1. Will there be puppies in Heaven?

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1 1. Will there be puppies in Heaven? (I) The Bible is silent on this question. It neither confirms it nor denies it. Yet there are some points we can consider. Because humans can reason, we are able to make intelligent and moral decisions; animals cannot. God did not create animals with the ability to choose right or wrong, to accept or reject salvation. Only humans were given this ability to reason. Genesis 2:8-9 "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." God warned Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil-"for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17, ). Only humans have the ability to make moral decisions for or against God. (1I).WiIIthere be Puppies in heaven? Yes, I think so. God's original creation has been subjected to degradation and decay through sin, but it will be restored as it was in the beginning. The apostle Paul wrote, "For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:20, 21,). Although our sins have destroyed ourselves and nature, God will restore both. Just as animals were part of God's untainted, original creation, so they will be part of the world and life when He restores everything new-without the corruption of sin and death. Isaiah 11:6, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." (This sounds as if we will have pets in heaven, does it not?) Isaiah 11:7-9. "The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain. for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" Isaiah 65:25, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD." We must not insist that God order things according to our desires or understanding. Perhaps God may allow our beloved pets to be with us in heaven. Or He may choose to create a new pet for you. We must be willing to allow God to order things as He sees best-and trust that we will be happy with the situation in heaven. God says, "For. behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind" (Isaiah 65:17).

2 2. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed are we to genuflect or go on the both the knees before entering pew? Yes, we have to go on our knees before we enter our pew. 3. Why can't women be priests? This is a question which provokes much debate in our modern world, but it is one to which the Church has always answered "No." The basis for the Church's teaching on ordination is found in the New Testament as well as in the writings of the Church Fathers Pope John Paul II formally declared that the Church does not have the power to ordain women. He stated, "Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church's judgment that women are not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force. Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Luke 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful" (OrdinatioSacerdotalis 4). The Church Fathers indicate that women do play an active role in the Church and that in the age of the Fathers there were orders of virgins, widows, and deaconesses, but that these women were not ordained. The Fathers rejected women's ordination, not because it was incompatible with Christian culture, but because it was incompatible with Christian faith. Thus, together with biblical declarations, the teaching of the Fathers on this issue formed the tradition of the Church that taught that priestly ordination was reserved to men. Throughout medieval times and even up until the present day, this teaching has not changed. (1 Cor. 11:1-16), (1 Tim. 2:11-14), (1 Cor. 14:34-38). 4 Why is the Candles at the altar and when Fr. Mario is reading the Gospel? Candles are lit at the altar and before reading the Gospel to symbolize the light of Christ and the purity of Christ.

3 Jesus set it up on Easter Sunday evening. He told his apostles that just as God the Father had sent him - and God the Father sent him to save us from our sins - so he was sending them. He breathed on them the power of the Holy Spirit, giving them God's power to forgive sins, since no one can forgive sins but God alone. He told them that whatever sins they forgive are forgiven and whatever sins they retain are retained (In 20:21-23; Mk 2:7). Since the apostles were unable to read minds, the only way that they would know which to forgive and which to retain is if people told them their sins. Jesus thus established the essential structure of the sacrament of confession. Just as he uses priests to give us his Body and Blood at Mass so he uses them to give us His mercy in Penance. What did Jesus say and do about sin? Jesus is the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (In 1:29). His first public words were "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mt 4: 17). He healed the sins of the paralyzed man and of the woman caught in adultery (Mk 2:5; In 8:11). He preached on God's desire to reconcile us with the beautiful images of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son (Lk 15). He taught us how to be brutal toward sin, instructing us in the Sermon on the Mount us that it would be better to rip out our eyes or cut off our hands if they were leading us to sin than to do nothing and lose our bodies and souls forever in Hell (Mt 5:29-30). He taught us to pray to the Father to forgive us our sins and to bring us to forgive the relatively smaller debts of those who sin against us (Mt 6: 12; 18:21-35). On the Cross, as he prepared to die to take away our sins, Jesus' salvific words were, first for sinners in general, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," and then for one sinner, the Good Thief, in particular (Lk 23:34, 43). After his resurrection, not only did Jesus give the apostles the ability to forgive sins in his name but commanded them to preach "repentance and forgiveness of sins" to all nations (In 20:21-23; Lk 24:47). What are the effects of the sacrament? The Sacrament of Penance is a spiritual resurrection were dead through mortal sin (Lk 15:24). bringing us to life again after we

4 5. Why is the Eucharist done at the end of Mass? The Order of the Holy Mass is first is Introductory Rites, then the Liturgy of the Word. (Biblical Readings, Homily, Creed, Intercessions) then the Liturgy of the Eucharist. (Preparation, Eucharistic Prayer; Communion Rite) and the Concluding Rite. 6.Why do we have to bow before receiving communion? Is this a request form Bishop Bergie.? Bowing before communion is to pay Honor and respect for Jesus. Which we are supposed to do every time we receive Jesus. 7) Apostles Creed -- Why did they change it from "He descended to the dead" to " He descended into Hell"? How can Christ go to Hell? I don't know which Apostles Creed you are referring to. I have not read He descended to the dead. Christ went to Hell; the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil "who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14). In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven's gates for the just who had gone before him. 8) Every day and weekend Mass we as a congregation confess our sins. Is this a sufficient confession and why do we have to have individual confession? A confession is a confession! We are not Angels; we are bodies, creatures, we need that physical communication. Priest is acting in person of Christ. Priest is there like another Christ. Christ forgave sins. He did not do it in an Angelic way. He did with His Voice with His hands and with His personal presence. Priest act in all the sacraments' in Persona Christi ( in person of Christ) we who are embodied people need the very personal encounter with Christ through the mediation of priest. The power of words which priest use at Consecration at Mass changes bread and wine into body and blood of Christ likewise the words of absolution at confessions.

