my linktree that i use for evangelization/apologetics with quick FAQ or answers to common objections against catholicism

Catholic-Christian Questions and Answers

If God exists, why is there evil?

1. Many significant goods, like courage, forgiveness, and perseverance, require at least

some evil (like danger, fault, and hardship). Thus it is unlikely that God would strive to

create a world where evils would be certain not to occur.

2. People would endure .05 seconds of intense pain for eternal happiness. All pain on earth

would be like .05 seconds of intense pain when the reward is eternal happiness in heaven.

3. Good exists but badness does not exist. Good is like light, badness is like darkness.

According to physics, light exists but darkness does not exist. Good is like heat, badness

is like coldness. According to physics, heat exists but coldness does not.

Badness, darkness, and coldness do not exist because they are all privations or lackings or

absences. Good is a substance. St. Augustine provides an explanation in Handbook on

Faith, Hope, and Love chapter 11, “In animal bodies, for instance, sickness and wounds

are nothing but the privation of health. When a cure is effected, the evils which were

present (i.e., the sickness and the wounds) do not retreat and go elsewhere. Rather, they

simply do not exist any more. For such evil is not a substance; the wound or the disease is

a defect of the bodily substance which, as a substance, is good.”

Does God exist?

Yes. Here is Dr. Alexander Pruss’s inspired Ontological Argument for God’s existence:

1. If x (e.g. flying cars) can be thought of as existing but doesn't exist, then x can be thought

of as having a beginning.

2. But something greater than which cannot be thought (SGTWCB) cannot be thought of as

having a beginning.

3. SGTWCB can be thought of as existing.

4. Therefore, SGTWCB (God) exists.

Is Catholic-Christianity a religion?

-Yes. “If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this

man’s religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to

visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world”

(James 1:26-27). The latter religion of being unstained/undefiled and visiting orphans and

widows is Christianity.

What about all the other religions?

-Go with whatever religion seems more likely true, just like how a person would accept a

scientific theory that seems more likely than another scientific theory that seems not as likely.

We don’t reject science completely merely because of competing scientific theories just like how

we don’t reject religion completely merely because of competing religions.

-[or another way to look at it] Accept whatever religion has a higher expected value. Imagine

you’re given the choice between a 90% chance at an infinite good or a 10% chance at the same

infinite good. You should clearly take the 90% chance. If the 90% chance is Christianity and the

10% chance is Islam, then choose Christianity.

Why believe in Catholicism?

1. Jesus Christ is found fully in Catholicism. He died on the cross to save us from sin and

bring us to heaven, which is eternal happiness. “He who believes and is baptized will be

saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Lumen Gentium

says, “the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation”.

“Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ,

would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved.” If you are already Catholic,

you will merit more “eternal life” (happiness) through good “works” (Rom 2:6-8).

2. Miracle of Jesus rising from the dead according to historical data.

3. Miracle of Shroud of Turin: Jesus’ burial cloth; the cloth shows an image of a man

[Jesus] without brushstroke, he was suffering, and had AB blood type; can’t be replicated.

4. Eucharist Miracles (Tixtla, Mexico; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lanciano, Italy): bread

actually becomes fleshly heart tissue; AB blood type for the tissue; tissue of person

shows the person to have been suffering.

5. Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima prophesied that WWI would end, and WWII (1939)

would begin during the time of Pope Pius XI (1922-1939). About 30,000 people were

present in 1917 to see a miracle happening. Many, including those miles away, reported

seeing the sun “dancing,” their clothes being dried though it rained.

Why be Catholic and not just general Christian?

1. A lot of American Christian Churches have only started recently (especially after the 16th

century), but Jesus created one church (Matt. 16:18-19) in the 1st century. Ignatius of

Antioch (A.D. 110) says, “Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also

be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (Letter to the

Smyrnaeans Chapter 8).

2. There was no earlier Bible than the Council of Rome (A.D. 382), in which Pope Damasus

I and bishops—through the Holy Spirit—received the Catholic Bible. Non-Catholic

Christian Bibles depend on Catholicism.

3. Though non-Catholic Christians have Jesus, they are called to “grow in the grace and

knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pet. 3:18)—and that means joining

Jesus’ full truth—the Catholic Church.

4. ”I appeal to you […] that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you,

but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1Cor. 1:10). To agree,

unite in the same mind, and have the same judgment without dissensions means to join

the fullness of the Catholic Church, which is united, unlike other disagreeing Christian

churches.

