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200Questions
and
Answers
On
the
Catholic
Faith
By
Msgr.
Charles
Pope
Appeared
in
Our
Sunday
Visitor
2012-‐2014
1
,
Introduction:
Life
is
filled
with
questions.
In
a
way,
our
faith
begins
with
a
question.
On
the
day
of
your
baptism
you
were
asked
a
question:
“What
do
you
ask
of
God’s
Church?”
And
you
(or
your
sponsor)
answered,
“Baptism.”
Adults
who
are
baptized
are
asked
further,
“What
does
Baptism
offer
you?”
And
again,
an
answer
came
forth:
“Eternal
life.”
Yes,
life
is
filled
with
questions,
from
the
very
beginning.
Question,
from
the
Latin
quaero,
meaning
to
seek
or
search.
Answers,
too,
when
rooted
in
the
truth
are
very
precious
things.
And
the
National
Publication
“Our
Sunday
Visitor”
Answers
Column
has
long
been
a
faithful
guide
for
Catholics
throughout
the
country.
I
was
recently
asked
by
“Our
Sunday
Visitor”
and
agreed
to
write
the
Question
and
Answer
column.
I
am
herewith
publishing
my
first
50
columns,
each
with
two
questions
covered.
The
questions
are
of
a
random
nature,
and
appear
here
in
the
order
I
received
them
and
published
the
answers.
“Our
Sunday
Visitor”
(OSV)
has
a
long
legacy
in
this
country
of
informing
and
encouraging
Catholics.
I
remember
OSV
as
a
regular
fixture
of
the
periodical
rack
in
vestibules
of
all
my
parishes
going
back
to
my
youth.
Even
as
a
pre-‐teen
I
would
often
be
asked
by
my
mother
to
make
a
donation
and
take
a
copy
home
so
we
could
read
it
during
the
week.
Many
fond
memories!
Hence,
it
is
a
great
honor
to
be
able
to
contribute
to
such
a
long-‐standing
and
informative
Catholic
Newspaper.
About
the
Author:
Msgr.
Charles
Pope
was
ordained
in
1989
for
the
Archdiocese
of
Washington,
DC,
after
attending
Mount
St.
Mary’s
Seminary
in
Emmitsburg,
Maryland.
There
I
received
both
a
M.Div.
and
a
Master’s
Degree
in
Moral
Theology.
Prior
to
entering
the
Seminary
I
received
a
Bachelor
of
Science
Degree
from
George
Mason
University
in
Virginia
and
worked
briefly
for
the
Army
Corps
of
Engineers.
During
those
years
I
was
also
a
cantor,
choir
director
and
organist
in
two
Catholic
Parishes.
I
have
served
in
five
different
parishes
in
my
24
years
as
a
priest,
14
of
those
years
as
pastor
in
two
different
parishes.
I
am
currently
the
Pastor
of
Holy
Comforter–Saint
Cyprian
Parish.
I
am
also
a
Dean
of
the
Archdiocese,
have
served
on
the
priest
personnel
board,
the
Priest
Council,
and
as
one
of
the
Consultors
for
the
Archdiocese.
Pastorally,
I
have
served
as
the
coordinator
for
the
Legion
of
Mary
and
currently
the
coordinator
for
the
celebration
of
the
Latin
Extraordinary
Form
of
the
Mass.
I
have
given
numerous
retreats
and
talks
for
laity
and
clergy
around
the
Archdiocese
and,
when
time
rarely
permits,
elsewhere
in
the
country.
I
have
authored
the
Blog
for
the
Archdiocese
of
Washington
(http://blog.adw.org)
for
the
past
four
years
which
covers
and
discusses
a
very
wide
range
of
topics.
Of
special
focus
at
the
blog
is
the
intersection
of
faith
and
culture.
As
our
culture
continues
to
manifest
some
very
problematic
trends,
it
is
essential
for
us
to
understand
how
our
faith
and
the
teachings
of
the
Church
have
wonderful
and
healing
remedies
for
what
ails
us.
The
questions
and
answers
that
follow
are
from
a
wide
variety
of
areas
such
as
liturgy,
the
moral
life,
marriage
and
family
issues,
bioethics,
culture
and
faith,
Church
history,
apologetics,
and
so
forth.
