hello and welcome to mosaic. i'm here to introduce to you in a moment my guest, father john, here the archdiocese of san francisco. today's show, but talk about some of the more frequently discussed and believed in and essential teachings of the catholic faith. i hope you enjoy the show. it's going to be quick, because were going to try to cover a lot of ground, but i want to let you know at the website, you can click on the item that says what we believe to find a list of all these

things should you want to follow-up on that. so you can actually go to the page itself to find out more. but here we go. i'd like to introduce you to father john, the vicar for an administration here in the archdiocese in san francisco. first of all, welcome. >> great to be here again with you. you have recently written an article that will be published in the catholic san francisco newspaper that kind of there is a great introduction to what we will talk about. would you let us know the gist of that? >> at this point, in secular society, we get a lot of our views from secular society. a lot of people do come and they tend to follow different trends. in a secular culture, it does not necessarily mean everyone believes it. there are always counter cultures, different ethnic groups, but over time they have an influence. they can have an influence on

institutions which can be positive or sometimes negative, and i have a little example that i use, which i think is good. it involves ice cream shops, so over the past 40 or 50 years, if you like ice cream, you know that when you go into a shop, they have lots of toppings, brownies, cookies, other little sweet things that you can have, and that's been the trend. you can imagine that there would be one ice cream shop who says, you know, we make good ice cream, and that's what we want to stick to. we're going to -- all these years, they haven't really been popular. it's a small chain, and somehow they make it through, and now they feel it's time to really emphasize the fact that they've stuck to the basics. you know that this is just pure good ice cream, and so they rename that chain, and they call it nothing but ice cream.

nothing but ice cream. so it's all emphasis on ice cream. people hear about anything, my gosh, that something really new. that's a different idea. and yet they've been doing the same thing for 40 years. you can make an application to the church like that. a lot of things have changed in society, and some classics have gone away a bit, but as far as institutions are concerned, it's pretty important to let people know that the institution believes the same thing that it did 40 years ago, 400 years ago or 2000 years ago. >> it hasn't changed. we're going to talk about some of those things. we've got a list of some of the maintenance of the faith. for example, the four marks of the church. we'll talk about that, what the magisterium? what does it mean when we say we believe in the approved -- and the true presence of jesus in the eucharist. the topic. it's the ultimate big topic.

people often have questions about the priesthood. and unlike in what was our belief in life and things of how to live out this life? all of the things that are connected to the essential teachings of the church, and how do we live them out, and why do we stand up, for example,, this past weekend 50,000 people walking down the street of san francisco market street standing up for life. all based on one knee central issue our belief in life, and so will be talking about some of the details of those when we come back. you're watching mosaic, and we'll be right back.

welcome back to mosaic. my guest today, the archdiocese of san francisco. father john, i want to go to the rest of this list. we started reading it before the break. these essential teachings of the church that are sometimes confused,

i want to read through the rest of them, and then will go back and maybe you can say a few words about each one. the priesthood, the belief in life, chastity, what is chastity? chastity in one's state in life, contraception, homosexual acts, homosexual orientation versus acts and the call to chastity for every one, and marriage. the institution, the sacrament, the covenant, and what we believe as catholics about marriage and the civil law. finally, reproductive technology and cloning, things like that. this is probably enough for like a series of 13 shows, but we are going to be ambitious. in just a few words, for example,, the four marks of the church. >> i would focus on the apostolic. >> apostolic means that the bishops who are functioning as bishops today are connected to the apostles, that there's an

unbroken line that goes back to them and the reason that's important is that we believe that even the scriptures and their interpretation is linked to tradition. the bishops are the guarantors of that tradition. that leads us to the next one. magisterium. >> magisterium refers to the leadership of the church. usually, that refers to the bishops led by the holy father, and teaching and oftentimes an authoritative way. that's our teaching. it's part of the gift given to the church. >> they've done it in the past, but with the immaculate conception was one, it would be possible to declare the sanctity of life and being against that through

abortion but that is evil. the church already teaches that, but it hasn't chosen to define that infallibly. >> wreck. >> so the magisterium has talked but not in an infallible way. >> this is a topic with the talk about for a long time. the true presence of jesus in the eucharist. >> that means jesus is truly present, body and blood, soul and divinity. i think this is an enormous challenge. i see many, many young people who are really good catholics. they just don't get the understanding of the eucharist. and i think part of it is you got to kneel down when you see the eucharist. you've got to focus on christ. he truly is the body and blood of christ, that is the ancient and current teachings of the church. >> piffle. we will give the website where you can read more about all of these things. purgatory. >> the church is always said