What is one doctrine that makes Catholicism uniquely and unitedly true over other

Christian denominations (e.g. Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, etc.)?

The “papacy” (“authority of the pope” over other leaders, such as bishops, apostles, etc.).

-See biblical proofs that Peter was the first pope even if the word “pope” (just like “Bible” or

“Trinity”) does not appear: Matt. 16:18-19; Lk. 22:31-33; Jn. 21:15-17.

-See historical proofs below [note: When talking about Rome, the reference is to the pope and

his authority there].

1. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3, 3, 2 (A.D. 189): “tradition derived from the apostles…at

Rome…of the successions of the bishops…preeminent authority [Rome].”

2. 3rd Council of Constantinople (A.D. 681; 6th ecumenical council that even the Orthodox

Church accepts): “this Apostolic Church [Roman Church] of his has never turned away

from the path of truth in any direction of error, whose authority, as that of the Prince of

all the Apostles, the whole Catholic Church, and the Ecumenical Synods have faithfully

embraced, and followed in all things.” (continuing) “the Apostolic Church of Christ”

“has never erred from the path of the apostolic tradition, nor has she been depraved by

yielding to heretical innovations” “[she] remains undefiled unto the end.”

Generally, how do you join the Catholic Church?

1. Try asking a Catholic priest found at a nearby Catholic Church.

2. If you are an unbaptized 7+ year-old: You go through OCIA, which teaches about

Catholicism. During the Easter Vigil—you get baptized, receive confirmation, and the

Eucharist. Now you’re Catholic!

3. If you are a validly baptized non-Catholic Christian already: “It is preferable that [the

non-Catholic Christian] reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil

lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism”

(National Statutes for the Catechumenate 33, 1986). “[t]he reception of candidates into

the communion of the Catholic Church should ordinarily take place at the Sunday

Eucharist of the parish community” (NSC 32). The Christian fully enters the Catholic

Church by profession of faith and formal reception with the priest/bishop.

4. If you are not sure if you are validly baptized already: You go through conditional

baptism. “If conditional baptism . . . seems necessary, this must be celebrated privately

rather than at a public liturgical assembly of the community and with only those limited

rites which the diocesan bishop determines. The reception into full communion should

take place later at the Sunday Eucharist of the community” (NSC 37).

What are some Catholic Church recommendations with the usual calendar?

Oregon:

1. St. Michael the Archangel (Portland): Great Young Adult Ministry (“ARK”);

Homeless Ministry; Pro-life Ministry; Confession @5:15pm-5:40pm; Confession Thur

and Fri 11:35am-12pm. Confession Sunday @6pm-6:30pm. Sunday Mass @8am, 10am,

and 7pm. Saturday Mass @8:30am and @5pm. Tues and Wed Mass @5:45; Thur and Fri

Mass @12:05pm.

2. Holy Rosary (Portland): Mass: Weekdays: 6am (Latin), 7am, 12pm; Sat 6am (Latin);

8am, 5:30pm; Sun 7am, 9am, 11am (Latin), 1pm, 5:30pm.

Confessions: weekdays 11am-noon; Sat 4pm-5:30pm; Sun half hour before all Masses.

Dominicans are zealous about study and preaching here.

3. St. Sharbel Catholic Church (Portland): “Maronite” Catholicism; Has a Young Adult

Ministry; Family community with food after @11am Sunday Mass, and confession

@10:35am Sunday.

4. St. Stephen (East Portland): Latin Mass: M-F 8am; Saturday 9am; Sunday 8am;

10:30am; 5pm; Confessions: W-T 5:30pm; Fri 11am; Sat 10am; Sun 9:15am. Traditional

and reverent service.

5. St. Mary’s Cathedral (Portland): Mass: Monday 5:30pm; Tues-Sat: 7:30am; Sat:

5:30pm; Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 11am; Confessions: Monday 4pm-5:15pm; Sat

4pm-5:15pm. Big church with traditional priest.

6. St. Anthony Catholic Church (Tigard): Hispanic-Vietnamese-Anglo community; Youth

Ministry; Bible Studies; English Mass @7am, 8:15am, 10am; Spanish Mass @11:45am;

Vietnamese Mass @1:30pm; Spanish and English Mass @7pm.

7. St. Irene Byzantine Catholic Church (Portland): Byzantine Catholicism with chants,

bells, icons. Check church Facebook or Website for Liturgy updates but generally

speaking, liturgy is every other Sunday @5pm.

