"What is Conscience?"

By Paul Dion, STL

This will take us down some rather interesting paths. Go for it!

A great many of us consider a lot of things when we consider behavior, ours and that of others. We look around to see if anyone is watching. We review the ten commandments, the civil law, the rules of the "game", the "political" impact of our actions.

The question for this week then is:

"What is conscience, and what role does it play in our Christian lives?"


This is not a pop quiz - there are no pass or fail marks. Nor is this an intellectual exercise. It is a mere opportunity to look into your hearts and let your spirituality speak out. If you are too shy, you can always post anonymously.

So let us know what you think. Post a thought today.

Is Jesus and God the same?

By Paul Dion, STL

This is a question that does not come up too often because so many Christians live with their firm beliefs tightly contained secretly in their hearts. It is a topic that does not come up at cocktail parties for sure, and, truth be told, it is not even discussed at Baptisms and weddings.

For several years I taught a theology course which is traditionally called, “Christology”. That is the study of the mystery of Jesus Christ.

I never took a poll, but in every class I observed that there were two strong factions. One, that Jesus was God and therefore was not like us at all. The other, that Jesus was human, felt that He was a special “missionary” from God and that His wonderful life allows those of us who “believe” that He was the Son of God.

Most times, the first position in the class was stronger than the second. Where do you stand? What is the Doctrinal position of the Church?

Think about it and send me your answer with some reasoning comments and I will send the summary of your answers and the Doctrinal position of the Catholic Church.

Post your thoughts below. I look forward to hearing what they are.

Should Christians perform the sign of the cross?

By Paul Dion, STL

No matter where you go, in front of your mirror, your friend's house, your favorite restaurant or church on Sunday you will see someone tracing the sign of the cross over their body. It is the most prominent prayer of the Catholic church and is even believed to be somekind of secret membership signal of Catholics.

When I first head that, I was shocked. Secret Signlal? Whoa! I was never told that even in Massachusetts, home of the Congregationalists.

So, what do you think of the Sign of the Cross? Do you fearlessly start your prayer before meals with the sign of the cross in the restaurant with your children? Do you make the sign of the cross at your company picnic before digging in to the chili pot? Why do you make the sign of the cross in the first place?

Let us know what you think. Post your comments below.

Click here to read the answer to the burning question.

Do Catholics "worship" Mary as we do Jesus?

By Paul Dion, STL

Dear readers, it has happened to ParishWorld.net again. We have been asked for the "x"tieth time the question, "Why do Catholics worship the Virgin Mary as much as Jesus?"

This question used to really get to me. It doesn't send me up the wall so much any more.

I have just returned from the Holy Land and Italy and France. I have returned from the world of the churches that are built in the name of the Virgin Mary. I have come from a country in which I personally entered three churches named St. Mary Major. I entered and visited numerous Crusader churches that carry names like, Annunciation, Visitation, Immaculate Conception, Mary, Mother of God, Birth of Mary, Dormition of Mary and Assumption, just to name a few.

Those who ask the question about worship of Mary see the same churches and monuments that we do. They know about Lourdes, La Salette, the Miraculous Medal, Medjugorie and the rest. For the most part they have The Lord and their Bible.

This is a serious question. How do you answer the question, "Why do Catholics Worship Mary as much as Jesus?"

Share your thoughts and ideas with us. Post a comment here.

Must we believe the Church 100% to be Catholic?

Must we believe the Church 100% to be Catholic?

By Paul Dion, STL

Living the Catholic life is a life of penance, prayer and missionary zeal. It is about giving-up some things and for giving some things too. As Catholics, we hear a lot of teachings about our religion and we pray for all souls including those people who are going to be baptized into the Catholic religion each Easter Vigil.

But recently, a Catholic friend told me how he's been facing his own Catholic friends and family who seem to disagree with certain specific tenets of our faith. So maybe now is a critical time to ask ourselves an important question about our religion and our faith. It is not a "stupid" question, nor is it an idle one. It is a question that I have been asked several times by Catechumens. I even hear it now and then from life-long Catholics who are attending Faith Growth Sessions for Adults.

We hope that all of you who read this would consider the depth and the value of the question. We want to hear your opinion about what the answer is. We are sure that you will have deep seated opinons about this one. Share them, please. We are sure that the sum of all of them will add up to the true answer.

"In order to be Catholic, do you have to believe 100% of what the Church teaches?"

Please pray over it and then chime in with your opinion. We will provide a comprehensive answer as part of the comments. In the meantime, we will join you in the running comment exercise.

Let us know what you think. Post your comment below.

Why don't Catholics evangelize door-to-door?

