First, GO TO CONFESSION! Why? Because of mortal sin and the results of mortal sin.
Don’t believe people can commit mortal sin? That it is really hard to commit an actual mortal sin?
Over at the blog of my friend the great P.P. of Blackfen, His Hermeneuticalness, Fr. Tim Finigan, I saw a video of Francis Card. Arinze which I had not seen for a long time.
I love this guy! He doesn’t mince words.
Card. Arinze (Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni! HURRAY!) dismantles the notion that people can’t really commit a mortal sin unless they do something over and over again with the intent to separate from the God blah blah blah… the so-called “fundamental option” approach to sin.
He lays it down on the line about mortal sin.
By the way, let people who think that there isn’t really anyone in Hell – except maybe Hitler – reflect on the Cardinal’s words about mortal sin. MORTAL sin, right? It kills the like of grace in the soul. No sanctifying grace at the time of death? Then what happens?
When I hear some liberals say that they would like to have a Cardinal from Africa… heh heh… okay! They are pretty much like Card. Arinze when it comes to faith and morals.
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Great explanation of mortal sin. I’m not sure he’s my favorite, but if he is elected, he’s going to give a lot of people a lot of heartburn. ROFLOL.
I had the pleasure attending one of His Eminence’s speeches and meeting him afterwards at a Human Life International conference in Philadelphia some years ago. Then, as in this video, he is always speaking Truth with a smile. God bless him.
So, what happens if a Catholic is in a state of mortal sin, and then is martyred?
I have always loved Cardinal Arinze. If only her were 10 years younger!
Pope Arinze!
My absolute favorite Cardinal (which is why the lovely red fellows at my feeder are always named Francis)~ he cracks me up every time I hear him. I know he’s 80, but he would make such a wonderful Pope, even if it turned out to be for a short time. His encyclicals would be a hoot! No beating around the bush with this guy, he lays it out straight & always with such a charming sense of humor.
Speaking of sin . . . another pertinent short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hUxECgPxyEw
It is Lent. Go to Confession.
Thanks for sharing this, Father. My children and I love, love, love Cardinal Arinze! We use the online Family Catechism associated with Catholic Familyland. Cardinal Arinze answers the catechism question each day by video. We have earned so much from him. We would love for him to be elected!
Reminds me of my mother in law. She has a saying concerning a bad act that “you didn’t mean NOT to.” These old people won’t let you off the hook!
On a sort of political thread: wonder how the press will react to an African Pope when he starts dealing with the true relationship of Christianity and Islam in Africa? That would be uncomfortable for them.
Wow, this guy is amazing! Really cuts through the bs.
Makes me feel like he really cares about my soul.
Also makes me want to go to confession! Just in case…
Great explanation of mortal sin indeed. It is a pity that he will not take part in the Conclave because he is over 80. If he were elected, because won’t be in the Conclave, the provisions of article 90 of the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis would apply, and the procedure prescribed in the Ordo Rituum Conclavis for summoning the Elect before the College of Cardinals to accept or reject the canonical election would need to be observed.
Those interesting procedures are as follows, according to an Italian translation of the Ordo Rituum Conclavis:
62. Se l’Eletto risiede fuori dalla Città del Vaticano, i Cardinali elettori scelgono due Cardinali che assistono il Cardinale che presiede fino all’arrivo e all’accettazione dell’Eletto.
Poi il Cardinale che presiede e i due Cardinali che lo assistono chiameranno il Sostituto della Segreteria di Stato, il quale con cautela farà in modo che l’Eletto giunga al più presto a Roma, evitando assolutamente i mezzi di comunicazione sociale, dai quali potrebbe essere violato il segreto del Conclave.
Giunto l’Eletto nella Città del Vaticano, il Sostituto della Segreteria di Stato informi immediatamente del suo arrivo il Cardinale che presiede ed esegua esattamente i suoi ordini.
Il Cardinale che presiede, dopo essersi consigliato con i due Cardinali che lo assistono, convocherà i Cardinali elettori e introdurrà l’Eletto nella Cappella Sistina, perché si proceda al rito di accettazione.
Yes! I love Cardinal Arinze. A few years ago a good Catholic friend lent me a program of 10 tapes with Cardinal Arinze and that man in the clip (I forgot his name?)(with the smoooth voice) on the “The Splendor of the Truth’. It was great. He was very clear, direct and simple. I was ‘reverting’ at that time and it was very formative. In ’05 I was rooting for Cardinal Arinze to emerge as Pope. (Only because I, like so many others, did not consider Cardinal Ratzinger for some odd reason) Of course I am very grateful to have had Benedict XVI. I became a big Vatican watcher. I think I may have see almost every televised liturgy from Rome. I go to the Latin Mass, but his Masses, especially once the other Martini
took over, were so beautiful. I’m afraid Cardinal Arinze is too old this time around. :(
He’s 80? Really? I’d have believed he’s 60.
