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Can a Catholic couple, engaged to be married, have a civil wedding and move in together before getting married in a Church?

A couple is not married in the eyes of the Church until the sacrament of Holy Matrimony takes place, so if a couple has a civil wedding and moves in together, that would be considered cohabitation and consequently be against Church teaching. Thanks for the question, anon!

Hi there! I'm a recent college grad currently going through RCIA ( I've been baptized but nothing further and didn't practice or go to Mass until RCIA started). Your blog is so helpful for learning about new aspects of Catholic life and helping me grow in my faith, so thank you! Secondly, do you have any suggestions of other Catholic tumblrs that you follow and would recommend? Thanks so much and I hope you're having a blessed Christmas!

Hi, Anon! Thank you for your kind words, and I am so excited that you're going through RCIA! While I myself don't keep a list of Catholic tumblrs, this is a pretty comprehensive list. I hope you find these blogs helpful as you continue on your journey. :) Pax et bonum.

What does pax et bonum mean?

Hi, Anon! Pax et bonum is Latin for "peace and goodness," it was the motto and common salutation of St. Francis of Assisi for those he encountered. Thanks for asking! Pax et bonum to you.

One of my really close friends thinks that Catholics worship Mary and aren't Christians. I tried to explain to her that Catholics were the people who started Christianity. She keeps going on and on about how Missionaries are so much better than Catholics and that Catholics won't go to heaven. Nothing really bothers me, accept for the last part. I have been praying for her and I have talked to my priest about it multiple times but nothing seems to help. Any suggestions? Thanks :)

Hi, Anon! It seems that you are doing your best to defend and explain the Catholic faith to her. You may be doing your part, but it is ultimately up to her to decide whether or not she accepts your explanations. I can see why her saying that Catholics won't go to Heaven bothers you; it would certainly bother me! Perhaps it would be good to remind her that God alone decides who He lets into Heaven. and that none of us are worthy of Heaven, rather it is a gift from our Father who is perfect love. It is not up to us to say who will and who will not go to Heaven.

Most of all, pray for her! And pray that God may help you show her His love. Pax et bonum!

Ok theres this boy in my 7th period who used to be Catholic. I want to bring him back but i barely know him and found this out from us following each other on IG. Also, he is a coolish band kid and i am a smart quiet girl so it would be hard to just work my way into his group when we have no mutual friends. We have exchanged a few words, but not a real talk and certainly not about religion. Should I just pray about it and trust God? I worry he will reject the church even more if i interfere

Hello, Anon!

Don't forget that living out the faith is a way of evangelizing, and can be an excellent way of bringing people to God who may not be drawn by upfront conversation. If you feel that praying and trusting God are the ways in which you should help him, then do that! Never underestimate the power of prayer. :) Thanks for your message!

Pax et bonum. :)

Why don't you post as much anymore? I loved your posts!

Hi, Anon! School really has me bogged down, so unfortunately I let my blogging fall by the wayside. :\ I will try to do better at posting so I don't disappoint you all! I really appreciate all of my followers' love and support, it means the world. Thanks for your message, friend. Pax et bonum!

I would really like your advice.. So my friend realized that he is gay. I am perfectly fine with that whatsoever. But the only problem is that his parents are very involved in the Catholic Church. He is not sure how they will react ; like me and still love him no matter what, or kick him out like he is the mistake of their family. I know that his parents are very understanding and loving but he just doesn't know how to deal with this. Prayers would really help. Thanks :)

Hello, Anon!

First off, I will pray for your friend, his parents, and you! I hope and pray that his parents will love him as they always have; after all, he is the same son that he has always been. While I'm sure that coming out can be a very difficult experience, I believe that his parents knowing that he is gay will prove a freeing experience for him, so being upfront and honest with them would be best. He won't know how they will react until he tells them, but hopefully that will be a good thing and turn out to be a positive experience! He is loved by you, by many others I'm sure, and most certainly he is loved by God. The Catholic Church teaches us to love our homosexual brothers and sisters just like we are called to love everyone, so I pray that his parents will do just that.

I hope that helped...also, if your friend is Catholic, I think this might be a blog that he would enjoy: SpiritualFriendship.org. One of my friends is a contributor and I really enjoy reading it, there's some excellent stuff on there about homosexuality, homosexual persons, and the Church.

Pax et bonum!

Hi :) actually I don't have any special questions to You... I just bumped into your blog and wanted to say thank You. you really helped me find myself and gave me some important for me answers. Just thanks you for having this blog, beeing who you are, for helping all those people you are helping. Good bless you :) Julia form Poland.