Door to Door Anyone?
By Paul Dion, STL

This week ParishWorld.net has decided to break the trend of asking a question and giving an immediate answer. This week we are asking a question and we are counting on you to give the answer that you have in your heart. We know that you have one. We want to hear it. We will stay on top of your comments and we will participate along with you in the development of the truth as it gets put out on the table.

One of the first methods of evangelization as we read in the Bible was going from dwelling to dwelling to share the Good News. Jesus is pictured many times at the table of some sinner or other. His favorite stop-over in Bethany must have come about as a result of visits that He made during his annual prayer pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

When we read the history of the Church as recounted by St. Luke in the Book of Acts, we follow Peter from house to house along the beautiful seashore region to the west of Jerusalem. It was beautiful country and because it was mainly Roman, the opportunities for presenting the New Way to the Gentiles were certainly very alluring.

The history of the Church takes us through the times when the Eucharist was celebrated in Home Churches in Greece and in Rome. This certainly presupposes a ministry that was essentially a visitation of "apostles" to the particular houses of the residents in a given area. We also should consider the ministry of St.Francis. He was never ordained a priest, just as most monks of the early centuries did not. They would work at the monastery and got into town and work with the families there while living an intense spiritual life. In Assisi, St. Francis and his brothers were dedicated to covering the town with their presence. This was imitating Peter and Paul as they spread the Gospel story in Caesarea, not far from Jerusalem.

So many saints throughout the ages did the same thing with their disciples, John Bosco, Martin de Porres, Vincent de Paul, Mother Cabrini and countless others.

Given all this history and given the tremendous growth that it has brought to the Catholic Church, "Why, oh why do we Catholics not dedicate ourselves to go door-to-door to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ?"

What do you think? What do you suggest we do about it?

Remember, your answer will be read by thousands. Pray about it, and put your inspired answer out in front of God's people. You might be instrumental in the re-constructing of a traditionally powerful method of evangelization.

Why don't we invoke saints from the Old Testament?

By Paul Dion, STL

To the members of the Communion of Saints, the hands, feet, eyes, ears and hearts of the Mystical Body, in the name of Jesus the Resurrected Lord and Savior through His very own Lifestyle Magazine, ParishWorld.net, blessings and prayers to you all.

This is a question that I have been asked twice in the last six or seven weeks. If you would like to share your thoughts or answers, we welcome you to do so. Please click here to post an swer.

I gave an answer that was similar to the one that you can find here. I have to say that this answer is very complete, short, clear and easy to understand. Please enjoy it. Parishworld.net offers it to you as one of the small gifts that the Church offers you for the month of All Saints.

CLICK HERE to view the answer to this Burning Question.

Is it OK for God to get angry?

It sure looks that way.
By Paul Dion, STL

So often in our culture, as children we are reprimanded by our parents when we get angry because it isn't "nice." We are trained as we grow up that anger is not a "nice" emotion. We are so often told to "control ourselves" rather than to show anger.

OK, so what about God? He doesn't seem to have any problem with anger.

He sure took care of His Adam and Eve problem nicely. He wasn't afraid to use the old 40 day rain trick at one point. Fire and brimstone worked rather well against Sodom and Gomorrha. Turning a woman into a salt statue sure taught her a lesson, didn't it?

When God saw humans building a tower in Babel, He came and visited the project, didn't like what He saw and so dispersed everyone by giving them each a different language. Ten plagues against Egyptians sure made life rough on them for a while.

Jesus had his moments too. He had a pretty sharp tongue that shows that He had no fear of showing His inner heat.

God has a history of getting angry. Is this wrong? How can God get away with it and I can't? I get angry, I hit someone and I go to jail. Are we missing something?

Try your hand at this one. There is more than just a lesson of disobedience and punishment. So, what is in it for us when God gets angry?

Post a comment today or just view what others are saying.

"Why is it a sin to miss Mass on Sunday?"

By Paul Dion, STL

Why is it a sin to miss Mass on Sunday? Maybe we should ask "Why is it a sin to "skip" Mass on Sunday?

The second question might be the more correct one. After all, there are several reasons why simply missing Mass on Sunday is not sinful. We all know them well; taking care of a sick child; helping a parent to deal with a violent child; being too ill to get out of bed; having to travel across time zones because there is no other choice for a good reason and many more.

"Skipping" Mass is a lot more serious, because at the very least it shows a "what the heck!" attitude. Before you plunge into your answer, let us tell you about a very religious person that we know who has an invalid husband and a job that requires her to work strange hours on the weekend. She participates in the Holy Mass at least three mornings every week.

Most weeks, she is there four times, but very rarely on Sunday. So she misses Mass just about every Sunday. With all of this information, jump in here and tell the world what you think about why it is a sin (and when it is) to miss Mass on Sunday.

CLICK HERE to see the ParishWorld.net answer to this Burning Question.