8. St. Patrick’s (Portland): Mass: Tues-Fri 6pm; Sat 9am (Novus Ordo in Latin); Sun 8am

(Spanish), 10am (English); Confessions: Sat 8pm-8:45pm. Fr. Tim has quick Masses.

9. Christ the King (Milwaukie): Mass: Mon 8:30am, Tues 6pm, Wed-Sat 8:30am, Sat

5:30pm, Sunday 8:30am & 11am. Confessions: Tues 5pm-5:45pm, Sat 3:30pm-5pm.

10. St. Birgitta (Northwest Portland): Mass: Mon-Fri 9am (english in chapel), Latin Mass

Sat 9am; Sat 5pm (English), Sun 8am (English), 9:30am (Latin). Confessions: before

each weekend Mass.

11. St. Agatha (South Portland): Mass: Mon-Sat 8:30am; Sat 5pm; Sun 8:30am, 10:30am,

12:30 (Latin). Confession: Sat 3:30pm-4:30pm.

12. St. Joseph the Wonderworker (East Portland): Mass: Tues-Fri 12:15pm, Sat 5pm, Sun

8:30am, 11am, 1:30pm (Spanish).

13. St. Joseph Parish (Salem): Mass: Mon-Fri 12:05pm; Sat 5pm (English) & 7pm

(Spanish); Sun 7:30am (Latin), 9:30am (English), 11:30pm (English), 1:30pm (Spanish),

3:45pm (Vietnamese), 5:30pm (Spanish). Confession: Mon-Fri 11:30am-12pm, Mon

7pm-7:30pm, Sat 3:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, Sun 9am-9:30am, 11am-11:30am,

1pm-1:30pm, 5pm-5:30pm.

Washington State:

1. The Proto-Cathedral of St. James (Vancouver): Mass: Tues, Wed, Fri 12:10pm, Thurs

8am, Sat 9am & 5pm; Sun 7:30am, 9am, 11am, 1:30pm (Vietnamese). Confessions: Wed

& Fri: 11am-11:45, Sat 8am-8:45 and 4pm-4:40pm, Sun 1pm (Vietnamese).

2. Holy Redeemer (Vancouver): Mass: Mon-Sat 8:30am, Sat 4:30,pm, Sun 8:3am, 11am.

Confessions: Fri 3:30pm-4:15pm, Sat 2:30pm-4:15pm; Sun 7:45-8:15 & 10am-10:45am

3. Saint George Byzantine (Olympia): Liturgy: Wed 6:30pm, Sat 9am, Sun 10:30am.

Orange County:

1. St. John the Baptist (Costa Mesa): confessions Mon-Wed @7:30PM & Saturday

@8:45AM; confession during 12:30 Sunday ‘62 Latin Mass. Lots of young adults and

Nobertine religious.

2. St. Michael’s Abbey (Silverado): Tu, Th, Sat 7am Novus Ordo Latin Mass; confessions

M-Sat @1-4pm & Fri & Sat @7pm. Breathtaking architecture with lots of young adult

visitors.

3. St. John Henry Newman (Irvine): “Ordinariate” Liturgy—recommended especially for

Anglican converts to Catholicism; confessions before 9am and 11am Sunday Masses. If

you are Protestant–try talking to Fr. Glenn, Presbyterian convert to Catholicism.

4. Annunciation Byzantine (Anaheim): confessions before 9/10am Eastern Divine

Liturgy. Lots of singing and good “smells and bells” with Sunday community.

Los Angeles:

1. St. Therese (Alhambra): Sunday Latin Mass @1pm; confessions Wed @7pm, Sat @3,

Sun @12. Lots of young adult Catholics and close to the city of LA. Fr. Robert preaches

spiritually and intellectually.

2. St. Vitus (San Fernando): FSSP Sunday Latin Mass @7am, 9am, 11am, and 6pm;

confessions before every M-Sat Masses except the 6:15am Mass. Lots of young adult

Catholics.

3. Holy Innocents (Long Beach): M-F @7pm Latin/Spanish; confessions daily (call to

check). Father’s homily is worthy of a listen.

4. Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Whittier): Fr. Pat Torres, Mystic. Daily reverent Novus

Ordo Mass M-F @12, Sat @5:30, Sun @9:30, 11:30, 3:15; confessions on Fridays @6.

Lots of young adult Catholics.