5 It reconciles us with God in loving friendship and restores.us to his grace. It is normally followed by peace, joy, serenity and spiritual consolation. The sacrament also reconciles us with the Church, repairing or restoring the damage our sins have done to our communion with others. The sinner also auspiciously anticipates the judgment that will come at the end of his life, choosing the path of life over the path of death (GGG ). A mortal sin involves an action whose object is a grave matter that is committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent. Grave matter is generally understood to be something that violates the Ten Commandments. Full knowledge means that one is aware that God or the Church he founded considers the act sinful (even if one doesn't totally understand why it is sinful). Deliberate consent means a consent sufficiently intentional to be a personal choice (GGG ). A mortal sin "results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back" (GGG 1861). This is why it is so important for mortal sins to be confessed to a priest as-soon as possible Penance refers to our repentance, sorrow and resolution to amend our life with God's help. Confession refers to the act by which we tell our sins to the priest. Reconciliation refers to the goal of the celebration by which the sinner is reconciled to God and the Church (see CCC ). The ritual for the sacrament is called the Rite of Penance, but is fitting to refer to it with any of these titles. In fact, the Catechism refers to it also as "the Sacrament of Conversion" and the "Sacrament of Forgiveness." Confession is an act of honesty and courage - an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God. - Blessed John Paul II

6 Confession heals. confession justifies, confession gra.flts pardon of sin, all hope consists in confession; in confession there is a chance for mercy. - St. Isidore of Seville How happy I am to see myself imperfect and be in need of God's mercy. --St Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, OeD I appeal to you, my brethren, you who are not ashamed to sin and yet are ashamed to confess. I beseech you, cease to hide your wounded conscience. Sick people who are prudent do not fear the physician, though he cut and burn even the secret parts of the body. - St. Pacian (d. 391) Do you want to become saints? Here is the secret: confession is the lock; confidence in your confessor is the key. This is how you open heaven's gates. - St. John Bosco 9) Why is the red book (bible) raised up and carried in at the beginning of mass? In the Entrance Procession the Book of the Gospels reverently carries so that it may be seen by the faithful. 10) When the preface is being read, how do we as a congregation know which one to follow in out Missal? Preface is usually chosen by the priest from the Ordo (Liturgical-calendar) or he can chose anyone of the preface he wants. If the congregation intrusted in knowing the Preface than he should announce it. 11) Should you put your finger in the Holy Water when going into church and out of church, or just when you come in? The first thing you do when you enter the church is dip your fingers in holy water and cross yourself. That's to remember your baptism. Before you sit down, you genuflect. That shows respect for Christ because there's a crucifix in the sanctuary. You bow or genuflect to the statue to show respect for Christ. Catholics kneel and pray when they first get to their seats. They begin by crossinq themselves. That's the sign of our salvation, the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. Everyone prays and when they finish praying, they sit in the seats. They finish praying at different times. The idea of blessing yourself on the way out is it provides some additional protection for going forth into the world. When leaving church.

7 12) Why is the Pope infallible? Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the bishops (Matt. 16:17-19; John 21:15-17). As Vatican II remarked, it is a charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance promised to him in blessed Peter. II The infallibility of the pope is not a doctrine that suddenly appeared in Church teaching; rather, it is a doctrine which was implicit in the early Church. It is only our understanding of infallibility which has developed and been more clearly understood over time. In fact, the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John 21: ("Feed my sheep... "), Luke 22:32 ("I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail"), and Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter... "). In the personal life of the Pope he may sin because of his human weakness that is the reason why Pope goes for confession, but when it comes to doctrine of faith he is infallible. 13) Why do we genuflect and when should we do it? Normally, a person is to give the proper sign of reverence, a genuflection, when passing in proximity to the tabernacle. The word "genuflect" comes from Latin roots meaning bending (or flexing) the knee. A common-sense exception to the rule is for a sacristan who is taking care of the church and can't be genuflecting every thirty seconds during a vacuum run. Also excepted are persons in procession entrusted with important symbols of the Lord's presence. So, a cross bearer or a minister carrying the Gospel book, or ministers on their way to their Communion stations do not genuflect. For everyone else, the usual sign of reverence for the Lord's presence in the Blessed Sacrament is to genuflect on the right knee. The oldest form of reverence during prayer in our tradition is standing; kneeling or genuflecting and it is a sign borrowed from old civic practice. The posture of kneeling, even on one knee, is a sign of submission. Servants would take this position before their masters in the ancient world. It said: I'm not running away, I'm yours, I'm here for you. This is what your genuflection says when you enter a Catholic church where the place of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament is visible to you: I'm yours.