quite the opposite, confession/repentance of sin is a very serious thing. However, I'm very real with people and I think that part of true repentance is being real with God about the issues one is struggling with.. and when we stop and take a good look at ourselves, if we're honest about it, we do stuff that is so stupid it is funny.

 

[Forest]

If you wanted to go to confession you would be welcomed...

May you pronounce absolution to a non-Catholic?

 

[Father Rick]

May you pronounce absolution to a non-Catholic?

Yes, providing the person is a baptized Christian.