Around Inland Empire:

1. San Secondo d’Asti (Ontario): ‘62 Latin Mass Sat @6:30am & Sun @10:30am &

@2:30pm; confessions Mon-Sun (check website). Fr. Charles ‘Gino’ Galley is friendly

and traditional and sometimes celebrates the Latin Mass here.

2. St. Nicholas of Myra (Fontana): confessions before @9:30am (weekdays)/10am (usual

Sundays)/7pm (Holy Days) Eastern Divine Liturgy.

3. Sacred Heart (Palm Desert): Sunday Latin Mass @2:30; confession Wed 5:30pm, Thu

8:30am, Sat 3:30pm & 5pm. Fr. Gregory Elder, Ph.D. is an Anglican convert to

Catholicism.

4. Holy Martyrs (Murrieta): Sunday “Ordinariate” Liturgy @7:30am, 9am, 11am;

confessions Wed @5:30 and Sun during 9am & 11am Masses.

Is it biblical for you to pray that another person—such as Mary or saints in heaven—ask

God to grant you graces?

Yes, just like how two Christians on earth can ask each other to pray for each other. “I urge that

supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men” (1Tim. 2:1). There

is only one body of Christ, which is the Church (Eph. 1:22-23)—and this body is alive, not dead.

Mary is in the one body of heaven, which is connected with the one body of earth. “He [God] is

not God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:32). Mary is living in heaven and can intercede

for those on earth to have graces.

Can a man—like a priest—forgive sins?

Yes, through the authority of God. John 20:22-23: “And when he [Jesus] had said this, he

breathed on them [men], and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of

any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Moreover, see Matthew

9:5-8 and Leviticus 5:5-6.

Is it idolatry (Ex. 20:4) to merely create a statue?

No, as long as it is not meant to be a statue-god. God even commanded to make “cherubim” (Ex.

25:18) and “bronze serpent” (Num. 21:9), which are all statues.

Is it idolatry to merely bow down to a statue?

No, as long as the statue is not worshipped. “Then Joshua…fell to the earth upon his face before

the ark [which is a piece of statue]” (Jos. 7:6). Moreover, we create statues all the time in society,

which surely is not idolatry.

Is Purgatory [a Catholic teaching] found in the Bible?

Yes. 1Corinthians 3:15: “though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” Catholicism

teaches that those in purgatory are guaranteed to be saved to heaven, but must go through

purgatory fire first. Moreover, 2Maccabees 12:39-45 is the Jewish tradition (150-100 B.C.)

where Judas and his men are praying for the dead. Presumably, they pray for the dead because

there is the hope of heaven for the dead in purgatory. The Bible nowhere disproves Purgatory.

Does Catholicism teach the worship of saints or Mary, the mother of Jesus?

No. “there is only one God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 200 [official

teaching]). “Idolatry is a perversion of man's innate religious sense” (CCC 2114). “The Church

rightly honors ‘the Blessed Virgin with special devotion[…]This very special devotion…differs

essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and

the Holy Spirit” (CCC 971).

Is Mary the “Mother of God” (“Theotokos”)?

Yes.

1. Jesus is God.

2. Mary is the mother of Jesus.

3. Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God.

Was Mary “Assumed” [i.e. “taken”) into heaven bodily?

Yes.

-Firstly, at least it is a possibility because even Henoch was likely taken bodily into heaven:

Genesis 5:24 says, “And he [Henoch] walked with God, and was seen no more: because God

took him.”

-Secondly, Revelation 11:19 says, “God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his

covenant was seen within his temple.” Then the next contextualized verse says, “a great portent

appeared in heaven, a woman [Mary] clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and

on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child [Jesus] and she cried out in her pangs of

birth, in anguish for delivery” (Rev. 12:1-2). “woman who was about to bear a child, that he

might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to

rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne” (Rev.

12:4-5).

Explanation: Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant (see the proof parallels of 2Sam. 6:14 & Lk.

1:41; 2Sam. 6:9 & Lk. 1:43; 2Sam. 6:15 & Lk. 1:42; 2Sam. 6:11 & Lk. 1:42; 2Sam. 6:11 &

Lk.1:56). If Mary is the new Ark, then she was taken into heaven physically, just as the Ark was

taken into heaven physically. Moreover, the images of heaven, the sun, the moon under her feet,

and the stars are evidence of the woman, Mary, being in heaven. Also, she has a child who rules

the nations with a rod of iron, implying Jesus.