Julia, this is SUCH a sweet message and I cannot thank you enough. I'm so thankful that the grace of God has touched you through this blog. Pax et bonum, my friend!

Can you say 2novenas at the same time or do they have to be said separately?

While I am unsure at the official answer, I believe that you can! God will certainly hear both novenas and have ears wide open for an infinite amount of more prayer. Pax et bonum!

Im Korean-American, and in my school there was a Japanese exchange student. We got into a massive argument about war crimes from WW2 and the denial in Japan over it. I just can't seem to forgive her for what she said and get over it because people in my family in the past suffered horribly and never got an apology. How can I forgive something like this when it is in my blood? It makes me so angry.

Anon, thank you for coming to me with this. Asking someone about how you could possibly forgive her is a good sign; it shows that you do want to forgive her. Forgiveness is far from easy, but it always comes from God, so I would pray to God and ask Him to help you forgive. I know that is a very simplistic and basic answer to such a profound question, but I really believe that God is the only one who can help you forgive.

Pax et bonum, friend.

My beloved dog passed away several months ago, and I still miss her horribly. There was not one single day while she was alive that she was not by my side. My question is: do animals have souls? Do they go to heaven? I cannot imagine heaven without her there.

Hello, Anon! I am so sorry that you are going through this difficult time, please know of my prayers for you. I lost one of my cats not too long ago and it is indeed a horrible experience.

Now, I struggled with this, as well, when my cat died. Animals do have souls, although they do not have souls in the way that humans have souls (x). Animals do not have consciences or a sense of morality as we do. However, I would like to bring up this comment by theologian Carlo Molari, who was speaking in response to Bl. John Paul II saying that animals do have souls:

"However...it must be restated that there remains a distinction between the soul of an animal and that of man. According to Scripture the animal is destined to perish. It is mortal by definition, unlike man who continues his existence beyond earthly life. So far as we understand now there is no possibility that we will find other creatures in the Hereafter. However, it's one thing to expound according to the theology and philosophy we have studied and quite another for us to comprehend Divine reality--both future and distant--which remains mysterious and difficult to grasp within our limited capabilities." (x)

So...in short, I do not have a definitive answer for you on whether or not animals go to Heaven. While I believe the official Church teaching is that they do not, as the quote above tells us, is it impossible for us on Earth to know of the things of Heaven (unless, of course, God makes them known to us). God could certainly choose to bring our pets to Heaven and allow us to live out eternity with them, however we must remember that God is the only one we need for true joy and happiness, period. If animals are in Heaven, is it out of God's goodness and love for us, and His desire for us to experience true joy.

Please know of my prayers for you, and I will say a special prayer to St. Francis of Assisi and ask him to intercede for you and ask God to give you comfort. Pax et bonum!

could you just do me a favor and pray for me? im really conflicted right now and i could really just use the prayers. :)

Of course, Anon! Pax et bonum.

Is it bad/rude that I have the desire to inspire someone to convert to Catholicism??? I just think it would be so cool!

Hi, Anon! First, we are all called to evangelize and bring others to Christ. The nature of your desire, however, does depend on what motivates it. If it is motivated by a desire to lead your life in a way that brings others to Christ and that glorifies God, and a desire to bring another to the joy, truth, good, and love found in the Catholic Church, then I would say it is a holy desire! If it is a desire motivated by pride, ego, and a desire for recognition, then I would say it is a disordered desire.

If it is the latter, I believe with prayer for humility and holy desires, you can re-order this desire to be motivated by the former!

Pax et bonum, friend. :)

What Saint Name did you choose for Confirmation? Mine was St. Michael the Archangel.

Hi, Anon! I chose St. Francis of Assisi, who is near and dear to my heart. Thanks for asking! Pax et bonum. :)

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I have a question...I'm a 16 year old girl and a year ago I was very suicidal and began intense therapy. Now I've recently been dealing with the problem of self harm...I feel awful about it cuz I don't want God to be mad that I'm destroying his creation and I just don't know how to feel

Hello, my dear!

Thank you so much for trusting me with your message, and I'm sorry it took me so long to respond. I am very glad to hear that you have the courage to seek out therapy; I, myself, go to therapy and find it to be so helpful and such a blessing. Please know that you are incredibly and perfectly loved by God, Who created you in His image and loves you with all of His heart. Fortunately, we have a Father who loves us no matter what! He knows that we all falter in different ways, and is constantly reaching out to us, trying to help us love and be loved. Please know of my prayers and love for you.

Pax et bonum!

Could you please pray for me? thank you!

You got it! Pax et bonum, friend. =]

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