Q. My husband and I are wondering when to say the “Amen” after the Lord’s prayer is prayed during Mass. I believe “Amen” should be said after we say “deliver us from evil.” — J.W., Georgia.
A. Although it is correct to say “Amen” at the end of the Our Father while saying it outside of Mass, for example, while praying the rosary, it is not correct to say it at Mass after the words, “deliver us from evil.” At that point, another prayer has been introduced that begins, “Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil…,” which is said by the priest, and then the congregation responds, “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.”
The elimination of the “Amen” at the end of the Lord’s Prayer at Mass has, unfortunately, caused people to drop it when praying the Our Father outside of Mass. Be sure not to forget it then. “By this final ‘Amen’,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2865), “we express our ‘fiat’ concerning the seven petitions: ‘So be it’.”
Q. I have been reading two books that allude to Mary as an “unwed” mother. One is by a Protestant author (Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke) and the other is by a good Catholic author (Little Sins Mean A Lot by Elizabeth Scalia). I want to write to both authors, and years ago I read the best explanation from you! I cut the article out to keep, but do you think I can find it? Would you be so kind as to e-mail the article to me as a document? I promise to keep it in my I-Pad. Thank you for letting me pester you. I am just a Catholic grandmother, but I feel I must respond! — B.A., via e-mail.
A. Being married to a Catholic grandmother, we can attest that there is no such thing as “just” a Catholic grandmother. For example, how many Catholic children would never have received their sacraments were it not for a Catholic grandmother?
As for the mistaken belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary was an unwed mother, we have in the past made the following points:
First, Matthew tells us in his Gospel that when Mary was found to be pregnant, “Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly” (1:18-19). Notice that Matthew calls Joseph Mary’s “husband” and says that he had decided to divorce her quietly, but how could he divorce Mary unless they were already married?
Second, when the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, he told him, “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her” (1:20). The angel calls Mary Joseph’s “wife.”
Third, in his apostolic exhortation Guardian of the Redeemer, St. John Paul II said that “according to Jewish custom, marriage took place in two stages: first, the legal or true marriage was celebrated, and then, after a certain period of time, the husband brought the wife into his own house. Thus, before he lived with Mary, Joseph was already her ‘husband.’ Mary, however, preserved her deep desire to give herself exclusively to God” (n. 18).
Q. Did St. Augustine ever say, “How do you tell if someone is filled with the Holy Spirit? By how much they love the Catholic Church”? Also, according to older catechism books, it is recommended that people periodically confess sins already confessed and forgiven, so as to gain more graces to avoid sin in the future. This was called a “Confession of Devotion.” But many priests now advise people not to re-confess sins, and some are quite rude when a penitent tries to. Which is correct? — G.P., via e-mail.
A. We are not familiar with the quotation from St. Augustine, but perhaps one of our readers is and would be kind enough to let us know where it comes from.
Technically speaking, Catholics are obliged to receive the Sacrament of Penance only if they are conscious of having committed a mortal sin (cf. canon 988 § 1). However, the Church also encourages Catholics to confess venial sins (cf. canon 988 § 2), and this is what is known as a devotional Confession.
Surely if you are like the rest of us, you have some venial sins to confess, so you don’t have to re-confess previously forgiven sins. Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1458) says:
“Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed, the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ, and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through the sacrament this gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful [Luke 6:36].”
Q. I am always inwardly distressed when I see all the Catholics who support or vote for Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey, John Kerry, Barack Obama. They tell me this or, in most cases, I see their bumper stickers on their cars. Many times it is in a Catholic church parking lot. Some of these folks even work at the church! It seems like these people have been voting Democrat all their lives, regardless of who is on the ballot. Many seem to think that the Democratic Party is just like it was in 1963 under JFK or in 1938 under FDR. But it is definitely not anymore.
The Democratic Party left the high moral ground over 40 years ago. They have no morals anymore. The Republican Party is much better, though certainly not as good as it should be, and it is degrading as well. I am an Independent, but always vote Republican because they are still basically pro-life and pro-marriage. For how much longer, I don’t know. But comparing the two parties, if you are Roman Catholic, the Democrats are a total disgrace.
What I’m getting at is: Many seemingly nice ladies and men are not nice. They are not what they seem. I used to give them excuses in my thoughts. Now I don’t. They are part of the reason why we have in America nowadays abortion on demand, embryonic stem-cell destruction, euthanasia, homosexual “marriage,” secularism, relativism. Fifty years ago in America, all of these immoral and evil policies would have been considered unthinkable, even among liberal Democrats.
These seemingly innocent ladies and men need to be told that they are in danger of gravely sinning if they vote for liberal Democrats. Instead, no one tells them that. They don’t want to offend them. We need to buck up our courage and tell them! For if we don’t, no one will. Not until God tells them at their judgment. It is merciful to tell them now, while they have a chance to change and correct the harm they have done and to stop doing any more harm to America and to the world and to themselves.
Priests need to devote sermons to this, as well as privately speaking to these people. Laymen and laywomen need to speak privately to these people, especially to their own family members and friends! We need to be kind, but firm. To allow a person to go on sinning so as not to offend them is not kindness or mercy but cowardice and negligence. We must please God, not men. Let’s correct and admonish these people who say they are Catholic, yet always vote for politicians who support anti-Catholic policies, laws, and principles. — H.M., Massachusetts.
A. You are right. If all Catholics, including Catholic politicians, supported Church teachings on these issues, we wouldn’t be in such a perilous situation. One bishop who has had the courage to say these things is Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colo.:
“There must be no confusion in these matters. Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem-cell research, or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside full communion with the Church and so jeopardize their salvation. Any Catholics who vote for candidates who stand for abortion, illicit stem-cell research, or euthanasia suffer the same fearful consequences.
“It is for this reason that these Catholics, whether candidates for office or those who would vote for them, may not receive Holy Communion until they have recanted their positions and been reconciled with God and the Church in the Sacrament of Penance.”
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