Anluwage.com's TANONG PO

Bakit po ba pinababanguhan ang mga santo sa simbahan?

2008-02-14T08:01:00.002+08:00

Although not necessary, some are putting perfume on religious images to make them pleasing to the senses.

- Fr. Andy

Ano po ang tama: isawsaw ang ostiya sa kalis o uminom mula sa kalis? Dito kasi sa UK 'forbidden' ang isawsaw ang ostiya sa kalis.

2008-02-03T08:28:00.003+08:00

I think the priests there allowed drinking from the chalice rather than dipping the consecrated host for safety purposes, i.e., so that there will be no possible spill over of the consecrated wine. In view of this, the General Instructions on the Roman Missal provides that the communion distributor should be the one to dip the consecrated host into the chalice and then give it to the communicant.

Here in the Philippines, it is not practical to distribute communion in two species simply because of the many number of communicants. However even if one does not receive the consecrated wine, the grace is not diminished. You are receive Jesus even through the consecrated host alone.

- Fr. Andy

Born-again Christian ang BF ko pero OK sa kanya ang Catholic wedding. Kailangan ba niyang mag-communion sa Mass?

2008-02-03T08:20:00.001+08:00

Mixed marriages (Catholics marrying non-Christians or non-Catholics) are allowed in the Sacrament of Matrimony. The Born-again party need not become a Catholic nor take Holy Communion. There must be mutual respect of faith.

- Fr. Andy

Kasalanan ba ang gumamit ng contraceptives?

2008-02-03T08:18:00.002+08:00

It is against natural law to use contraceptives, we suppress our capacity to procreate instead of allowing nature to take its course. There are natural methods. Just be aware of them, learn how to use them, and then apply them.

- Fr. Andy

I had no choice, but abortion. How could I repent?

2008-02-03T08:17:00.002+08:00

There is always a choice. That should be the good one: To uphold and preserve life. No one has the right to take away the life of another especially the defenseless unborn baby. It is one of the greatest sin perhaps one can commit.

Can one repent? Definitely. The Lord is good and forgiving. You just have to be truly sorry for the sin you have committed and then approach the Lord in the Sacrament of Penance (confession).

- Fr. Andy

OK po ba kung hindi kami nagsisimba sa aming parish dahil mas feel namin si Lord sa ibang simbahan?

2008-02-03T08:12:00.002+08:00

It's hard to tell what's wrong until you identify the cause of the problem. Is it because of the priest? Or the people who attend mass? Or the lay ministers that assist at Mass? Or the location? Or the look of the church?

Keep in mind that our faith rests on the Lord and not on anyone nor anything else.

If we attend Masses in another parish, we separate ourselves from the community where we should belong. We deprive our community of our services. Learn from the early Church communities. Members live in harmony, help one another, and share things in common.

See if your standards are very high. While others find value in attending Mass in your parish, you don't. Maybe you just need to make a few adjustments and see the value of being with your community in worship.

- Fr. Andy

Mortal sin po ba kapag hindi ako nakapagsimba ng Linggo?

2008-02-03T08:10:00.002+08:00

It resides in God's will that we keep holy the Lord's Day (third commandment). Sunday is the day of the Lord's Resurrection and is therefore the foundation of our faith. It is a grave sin not to fulfill our Sunday obligation (including holy days of obligation). Isang oras sa isang linggo na lang nga ang hinihingi ng Panginoon hindi pa natin maibigay sa Kanya.

- Fr. Andy

Wala daw po sa liturgy ang paghahawak ng kamay kapag dinarasal ang "Ama Namin"?

2008-02-03T08:05:00.005+08:00

It is not a norm to hold hands when singing the Lord's Prayer and neither it is necessary. Some do it to express their unity in prayer. However unity is not diminished if you don't. The raising of hands individually may find its origin from imitating the priest who raises his hands during the Lord's Prayer. It further evolved into holding each others' raised hands. It is proper for the priest to raise his hands because as the presider, he gathers the prayers of the people.