I agree, he’s fantastic.
Wonder what year that was. Having seen both parties recently I wonder if this was clip was not several years ago?
Ummmmm…….I LOVE this guy! I don’t care if he’s 80 (and I agree with inexcels–I would never have known!), he’s terrific.
…I would never have known… B.F.
I don’t think it’s a recent clip. This is much younger Jerry than I’ve seen recently.
It is Lent. Go to Confession
..and that is exactly what I tried to do today. I signed out of work for a half an hour and went to the local RC Church…confessions scheduled for 3:30 on Saturdays. The front door was locked..I went into the side door. I got there at 3:35pm. The choir was practicing. The Priest went by me a few times…he was not in the confessional. I waited for about 15 mins….hmm, he never went into the confessional. I left and went back to work.
So, when there are scheduled confession times at a parish..why is the Priest not in the confessional? In most Parishes around me, confession is scheduled for 1/2hour on a Saturday or by appointment. This is not the only time I have seen this. The Parish I used to belong to had confession after the anticipated Mass. I think I only saw the confessional light on once after the Saturday Mass. It seems to me the only time I can get to a confession is before or after an EF Mass. Novus Ordo Parishes seem to have limited the access to confession. Too bad confession is not offered as often as Mass…just a thought.
I love Cardinal Arinze and would LOVE to see him be our next Pope.
Eighty or not, I would love for this cardinal to become Pope Benedict XVII for a good five years.
Cardinal Arinze has been my first choice for Pope since I saw a video of him a year or so ago, discussing abortion. He’s doctrinally strong and explains things in clear, no nonsense terms. I’d be thrilled to have him for as many days, weeks, months, years that God saw fit to bless us with him.
@Chuck3030
Martrydom is a second baptism, a Martyr who perseveres through his trial shows us what perfect contrition looks like.
What a good thing it is to hear such plain-speaking orthodox Catholicism from a senior prelate! It’s a pity he’s really too old to be elected Pope. But he’s the type of man we need in the Chair of St. Peter – no-nonsense, traditional Catholic doctrine and teaching – a man who doesn’t mince his words and appears unconcerned about offending the Western, secularist, bien-pensant, metropolitan elite, unlike some English bishops I can think of.
I’ve really liked him for a long time. I wish he was a littttle bit younger! (Course that might not have anything to do with what the Holy Spirit decides, right?) Plain spoken orthodoxy! Right on.
And I went to confession yesterday. :)
To McBride, in yesterday’s comments, who got to Church for confession, and was ignored by the priest. What stopped you from approaching Father and requesting that he hear your confession? As a convert, I may not know the etiquette of such things, but I was under the impression that Catholics were entitled to the Sacraments and were free to request them. Please help me to understand if I am wrong. My own parish has many opportunities for the Sacrament, but I believe that if I asked either of our priests at any other time, I would be welcome.
Cardinal Arinze has two properties that our next Pope needs: clarity and fearlessness.
Xmenno, perhaps because McBride and every penitent has a canonical right to anonymity in the Sacrament of Confession. This is lost when asking the priest to hear one’s Confession.
That was really useful to me. Thanks, Father!
Went to confession today : )
AND I’ve “adopted a cardinal”! I’m really pleased about that, I feel very happy to pray for him.
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What? Is there some _other_ reason one might want the next pope to be from Africa? :)
I’m not hoping for him per se, but a like-minded man 20 years younger would be real nice. And hey…if they _do_ elect him, it’s not like I’ll be crying over the choice.
@ Xmenno
The Priest was not just hanging out..he was in and out doing stuff. ..like talking to the folks in the choir loft.
I was raised Catholic..making an appointment just seems foreign to me. When I made my first confession, it was in a confessional. You knew someone was in the center box, but not who..and they did not know who you were(in theory). Then somewhere along the line they started this reconciliation room thing (BTW..this was extremely confusing to a 10 yr old).
I think somewhere along the line the roles of the “spiritual adviser” and “confessor” have been combined. I would consider making an appointment with a spiritual adviser, but would expect a confessor to be available for predetermined confession times.
Is that unreasonable?
@acardnal
…and yes that too. This was not a church I had been to. …the anonymity thing is a biggy when you are 8 or so..then all of a sudden gears get switched on you and poof it is gone…talk about intimidating. I have never felt comfortable with confession since then.
Cardinal Arinze is so consistant! God love him. My SD is very much like him in that he is blunt and loving at the same time.
I wondered why Christ said that if you want to commit adultry but have not committed the act, that you had already committed the sin – because of the consent given for it. Praise God for lightbulbs going off even if it takes time!
What a wonderful man! How many would be saved if all of our parish priests delivered homilies like this on occasion? For now, I will do my part as a parent and disseminate this at home. Thanks Father Z!