2
,Q:
It
is
a
very
common
practice
for
parishes
to
refuse
baptism
during
Lent,
and
I
am
wondering
what
recourse
parents
can
take.
Is
there
anywhere
in
the
Church’s
teaching
that
supports
this
practice?
Is
there
anything
that
explicitly
condemns
it?
Thank
you.
A:
Parents
have
the
right
and
obligation
under
law
to
have
their
infants
baptized
shortly
after
they
are
born.
Canon
Law
states
this
clearly:
Parents
are
obliged
to
see
that
their
infants
are
baptized
within
the
first
few
weeks.
As
soon
as
possible
after
the
birth,
indeed
even
before
it,
they
are
to
approach
the
parish
priest
to
ask
for
the
sacrament
for
their
child,
and
to
be
themselves
duly
prepared
for
it.
If
the
infant
is
in
danger
of
death,
it
is
to
be
baptized
without
any
delay.
Can.
867
§1,§2
Further,
since
there
is
certainly
no
requirement,
or
even
a
provision
in
the
law
for
pastors
to
deny,
or
for
parents
to
refrain
from,
the
baptism
of
infants
during
the
entire
season
of
Lent,
there
is
no
basis
to
introduce
or
maintain
such
a
practice
in
a
parish.
If
the
birth
occurs
very
late
in
the
Lenten
season,
one
might
envision
a
pastor
suggesting
that
the
baptism
be
delayed
until
Easter.
In
this
regard,
Holy
Week
is
not
usually
a
fit
time
to
celebrate
a
baptism
(except
in
danger
of
death),
though
even
here,
it
is
not
strictly
forbidden
on
Monday
–
Thursday
of
Holy
Week.
Hence,
I
would
say
you
are
on
good
ground
to
appeal
such
a
pastoral
stance
if
your
pastor
is
unmoved
by
your
request
for
reconsideration.
I
suppose
if
a
dialogue
with
the
pastor
is
not
fruitful,
the
Bishop,
the
Dean,
or
the
priest
personnel
director
could
be
consulted
and
asked
to
direct
the
Pastor
in
this
regard.
Q:
One
of
the
common
objections
of
my
adult
son
raises
about
going
to
Church
is
that
all
the
sin
and
hypocrisy
in
the
Church
is
intolerable
to
him.
Any
advice
on
what
to
say
about
this?
A:
Well,
of
course,
this
is
one
of
the
objections
that
Jesus
had
to
face
from
the
Pharisees:
This
man
welcomes
sinners
and
eats
with
them
(Luke
15:2).
It’s
a
remarkable
thing,
Jesus
is
found
among
sinners,
even
hypocrites.
He
is
not
found
in
the
perfect
places
of
our
imagined
“church.”
He
is
not
simply
found
in
the
places
or
company
considered
desirable,
he
is
found
where
he
is
found:
among
sinners.
Indeed,
one
image
for
the
Church
is
Christ,
crucified
between
two
thieves!
As
for
hypocrisy,
we
do
well
to
wonder
if
any
human
being
on
this
planet,
save
for
the
most
heroic
saint,
is
utterly
free
from
this
ubiquitous
human
problem.
Surely
your
son
cannot
consider
himself
wholly
free
from
it
can
he?
In
terms
of
mission,
the
Church
is
a
hospital
for
sinners,
and
that
means
sinners
will
be
found
there.
But
so
will
medicine
of
the
sacraments,
the
wisdom
of
Scripture,
healing,
and
encouragement,
admonishment,
too.
And
yes,
sinners…even
some
in
critical
condition.
We
know
our
sin.
That
is
why
we
have
confessionals
in
every
parish.
Pray
God,
we
always
have
room
for
one
more
sinner.
As
for
those
who
seek
for
Christ
apart
from
the
Church,
i.e.
apart
from
his
Body:
no
can
do.
Christ
is
found
with
his
body,
the
Church.
He
associates
with
sinners
and
holds
them
close.
He
incorporates
them
into
his
body
through
baptism
and
seeks
them
when
they
stray.
Tell
your
son
that
Jesus
loves
sinners
and
is
not
too
proud
to
be
in
their
company
and
call
them
his
brethren.
Join
us!
3
, Q:
Did
Satan
know
Jesus
was
God,
or
was
he
just
tempting
His
human
nature
to
fail?