- Fr. Andy

Kapag nagmimisa ang dati naming parish priest, gusto niya naghahawak-kamay ang lahat sa pag-awit ng "Ama Namin". Nabago ang lahat nang mapalitan siya

2008-02-03T08:05:00.004+08:00

Kapag nagmimisa ang dati naming parish priest, gusto niya naghahawak-kamay ang lahat sa pag-awit ng "Ama Namin". Nabago ang lahat nang mapalitan siya dahil wala naman daw sa liturgy ang paghahawak ng kamay. Ano po ang masasabi ninyo dito?

It is not a norm to hold hands when singing the Lord's Prayer and neither it is necessary. Some do it to express their unity in prayer. However unity is not diminished if you don't. The raising of hands individually may find its origin from imitating the priest who raises his hands during the Lord's Prayer. It further evolved into holding each others' raised hands. It is proper for the priest to raise his hands because as the presider, he gathers the prayers of the people.

- Fr. Andy

Bakit yari sa tanso (bronze) ang chalice at iba pang gamit sa Misa? Puwede ba ang yari sa kahoy?

2008-02-03T08:03:00.001+08:00

Practical reason: Not only bronze, but any durable metal like silver and gold may be used as a material in making chalices. Obviously, metal is durable. Chalice is made of metal not only because it is durable but also to preserve the consecrated wine (blood of Christ). Wood absorbs liquid. If we use wood for chalice, you could just imagine what will happen to the consecrated wine.

Fr. Andy

Minsan sobrang busy ang organista ng aming choir kaya puwede ba kami gumamit ng audio player sa Misa kapag absent siya?

2008-02-03T07:58:00.001+08:00

The norm is still to sing and accompany the singing live. However in certain but not too often circumstances, some choir may use minus one recorded in CD or memory stick playable at electronic organs for as long as the instrument used is approved for liturgical celebrations (i.e. guitar, pipe organ, and piano). In Sunday celebrations and special feasts, it is still recommended to have a live accompaniment.

Fr. Andy

Kasalanan ba ang masturbation? Paano kung di ko mapigilan?

2007-09-15T01:33:00.000+08:00

Our Church teaches that masturbation is “intrinsically and gravely disordered action” because “the deliberate use of man’s sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” “Man’s sexual faculty is intended to be shared to his spouse in the context of marriage, as an expression of their love and to form a family” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2352). At ang masturbation ay nagiging kasalanan kapag ito ay ginustong gawin lalo na kapag ito ay para sa pansariling kasiyahan at panandaliang kaligayahan. Sa madaling salita, hindi ginagamit ng isang tao ang kanyang “sexual faculty” sa paraang niloob ng Diyos. Dagdag pa dito, ang kabigatan ng kasalanan ay naaayon sa edad ng tao.

Kung di mapigilan, marahil dahil ginagawa na ito nang malimit (“by force of habit”). Once it has become habitual, it would eventually become addictive. Anyhow, one must not lose hope because this can be corrected through value and conscience formation, strengthening one’s spirituality, counseling with a competent authority (priest or religious – and not any psychologist who does not see anything wrong with masturbation) and by promoting better relationships with the opposite sex. Habitual masturbation cannot be corrected overnight. It takes time, will power, effort, and a lot of God’s grace. So one should not lose hope but rather just keep on trying.

- Fr. Andy

Puwede po bang pakasal sa Pilipinas ang divorced sa America ?

2007-09-15T01:25:00.002+08:00

Kung yung taong na-divorce ay hindi naman kasal sa Simbahang Katoliko, puwedeng pakasal muli pero kung ang na-divorce ay kasal din sa Simbahang Katoliko, hindi siya maaaring ikasal muli. Anumang kasal na “valid” (ibig sabihin kusang loob na nagpakasal ang mag-asawa at walang tinatawag ng “hadlang” ayon sa Code of Canon Law) ay hindi kailanman napapawalang bisa. Ang sabi sa Banal na Kasulatan, “Ang pinagbuklod ng Diyos ay huwag paghiwalayin ng tao” (Mt. 19:6) Kaya nga dapat bago magpakasal pag-isipan ng maraming beses dahil panghabang-buhay na ito.

