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the reproach of Christ 
A Blessed Feast Day of SS. Philip and James,
I have a question in terms of Holy Days of Obligation. I know that you have cover this previously in an article but I forgot about Catholics who live either in poor conditions or live in low socioeconomic income in a rising cost of food and shelter. Are Catholics, who live in low socioeconomic income who need to provide means to pay rent and food on table, be exempt on Holy Days of Obligations that fall on a weekday, considering they either work full time or part time? If they skip Mass for the Holy Day of Obligation (as mentioned from above their condition) do they have to confess it to the priest about skipping mass? I greatly appreciate your time and thank you.
God Bless.
First, out of necessity, one may work on the Sabbath (Sunday) and on a holy day. For a believing and practicing Catholic, who attends Mass on Sunday and holy days, missing Mass on a particular occasion, without a just reason, would likely be a venial sin. Keeping holy the Sabbath is a grave obligation, but missing Mass occasionally is a very limited failure in that grave obligation. So my opinion is that it would be venial. However, missing Mass due to the necessity of working to provide the necessities of life for oneself and one’s family is a just reason, and so it would not be a sin.
Thank you Ron for a clear answer and response. I greatly appreciate your help that you do to help Catholics grow closer to God more each day. God Bless!
Thank you,
I have heard that the only way to not be in full communion is apostasy, heresy, or schism. Is this wrong? I remember Paul VI talking about Lefebvre as not in full communion while also talking about the ‘danger’ of schism. What is the distinction?
I understand Benedict to be talking about people who, unlike Mr. Gordon, will refuse to go to the new mass if it is the only way to fulfill their Sunday obligation; that this total rejection of the new mass severs full communion (which would be true of SSPX adherents and others), presumably because it would mean refusing to share the sacraments with 90% of Catholics.
Formally, I suppose that apostasy, heresy, and schism are the only ways to not be in communion. However, practically, it is a matter of degree. A minimally practicing Catholic is perhaps not in full communion, due to attending Mass little if at all. Persons in a state of unrepentant actual mortal sin (not in a state of grace) can’t really be said to be in full communion. As for Lefebvre, in retrospect he was clearly a schismatic and heretic. But Popes tend to be lenient and reluctant to accuse.
Since “Artificial Intelligence” has been making the rounds in the news lately, I wonder if “AI” will play a role in the condemnation of the Christian and Jewish faithful. I believe its a strong possibility since the extreme progressives have been attacking the Church and seem bent in erasing God and inalienable rights. Your thoughts………
I don’t know about that. I think AI can be used with supercomputers to surveil a large population. It can be used by companies to analyze large amounts of data to improve marketing. It could possibly be used to give some self-guidance to drones and missiles in warfare.
Ron,
After posting my comment on “AI” and possible misuse to the detriment of religious faithful, I scanned the internet for any articles concerning such and was amazed of the
content that is available. It appears this could be a possible threat to Christianity.
I have attached a couple of links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/artificial-intelligence-christianity/515463/
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-faqs-what-christians-should-know-about-artificial-intelligence/
I am not saying I agree or disagree with these articles but it appears peoples are discussing these topics and its possible pitfalls.
Should “AI” become so advanced – I wonder if it is in the 10 Secrets of Medjugorje.
Mr. Conte,
Thank you so much for answering my last question (much earlier)!
How would Abraham’s, Moses’, David’s, and other major faithful individuals’ relationship/interaction/possession-within with the Holy Spirit have been different to those individuals from Pentecost and beyond who received the Holy Spirit sent by the Father in Jesus Christ’s Name?
Thank you very much.
Before Christ, persons could be in the state of grace by a baptism of desire, and so have habitual grace and the indwelling of the Trinity. More grace is available from Christ through the Sacraments. However, the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is effective in all places and all times (even before the time of Christ). The Patriarchs did not have the Sacrament of Confession, so they did not have that strengthening of the Spirit given in that Sacrament.
Powerful information, so good to have. From what I’ve read of yours already, I gathered, roughly, that this was the answer, but the subject has been mentioned to me a couple of times recently, and I wanted to make sure before I responded.
Thank you.
Hello – What is the meaning behind the title of your blog: “the reproach of Christ”?
The explanation is here:
https://ronconte.com/about/
Sometimes I feel my local Priest is tired of hearing me confess the same mortal sins. I go to Confession about once every two-three months. I make amends with a firm purpose to avoid mortal sins. After some time I commit the same mortal sins and then very soon afterward to Confession. I struggle with certain mortal sins. There has been long periods of time where I don’t commit the same mortal sins and go to Confession once a year. Other times I often commit the same mortal sins and feel hopeless. It’s been a lifetime of struggle for me to avoid mortal sins. I want to be saved from the fires of Hell. God help me!
That sounds like a normal battle with sin that many of the faithful face. Just keep believing and practicing the faith, going to confession, and repenting from any sins. Often objective mortal sins do not have the full culpability of actual mortal sin. And then the typical repentance of a faithful Catholic is perfect contrition (out of love for God) so the state of grace is often either retained (in the case lacking full culpability) or it is regained upon perfect contrition.