 Bishop Michael Putney has been Bishop of Townsville since the 27th of March 2001. He is a great supporter of ministry with young people throughout the Church. He has many years of experience as a priest & bishop, he also lecturered for many years at the Banyo Seminary in Brisbane.
In our work young people often have questions of faith, and sometimes they do not ask them. Here is a great opportunity to ask your questions and Bishop Michael will answer them. We will publish these answers on the website for everyone. To ask a question please fill in and send the form below. If you would like us to contact you please include your email address.
Question:I am not Catholic so is it wrong for me to go to World Youth Day? I love going to Ryan Catholic College the environment and the spirit around the college is amazing. I have really found in religion that I want to get more involved with the Catholic community. Answer:Thank you for writing to me. All young people are welcome at World Youth Day. Whilst it is a Catholic event it is open to all young people who are 16 by the end of 2008. If you are able to come, I would be very glad for you to join our diocesan pilgrimage and to come with myself and other young people to WYD in Sydney next year. I am very pleased to know that you like going to Ryan Catholic College. I always enjoy my visits there and agree with you that the spirit around the college is very special. It is really good that you have become interested in religion. If you are already a member of another Church community, it would be good to connect with them. If you don’t have any Church to belong to, then you would certainly be welcome to become involved in the Catholic Church. You could contact Mr Allister Crocker who is coordinating the Ryan Catholic College World Youth Day Pilgrimage Group. Alternatively, you could also talk to Fr Dave Lancini (4723 9844) or contact Rachel or Dan (4726 3251 email youth@tsv.catholic.org.au) in our Youth Ministry Office who could help you to make some connections. Regards, MOST REV MICHAEL E PUTNEY Bishop of Townsville
Question:I am Catholic and want to marry for the first time. The man I want to marry was married in a registry office and divorced. In the eyes of the Catholic Church he was never married. He is also catholic, and we both want a catholic marriage. My local priest will not marry us. Answer:Thank you for your email. Planning to get married can be a very happy time but sometimes it can become a little complicated. I would be very happy to try to help you sort out the complication you mentioned. If you have never been married before and the Catholic man that you want to marry was not married in the Catholic Church then it should be possible for him to receive a clearance to marry again, this time in the Church. However, he would need to approach our Marriage Tribunal Office in order to go through the necessary process which requires some documentation and usually takes a few weeks. You could contact Maureen Mosch in the Townsville Marriage Tribunal on (07) 4726 3240. We would certainly like to help you in every way that we can to be able to marry in the Catholic Church. Yours sincerely, MOST REV MICHAEL E PUTNEY Bishop of Townsville
QuestionIs it sinful to read novels such as detective and thrillers that may have violent or sexual content if so is it mortal or venial? Answer:Thank you for your question and congratulations on being concerned about our Catholic values and teaching. It is difficult these days when reading a book or watching a movie or television program not to come across violent or sexual content. Sometimes we may need to deal with such material in order to follow a story line properly. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are reading such novels or looking at such programs for other reasons and happen across these scenes or are actively seeking them out. If the answer is that we are actively seeking them, then we need to reconsider why we are reading or looking at this type of content. The reason we don’t seek out this kind of material is because to do so would not be respectful of our humanity and our sexuality, and this will be corrupting for us. As to whether a sin is mortal or venial depends on what is involved in the material and what we do about it. It would need to be very corrupting of us and completely indulged by us to be able to be considered as a “mortal” sin. Yours sincerely, MOST REV MICHAEL E PUTNEY Bishop of Townsville
Question:I was just wondering what would happen if someone committed what would be a mortal sin, but without knowing nor considering it as mortal sin, but venial, and after fallen into such sin, he received a Sacrament, like Holy Communion and Confirmation. If later, having learnt what he had done and having already received the confirmation, receives the Confession. Is the confirmation invalid? Answer:Thank you for your question and for being so concerned about our Catholic values and teaching. A sin is only mortal if it is committed with full freedom, full knowledge and full consent. In this circumstance, it would appear that it was only upon reflection that whatever sin was committed was seen to be “mortal”; so full knowledge was not a factor. As far as the sacraments are concerned, they would certainly be valid in this case, and would even be valid if received while conscious of a “mortal” sin. They would still be received validly but would not normally convey to us the gift of God’s grace because our sin would be an obstacle. The validity of sacraments does not depend on our worthiness but their fruitfulness is effected by our state of soul. Yours sincerely, MOST REV MICHAEL E PUTNEY Bishop of Townsville
Question: I am OCD - have scruples - and terrible everyday issues haunt me - even though I really know the answer and the reasonable thing to do. I am currently thinking of the clothes that I wear and that others wear and was worrying about sin/wrongness in how one dresses. Before I write any more, I will state my conclusion - one that was given to me - in part - about this topic from a Franciscan from your website: I can wear whatever I want, where ever, whenever no matter what it is - as long as I am not trying to intentionally offend God in doing this. I like this conclusion and feel that really it is the only one I can live with - maybe it is the OCD in me, maybe it is just me. I guess that I would think you are not the best person to consult with this about - I wouldn't think that you shop in the girls/women's departments or know the types of things there are today. But because I bring an moral element into this, I come to you. There are short skirts and short shorts and tops that show a lot of skin - ones with backs that are completely open or that have some type of hole in the back that shows skin or shirts that have netting for a lot of the shirt instead of cloth so shows skin - shirts that have many different cuts, that are revealing/provocative, tops that have really low cuts in the front and back - basically clothing that shows a lot of skin. These things are available for almost any age. I see people all the time wearing this stuff and see people wear stuff like this in mass/church events as well. Also sometimes people wear really tight clothes. And also sometimes clothes are tight so the outline of the bra can be seen through the shirt. And sometimes a bra can be seen through a shirt - (and extreme example is wearing a black bra with a white tank top - though there are examples that are not as extreme) and stomachs/backs show. And swimsuits are string bikinis. I have to admit that I have done all of these things to some extent and feel fine with it. The style today is just like this and also I really believe that unless you are trying to offend God by wearing something - then anything you wear is fine - no matter what or where or when - even if you are in church or traveling in other countries/places (you know how it is often said that you should dress conservative in other countries - depending on where you go - for protection/respect maybe) Well, really there are so many examples and shopping with thinking about sin/wrong as you try to buy a summer tank top, really just takes the fun out of it and makes me just want to give up when ever time I look at a piece of clothing I think of whether it would be wrong to wear it, not if I like it or think it is pretty/fashionable. So with all the above into account - all the examples I gave - I can model any of those/dress as any of those examples - wear whatever, whenever, where ever - in church or a different country - even if it is advised not to - and am fine if I am not intentionally trying to hurt God. Please, I beg, will you tell me that my conclusion in fine - not wrong or sinful - for I certainly know that that you may have a completely different opinion, but I am worried only about wrong/sin. I pray that you please just say, if it is ok, not wrong/sinful - - or not - for the other answers confuse me - I know not what is opinion and what is not and I feel these are a matter of opinion. I really don't know what I would do with myself if this were not true - I thank you very much for you time. Answer:I am very sorry that you are troubled by scruples and therefore so anxious about the whole question of what you ought to wear. I think you found good advice when you discovered the principle that you could wear whatever you wanted as long as you are not trying to intentionally offend God. The reason I say that is that despite your anxiety, in fact you do have a sense of what is right for each situation, and you should trust that sense. If you are not intending to offend God by what you wear, that will mean that you won't wear things that will cause people pain or to offend people in any way, and you won't be dressing in a way that doesn't respect your own dignity or that of others. So trust your judgment and the guiding principle you have been living by. Yours sincerely, MOST REVEREND MICHAEL E PUTNEY Bishop of Townsville
| 