Was Mary conceived without sin [“Immaculate Conception”]?

-Yes. Songs 6:9-10 says, “My dove, my perfect one, is only one, the darling of her mother,

flawless to her that bore her. The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and

concubines also, and they praised her. ‘Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the

moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?’” This woman is the woman of

Revelation 12 (Mary) quoted above. Since the woman (Mary) is perfect and flawless—she is

without sin.

-Moreover, Mary is the antitype of Eve, who was without original sin, so Mary is to be without

original sin too (See Genesis 3:15 prophecying about Jesus and Mary, who would be better than

Adam and Eve after Adam and Eve sinned).

-Here’s more evidence Mary is the antitype of Eve: John lists out days which prove the Wedding

of Cana happened on the 6th day (Jn. 1:29[+1], 35[+1], 43[+1]; 2:1[+3] = 6), just like Adam and

Eve were created on the 6th day (Gen 1:27, 31). Adam calls Eve as, “Woman” (Gen. 2:23) just as

Jesus calls Mary as, “woman” (Jn. 2:4). Mary is not better than Eve if Mary is sinful. But Mary

is better than Eve if she is sinless, which she is.

Was Mary a perpetual virgin?

Yes. Even the first Protestant reformers (Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, and Wesley) held to the

perpetual virginity of Mary.

-In Luke 1:27, it’s stated that Mary was betrothed to St. Joseph already. For whatever reason in

verse 34, she says, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” This indicates that she

planned to be a virgin forever. Think about it, if you’re a virginal woman who’s married, and

somebody walks up to you to say, “You will conceive a child!” But then you say, “How can this

be, since I do not know a man?” That would make you look foolish, unless, of course, you are

going to be a virgin forever.

-Some Protestants object that Matthew 13:55 says that Jesus has brothers whose names are

James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas—therefore, Mary had sex after Jesus was born. Reply to this:

the Greek word for brothers (adelphoi) can mean siblings, cousins, uncle/nephew (Gen. 14:14).

-Some Protestants object that Matthew 1:24-25 says that “Joseph...knew her [Mary] not until she

had borne a son.” Therefore, this implies that Joseph had sex with her after she bore Jesus. Reply

to this: “Until” doesn’t imply that she had sex and had sons afterward. For example, I can say,

“Until this day, I have not seen a black swan,” but that doesn’t mean that I will see a black swan

after today. Moreover, 2Samuel 6:23 says, “Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day

of her death.” But that doesn’t mean she’ll have a child postmortem.

Until doesn’t imply change.

Are you saved to heaven by faith alone or do works matter too?

Works matter too. James 2:24 says, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith

alone.” (See also: Matt. 7:21, Jn. 3:36, Rom. 2:6-7, 2Cor. 5:10, Rev. 20:12)

Is the Bible the sole authority (sola scripura)?

No, (1) tradition and (2) the Catholic’s “magisterium” (“teacher”) are authorities also.

(1): “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either

by word of mouth or by letter” (2Thess. 2:15).

(2): “the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark [or,

‘foundation’] of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). (See also Matthew 18:15-18.)

Should you not become Catholic because of priests’ sexual sins?

While those priests deserve the full lawful punishment—the answer is, “No.” Similarly, you do

not stop going to the doctor or school because some doctors or teachers commit sexual sins.

Similarly, you don’t apostatize Christianity just because Jesus chose Judas and Judas betrayed

Jesus (Lk. 22:4) or chose Peter and Peter denied Jesus 3 times (Matt. 26:69-74). Notice that Jesus

“called to him those whom he desired” (Mark 3:13), including Judas and Peter, sinful men.

If you’re already Catholic, how can you improve your relationship with God?

-Confess your sins to a priest. “Confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless

strongly recommended by the Church” (CCC 1458). “If we say we have no sin, we deceive

ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive

our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn. 1:8-9).

-Offer the “Eucharist” (“Thanksgiving,” that is Jesus’ Body and Blood) at “Mass” more. “Offer

to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Ps. 50:14). (See John 6:52-58; Luke 22:14-20.)

-Read your Bible because it’s “affirmed by the Holy Spirit…and without error” (CCC 107).

-Know, share, and “make a defense” of your faith in “gentleness and reverence” (1Pet. 3:15).

For more questions and answers:

1. Check out catholic.com (I am not sponsored by catholic.com, I just think they are a useful

source).

2. Feel free to contact me: minhhoangkinhthanh@gmail.com Instagram: kenio02