Questions QUESTION from Andrew Goh Soo Meng on January 6, 2003 Dear Br Ignatius,
I have been diagonised with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, whether maligant or not, the doctors don't know yet.
The reason I am writing is because I may develop complications during surgery that can kill me on the operating table since I am overweight at 95kg. Will it be considered a mortal sin then if I die in such a state, under such circumstances on the operating table itself.
Also, I feel that God has not been fair with me. I blame him for depriving me of so much pleasure and work in life, that I sometimes wonder what is the value of the life if it cannot be lived passionately. And I also wonder how and why God can't give me a full life to help make the Catholic faith more vibrant.
I am also peeved that there are people in America foolish enough to listen to Kathleen Keating. She and her agents have been prophesising about the end times and peddling the bible code, and I got so sick about her that I wrote a spam to her, then forwarded the article to the US president, with a plea to President Bush to eliminate such hoaxes. Can't the Catholic League and the US Bishops sue her and shut her up, for God's sake.
Lastly, can you give me the address of two offices and their email in the Vatican. I would like to contact his emminence Cardinal Ratzinger and the religious office responsible for visionaries and seers, because I would like to tell them to shut up the seers. I think we have just enough of them.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on January 12, 2003 Dear Mr. Meng:
Being overweight is not a sin, gluttony is a sin and being overweight does NOT mean you are gluttonous. There are MANY skinny people who are gluttons.
In any event, if going into surgery, as a matter of standard practice, you should receive confession to ensure you are in a state of grace since it is always possible to die on the operating table.
Son, God is NOT unfair to you. If your life is not what you want it to be, then change it. God cannot MAKE you have a full and vobrant life -- He will NOT intrude on your free will.
It is a choice YOU must make to have a full life. God has given you everything you need to have a vibrant Catholic life.
As for Miss Keating, the President, the Congress, the Vatican, or Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger CANNOT stop her. What do you expect them to do, put a gun to her head?
In the United States, she and all people have a Constitutional RIGHT to express their religious views. There is NOTHING that can be done about anyone preaching about the end of the world and the like.
Also, spammer her was ABSOLUTELY WRONG of you to do. Spamming a person like that is immoral.
As for Cardinal Ratzinger... son, the Cardinal knows how to do his job, as do all other Vatican officials. The Vatican DOES and IS keeping tabs on all alleged visionaries and does investigate them and condemn them if appropriate.
Focus on your own spiritual growth and relationship with God. Ignore the visionaries and others who upset you.
Back to Index Page