–
Ann
A:
It
would
seem
that
Satan
and
other
evil
spirits
did
know
Jesus
was
God,
at
least
in
some
general
way.
Scripture
reports:
Whenever
the
evil
spirits
saw
him,
they
fell
down
before
him
and
cried
out,
"You
are
the
Son
of
God"
(Mk
3:11).
Another
time
a
demon
cried
out:
I
know
who
you
are-‐-‐the
Holy
One
of
God!"
(Mk
1:24).
There
are
similar
passages
(e.g.
Mk
1:34
and
Luke
4:41).
That
said,
we
ought
not
to
conclude
that
Satan
had
a
comprehensive
or
flawless
knowledge
of
Jesus,
and
the
full
plan
of
salvation.
Had
Satan
such
a
complete
knowledge,
especially
of
the
plan
of
God,
he
would
not
have
inspired
the
crucifixion
of
Jesus,
the
very
means
by
which
he
(Satan)
was
defeated.
Hence,
there
is
evidence
that
Satan
had
a
basic
understanding
of
Jesus’
divinity,
and
plan,
but
one
that
was
limited,
and
likely
flawed
to
some
extent,
due
to
his
intellect
being
darkened
by
sin
and
rage.
However,
when
Satan
tempted
Jesus,
it
was
only
to
his
human
nature
and
his
human
will
that
he
could
appeal,
even
though
he
knew
Jesus
also
to
be
God.
Q:
We
call
our
priests,
"Father."
But
Jesus
teaches
in
the
Bible
that
we
must
call
no
man
on
earth
"father"
(Matt
23:9).
How
can
I
explain
why
we
Catholics
use
this
term
for
priests?
(name
withheld)
A.
If
the
purpose
of
Jesus
were
to
banish
the
use
of
the
word
“father”
in
reference
to
human
males,
then
it
would
seem
the
other
New
Testament
authors,
never
got
the
memo.
In
the
New
Testament
alone
there
are
195
uses
of
the
word
"father(s)"
to
refer
to
earthly
human
males.
Hence,
it
seems
clear
that
to
understand
our
Lord's
word
as
an
absolute
banishment
of
the
term
for
any
but
God
is
not
supported
by
the
practice
evident
in
Scripture
itself.
The
Catholic
practice
of
calling
priests
“Father”
has
several
meanings.
In
one
sense
it
is
meant
as
an
affectionate
family
term.
Parishes
are
like
a
family
and
use
family
terms
such
as
"brother,"
and
"sister"
for
men
and
women
religious,
"mother"
for
the
superior
of
a
group
of
religious
sisters,
and
"father"
for
priests.
Priests
imitate
biological
fathers
in
a
spiritual
way.
Just
as
fathers
give
life,
food,
encouragement
and
instruction,
so
priests
give
us
these
things
in
the
spiritual
order.
They
confer
spiritual
life
by
God's
power
at
the
baptismal
font
give
food
through
the
Eucharist
and
meet
other
spiritual
needs
through
the
other
sacraments
and
by
instruction
and
encouragement.
Thus,
by
analogy,
we
call
priests
"father."
St.
Paul
referred
to
himself
as
a
father:
"...you
have
many
guides
but
not
many
fathers,
for
I
became
your
father
in
Christ
Jesus
through
the
Gospel
(1
Cor
4:15).
For
you
know
how,
like
a
father
with
his
children
we
exhorted
and
charged
each
one
of
you
to
lead
a
life
worthy
of
God
(1
Thess
2:10).
Timothy...as
a
son
with
a
father
has
served
me
in
the
gospel.
(Phil
2:22)
We
can
see
how
calling
priests
"father,"
in
this
sense,
is
not
against
Biblical
principles.
St.
Paul
himself
makes
use
of
the
term
in
this
way.
In
saying
“Call
no
one
on
earth
your
Father”
Jesus
is
emphasizing
that
God
is
pre-‐eminent.
No
earthly
father,
biological
or
spiritual,
can
ever
over-‐rule
or
take
the
place
of
the
heavenly
Father.
God
is
ultimately
the
Father
of
all
fathers,
and
we
can
never
call
any
man
"father"
like
we
call
God,
"Father."
4
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