exists. it has never said anyone is in. the presumption is that they are there, for the reason they don't say that is in the new testament, jesus says, who are you to say who is good or bad? that is god's decision alone. the reason it is so important is it means, i truly have free choice. i can choose not to love god. i am not -- i am not compelled. that's the way he made us. that's the whole point the story of adam and eve. >> purgatory. >> purgatory means that if you're going to be in heaven, you can't have all of these faults. you've got to be a nice guy. you can't say, i like chris, but he's got a lot of problems there. purgatory is the taking away of that. purifying us to become part of the saints in heaven. >> the priesthood. >> people may be confused in this. there are two types of

priesthoods. like me i am a priest. we refer to that as the ministerial priesthood. those priests who are serving others, but there is also the priesthood of the laity, which has always been taught by the church. that, in baptism after you pour the water on the baby's head or adults had, you then do the function and you say to the person, you are now priest, prophet, and king. it is that priest which is the priest of the laity that we all offer the sacrifice. it can't be done without the priest, but everyone participates in that sacrifice. >> beautiful. thank you. that's a good one. >> we talked about life, but just the belief of life. >> the church -- i mean, all of this is now supported by science. once you have the dna, the church's position is once a woman conceives, if you don't intervene and

there are no unusual events, that's when to result in human life. so everything is programmed by god from then on saying that this is going to be -- a human person is when to develop into a baby, and we have to respect that. >> last one before the break. chastity. >> chastity applies to both you and me. >> people confuse it. >> essentially, it means that you look at the other person as a child of god, complete, so not just how pretty she is or whether the guy is handsome or whatever closed a where, but this is a child of god made in the image and likeness of god and that we have all these sexual abilities, we don't use them until it is the appropriate moment, like in marriage and for someone who is single, then they don't use them at all.

whenever they interact with another man or woman, i mean, all of that comes into play. >> chastity is just living out the belief in the dignity of each human, treating each other with respect. we will take a break and be right back. we're going to talk more. we're cruising right through some of the basic teachings of the catholic faith. you're watching mosaic. we'll be right back.

welcome back to mosaic. i am here today talking with father john, and we are talking about just briefly touching on the essence of some of the basic catholic teachings. we've gone through a lot, and there is how do you do mark there are often misunderstandings. maybe a brief understanding the concept of what the church believes about contraception. >> the basic notion is that a man and woman coming together in marriage should be open to the gift of life, so it is something given by god and they should be part of the marriages. they are open to that. now, yes, they can be intimate with one of the other at times or if less likely that the woman will get pregnant, but still even in that

situation sometimes you have to be open to life, so it's this openness that we emphasize. >> thank you. they're so much we could talk about again. >> here is one. homosexual acts. what the church believes about homosexual acts. >> first of all, ask always belong in a certain context, so regular heterosexual acts should only occur in marriage. homosexual acts should not occur, and the reason is that that's not the way our bodies are made for that. one can easily understand a man having an attraction for another man and wanting to become in some way intimate, which is the way our bodies are built, it's not possible that you can be intimate the way a couple can be. our bodies are made male and female. >> on a natural level. >> and then, of course, through revelation of the church and

the procreative aspects of the gift of human sexuality and what we believe is catholic. certainly, more we could talk about here. i urge you to study the theology of the body maybe if you want to find out more about why. now, let's talk about the church's ministry and the concept of the differentiation between homosexual orientation and ask. >> the church accepts whatever orientation a person has. that orientation can be disordered, and i'll say something more about that in a minute, but the church is still accepting the person as a child of god, and a full member of the church. there is no attempt to push the person outside. but the church that is you can't act on that. of course, many of our gay brothers, lesbian sisters, what they want to associate is the

attraction, it should be bound to action. that's what they want to say. the church says, that is not the inclination is quite distinct from the act itself. now, i want to speak about the inclination and the church says that his disordered. i would say for our modern society, for most young people anyway, maybe not everyone, but most young people, their attitudes toward heterosexuality or homosexuality are all disorders. you know, they are always thinking of the sexual component, the physical part, why is she so attracted to me? why am i attracted to him? it is going for one very small component of the other person. the church is saying, no, no, we have to look at ourselves as

complete and other people as is complicated individuals whom we have to explore. so i shouldn't really identify myself as gay. i shouldn't identify myself as heterosexual. i am a human person. i am trying to get to know other people. >> the catholic perspective is really appealing remedy to the over sexualized nature of our culture. >> exactly. >> again, kind of leading to the next one that we are all called to chastity no matter what our state in life. and that was that's what we were saying before. i think this is a challenge for many people, and married people as well. we always have to look at the other person as someone who is endowed with gifts whom we can relate to and whom we don't think of or act in initially or ultimately in the way that is inappropriate with

