Schismatics & Pass the Butter, Please

TIA,

I read with interest the reply Atila gave to the two 'Christians' questioning their possible conversion to the Catholic Faith. Excellent response!

I have often responded to generic Protestants who claim legitimacy by reading the Bible and announcing their own salvation by Faith alone that they are following Christ on their own terms. As Roman Catholics, we follow Christ on His terms... not ours.

     Steve Sanborn, Sr.

TIA,

I read Lyle J. Arnold’s article Gravity of Matrimony.

Great!

Thank you,

     E.K.

TIA,

I need to clarify this straight away.

The Orthodox churches like Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox are not in full communion with us, and so we cannot worship or receive Communion there, correct?

They do not recognize the Pope, right?

I have asked my new pastor & he says, “We can worship and/or receive Communion there.”

My former pastor says the opposite as I thought.

With two totally different answers, I come to you as I trust your knowledge.

     Thank you in advance & God bless!

      J.S.

PS - I suspect the answers may differ due to age; New pastor in 55 and old pastor is 78.



TIA responds:

J.S.,

Thank you for your trust in us.

The Schismatic Churches, which are improperly called Orthodox, deny the dogmas of Papal Infallibility and the Petrine Primacy; therefore, do not recognize the Pope as Monarch of the Catholic Church and do not follow him.

As you correctly stated, they are not in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Nonetheless - it is lamentable! - the New Code of Canon Law allows Catholics to receive Communion in Schismatic Churches. This is the matter ruled by Canon 844, paragraph 2, which reads:

“§ 2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.”

This mention to “valid sacraments” refers to the Schismatic Churches, which the Catholic Church believes has valid sacraments. Such a permission was made in the wake of Vatican II ecumenism that is trying to establish a Panreligion at the service of the One World Order.

It is our opinion that even being lawful to receive Communion under the mentioned conditions, it is against the traditional position of the Catholic Church, which always recommended suspicion and distance regarding the pernicious heresies of the Schismatics.

Therefore, our advice for Catholics is to never make use of this permission.

      Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

My husband and I are having a very minor argument, but we would like your opinion. At the table he gives me orders – “Pass the butter, please.” “Pass the potatoes, please.”

He insists that the “please” at the end of the order makes it a polite request. This is not what I was taught. What is your opinion?

     Respectfully,

     V.M.


J. Mead & M. Horvat respond:

V.M.,

We are glad to offer you a response, and we hope it will resolve your table disagreement.

It is not just our opinion, but that of all the etiquette books we know, that requests to pass items at the table should not be orders. Adding the “please” to the end of the short command “Pass the butter” does not turn the command into a polite request.

The civil request is framed thus: “Could you please pass the butter?” Even more polite: “Could you be so kind as to pass the butter?”

     Cordially,

     Judith Mead & Marian Horvat

Dear TIA,

I am constantly being bullied by a woman who goes to the SSPX Church. I live quite a distance from this Church and have a more convenient Latin Mass albeit Indult nearby. She tells me that it is a mortal sin for me to assist at these Masses. Do you agree?

She also likes to “set me straight” on other issues, such as the supposed effect of “chem-trails” over peoples’ health, Jews, Masons, etc. in almost every conversation. She believes she is on a mission to save her family and friends. However, she has alienated almost all her friends and family she proposes to help.

I am often tempted to tell her to stop. Do you think it would be more polite to just listen and say nothing or argue with her, as I try to do, but that always ends with her just becoming more emphatic in trying to correct me.

Thank you for your kind help.

     In the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

     G.G.


TIA responds:

Dear G.G.,

Thank you for sending us your questions.

1. We do not believe it is a mortal sin to go to an “Indult” Mass. Normally speaking, it is an opportunity you have to fulfill your Sunday obligation and receive the Sacraments.

When the parish where the Tridentine Mass is said also has the Novus Ordo at other hours, it can be that those traditionalists who engage in parish life will end by taking a relativist approach regarding the Novus Ordo by socializing with the attendees of other Masses. These are collateral dangers that can be easily avoided by going there only for the Mass. Such dangers require vigilance against relativism and the evils of Progressivism, but per se do not make the attendance to the Mass a sin.

2. Regarding your “apostolic” friend, we suggest having patience and goodness with her, without accepting every challenge she makes. Usually, the kind of aggressiveness she shows is the fruit of insecurity. Deep down she also has doubts about what she says, but is affirming it strongly in order to be faithful to someone she respects - a priest, a husband, a beloved son, etc. So, she emphasizes what she is repeating to appease her scruples.

The best approach, in our opinion, is to listen to her with consideration, avoid discussion, drop the topic discretely when possible and raise another subject in which both of you are on the same page: both like this type of animal, this or that food, music or tourist attraction.

We hope these answers will help you.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk