February 2005

Q. -My friend says any form of yoga is false worship and forbidden by the Church. What is the correct view of yoga for exercise?

A.- Yoga is a spiritual practice from Hinduism that aims to unite the body, mind and spirit and attain a state of “enlightenment” or “oneness” with the universe.

There are many forms of yoga but the one we are most familiar with in the west is Hatha Yoga, which is the “physical” path to such “enlightenment” and uses breathing techniques (pranayama) and postures (asanas) to attain it.

Yoga is erroneous on many levels and incompatible theologically with Christian beliefs. Not least of which is its philosophy which claims that God is an intelligent but impersonal field of energy that is manifested and expressed in all creation, including man, but we need to strip away the illusion that we’re not God (through yoga). In other words, everything and everyone is God! Just in this thought alone you have two heresies. That of “monism” (in which everything is one) and that of “pantheism” (in which everything is God). Another problem attached to this is that in this pantheistic view even evil is God, which, really, is blasphemous in itself.

If one is doing yoga for the physical exercise itself there is no prohibition from the Church against it. However- prudence would demand that one be knowledgeable and strong in their Faith so as to not be drawn into false ideologies. Keep in mind – the postures of yoga were never meant or designed to be exercise but were to serve as stable positions for prolonged meditation and, more importantly, to “open” the energy channels, charkas and psychic centers believed to be in people (and supposedly everything else too!) Some people feel that if they skip the mantras, meditations and philosophy that it’s alright to practice yoga. And it is. But all you’re left with is some stretching poses that weren’t meant to keep you fit. If one wants isometric exercise that keeps you stretched, flexible and fit and is easy on the joints, they could always try pilates (which was designed for fitness).

As far as relaxation and meditation, there are numerous devotions and prayers within the Church, not the least of which is the Rosary.

Recommended reading:

Jesus Christ, The Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the New Age (by Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue)

Catholics and the New Age (Mitch Pacwa, S.J.)

Inside the New Age Nightmare (Randall N. Baer)

Q.- Explain Easter Duty.

A.- “Easter Duty” refers to some of the commandments of the Church to “confess one’s sins at least once a year” and “ to humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season”. The Easter season is the period from the beginning of Lent until Trinity Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost).

While they are two separate precepts, they get rolled into one (as Easter Duty) because you cannot receive Holy Communion if you are not in state of grace and therefore to fulfill the one commandment you need to fulfill the other.

Other precepts (or commandments) of the Church are:

· You shall attend Mass on Sundays and Holy days of Obligation.

· You shall keep holy the days of holy obligation

· You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.

The faithful also have a duty to provide for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.

Recommended reading:

Code of Canon Law (number 920 sections 1 and 2)

Catechism of the Catholic Church (numbers 2041-2043 & 2048)

Q.- 1) What is Divine Mercy Sunday? 2) What is a plenary indulgence?

A.- 1) Divine Mercy Sunday is the Sunday immediately following Easter. Back in the 1930’s, Saint Faustina, a polish nun, claimed to have visions of Jesus in which He said that He wanted His infinite and Divine Mercy made better known to the world. To do this, He wanted her to establish a devotion to His Mercy (the Divine Mercy Chaplet) and have the Church proclaim the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. He showed her an image that He wanted painted and solemnly blessed and venerated on that day. Jesus promised “unfathomable graces and mercy” to those who would confess their sins and receive Holy Communion that day in honor of His Divine Mercy. He said that all their sins and punishment would be forgiven them. He also wanted everyone to perform acts of mercy out of love for Him.

On May 23, 2000 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that, “throughout the world, the second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come.”

On June 29, 2002 the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree of indulgence for the feast of Mercy. It states, “ that the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful granted the following Indulgences:

· a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!");

· A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.” Also granted were means for those who were sick or could not legitimately attend mass to obtain the indulgence.

The decree goes on to state:
“Duty of Priest: inform parishioners, hear confessions, lead prayers
Priests who exercise pastoral ministry, especially parish priests, should inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church’s salutary provision. They should promptly and generously be willing to hear confessions. On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during devotions in honour of Divine Mercy, with the dignity that is in accord with the rite, they should lead the recitation of the prayers that have been given above. Finally, when they instruct their people, priests should gently encourage the faithful to practice works of charity or mercy as often as they can, following the example and command of Jesus Christ.”

Some feel that you must have an image to venerate as the Lord requested from St. Faustina. It is very nice but not necessary in order to receive the graces or indulgence. Some also feel that the novena of Divine Mercy starting on Good Friday is required but it is not (although one could pray it as an act of mercy for others). Confession can be within 20 days of Divine Mercy Sunday, it doesn’t need to be on the day before or Sunday itself. If, for some reason, there are no devotions being held at all, one can go to Church early and pray the prayers listed above and still receive the indulgence.

2) To briefly answer the question on plenary indulgence. “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfactions of the saints. A plenary indulgence removes all the temporal punishment due to sin.”(catechism #1471)

In other words, sin is mortal or venial. Mortal sin makes us incapable of eternal life. That would be damnation or eternal punishment. Venial sin does not damn us but still has a temporal (ie. not eternal) punishment attached to it which must be undergone, either here or after death in Purgatory. So a plenary (or full) indulgence wipes away all temporal punishment due to venial or sacramentally confessed mortal sins. It’s all gone. If you died right then, you’d go straight to heaven. No purgatory. It is a gift (indulgence) of the Church given to the faithful who do certain pious acts with contrition and repentance in order to help them pay whatever debt is owed. Christ’s infinite merits are applied to the soul to pay the dues for what would otherwise take time and suffering. A plenary indulgence gained can be applied to those who have already passed away to relieve their debt as well, which is an act of mercy in itself.

Recommended reading:

Divine Mercy in my Soul – The Diary of Sister Faustina (Saint Faustina)

www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/index.htm

www.divinemercysunday.com

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (numbers1471-1479)