their commitment. if it is my wife or husband, then a sexual component is appropriate. otherwise -- but even for a wife or husband, they can't be looking at -- a guy can't be married and looking at the women up and down and looking at these women photos and things like that. that would be against chastity. and similarly for a woman. >> even jesus said, if you look with what lost, again, looking with a positive regard and wishing the best for the other person rather than taking, which is sort of love versus lust. >> and this isn't even going into the area of pornography. we're just talking about people who are married who then the guys interested. she's really cute. i like her. talking to his friends about

that. you're already against chastity by engaging something like that. >> we will take a break, and we are on the home stretch actually. talking about basic catholic teachings. we'll be right back. music trac♪ [splash] ♪ [drill sargeant] attention [boots hitting floor] [bells ringing]

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welcome back. i'm here with father john. they're going through some of the basic catholic teachings essential to our faith. we have gone through quite a few and the rapid pace and are doing pretty well, but the next segment over going to talk about marriage as an institution, covenant, and sacrament. >> well, the covenant is marriage is an image of christ's loving the church. so christ ahead of the church and loving the church, his body.

that imaged in the love of a man and woman. that love of a man and woman is supposed to remind us of the love of christ for his church, and it is also an agreement, a sort of contract. that's the way the church understands it. and the reason why it can be a moments is an order to be a sure contract, you have to fully intend to promise to be married to this man or woman until death parts us, and you to do that freely. you can't do that with a gun to your head or you think that unless i do this, the baby is not going to be -- freedom is important. >> wonderful that the covenant aspect of marriage. now, marriage and civil law, by the church is strong about processes there. >> in the united states now, every

minister or catholic priest acts on behalf of the government. you register with the government and, as you know, the married couple brings a marriage certificate with them. the priest that has signed that send it in and then they get the official marriage certificate that again. it's the official church witness, but also a witness for the state. because there are so many people who are changing their understanding of marriage and the definition of marriage, there are priests and ministers who are saying we should change that, we should get out of the business of being officials of the state. we should ju separate. and it's happening era. there are a number of catholic countries in europe, and this has been true for decades, you want to get married, you go to city

hall first, you get them to stamp a thing as far as the government is concerned, you're now officially married. as far as the church is concerned, you're not married. in afternoon you go to the church or the following day you go to the church and you are not intimate with one another. and so the church is distinct from it, and the good thing about that is our concept of marriage, traditional marriage, is very different from what civil unions are becoming nowadays. >> that makes a lot of sense. something to look into their. that's a great topic. last topic. reproductive technology and what the church beliefs about that and then human cloning. >> the church is, certainly, very sympathetic. there are many women who want to have children, and they have tried and it's not working, so they're inclined to think, well, i've

got to get the baby and inseminate it outside the womb. first of all, the way that happens is usually there are many eggs that are inseminated, and only one is used. that's the primary reason. a secondary reason why they are against it is you could think of it as a medical procedure, but in general this should be as a result of a loving act, not of a surgical act or a medical act, and the church insists on that. you can see how important that is in our society. >> thank you. what a great explanation for such a huge topic. i'm going to ask you folks, if you want to hear or see what the church believes, just a little segment, you can go to our website where all of these are listed. we'll be developing that as the weeks go by.

i really appreciate you for such pace to be able to go through. just give a little anecdote about each one of these things. thank you so much. >> i'm delighted we have so much on the website and that we will be expanding that. >> you been watching mosaic. thank you very much. again, here's our website. until next time, god bless. you see this look on my face? sfx: growling that's not anger, that's hunger. so i'm gonna have a snack to make me feel better and once i do you will see a look of satisfaction and contentment blossom across my face. see, now i feel better. make your tummy happy

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give it a pop. you to the theatre today in big way.......2 in sf, one sj......and we'll track dowa serial killer in a chilling new book. a great on t the interview before the interview here. welcome to they sunday. they too heavy on board. we are taking you to the theater in a big way. two in san francisco, one in san jose. we track down a serial killer in a chilling new book. we've got a great show for you. beginning with a bit of broadway. we've got a real treat for you. the personal cast playing through december 6th. is it destiny or random chance that determines our fate in life? exploring the forks of the road that lead us on our journey. and the cast is star-studded. belting out tunes that will bring down the house, and her castmate you remember him