- Fr. Andy

OK bang mag-communion kahit nakipagtalik ako sa girlfriend ko?

2007-09-15T01:25:00.000+08:00

Sex outside marriage (pre-marital sex) is a disordered act just like masturbation. It is an abuse and misuse of sexual faculty outside the intention of God. Sex should be an expression of love between the couple in the context of marriage (refer to my answer in No. 1)

Pre-marital sex is therefore a sin and it is advisable to see a priest to avail the Sacrament of Confession before receiving communion. Isn’t it but logical? How can we worthily receive our Lord in the Eucharist if we are in the state of sin? Nakakahiya sa Panginoon na humarap tayo sa Kanya at tanggapin Siya nang may kasalanan tayong labag pa sa Kanyang kalooban.

- Fr. Andy

Anong kaibahan ng divorce, legal separation, at annulment?

2007-09-15T01:23:00.001+08:00

Ang “divorce” ay isang legal na pagwawalang bisa ng isang “valid” na kasal. Mayroon nito sa civil marriage sa ibang bansa pero sa ating bansa, walang diborsyo sa kasal sa simbahan at huwes.

Ang “legal separation” ay isang kasunduan ng dalawang mag-asawa na hindi na magsasama at maaaring may paghahati ng ari-arian pero hindi sila malayang magpakasal sa iba.

Ang “annulment” ay ang pagkilala sa isang kasal na hindi “valid” mula pa sa simula. Ito ay dahil sa mga tinatawag na hadlang or “impediments” na umiral bago pa ikasal kaya masasabing walang tunay na nangyaring kasal.

- Fr. Andy

Sa Aglipay daw ako biniyagan sabi ng Nanay ko pero sa Katoliko naman ako nagsisimba. Problema ba yun?

2007-09-15T01:23:00.000+08:00

May konting problema. Dahil ang Aglipayan Church ay nahati na sa dalawang grupo, hindi na tayo sigurado kung aling grupo ang nagbinyag sa iyo. Maaaring hindi na ito tapat sa orihinal na intensiyon at kahulugan ng Sakramento ng Binyag. Kaya mungkahi ko na magpabinyag ka sa Katoliko at alamin ang turo ng ating Simbahan upang maunawaan mo ang tungkol sa pananampalataya nang maging tunay na kaanib ka ng ating Simbahan.

- Fr. Andy

Nasa Saudi Arabia ako ngayon at bawal dito ang Misa kahit Linggo. Nagkakasala ba ako kung di ako nakakapagsimba?

2007-09-15T01:22:00.000+08:00

Ang kasalanan ay binubuo ng tatlong elemento: ang isang bagay ay kasalanan (the act itself is sinful), ang kaalaman sa kasalanan (you know it is a sin), ang kagustuhang gawin ang kasalanan (and still you did). Sa sitwasyon mo sa Saudi Arabia may kulang na elemento, ang kagustuhan na hindi magsimba, kaya hindi natin masasabing ikaw ay nagkakasala.

Ngunit payo ko na subukan mong magtanong-tanong baka mayroong nakapagmimisa sa mga bahay nang palihim. Mainam na natatanggap natin ang Panginoon hindi lang sa dahil ito ay obligasyon natin bilang Kristiyano kundi dahil mahal natin ang ating Panginoon at nais nating sumaatin Siya. Kung talagang walang Misa, palalimin natin ang ating ugnayan sa Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng panalangin at pagninilay sa Salita ng Diyos (Bibliya).

Nagipit ako kaya nagbenta ako ng dugo. Kasalanan ba ito?

2007-09-15T01:19:00.000+08:00

Ilang beses na kaya itong ginawa? Kung madalas o ginagawang negosyo siyempre talagang masama. Kung minsanan lamang, ito ay masasabi ring hindi tama sapagkat marami namang paraan para kumita. Ang dugo ay ating buhay, at ito ay libreng ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon kaya dapat lamang na ibahagi natin sa nangangailangan nang walang bayad.

Ang pagbibigay ng dugo kahit libre ay masama rin kung makakaapekto sa ating kalusugan at kung mapapahamak ang iba.

- Fr. Andy