Who never wondered: "What's the use?" when faced to the ordeals of daily life? Georges Bernanos wrote: "The demon of our heart is called 'What's the use'." Why then choosing to be hopeful when everything falls apart? Father Charles Lenoir, chaplain at the shrine Notre-Dame de Montligeon, shares his insights on the virtue of hopefulness which changes our relationship to the future.
Death is merciless. It forces us to face the wall of the absence of a person who used to be part of our life, sometimes for many many years. We can no longer hear them or hug them. It is no longer possible to ask for their advice, to give them love or receive love from them. Apparently, all the links are severed. Is that so certain?
Many bereaved parents whose infant died unchristened wonder about their outcome. Regardless of the cause of the death (miscarriage, abortion or stll-birth), can a child be saved if they were not christened? What is the Church's official position on the salvation of infants who died before they had a chance to receive baptism? We asked dom Jean Pateau, the abbot at Notre-Dame de Fontgombault, who wrote "Le Salut des enfants morts sans baptême" [The salvation of children who died unchristened"] (Artège, 2017).
When we have lost a loved one we often wonder where they are, what they became. Are they happy where they are? RCF interviewed don Thomas Lapenne for the program Sanctuaires Normands.
On the threshold of death, or when we’re thinking about death, certain things can weigh heavily on us. For example, a forgiveness not given or a bad deed, an infidelity, a hurtful phrase, a refusal to love, etc. Is it…
Cremation is getting more and more popular in France, with over 40% deceased people incinerated nowadays. Yet this funeral practice raises some questions, especially in the French culture where burial used to be common practice. How does the Church regard…
Is extreme unction the same thing as anointing the sick? Vatican II has broadened the understanding of the sacrament of extreme unction. As a result, today the sacrament of anointing the sick is no longer restricted to the dying. Interviewed…
People who are going through ordeals, including non-believers, claim they are serving their purgatory on earth. Are there any grounds to such a belief? In other words, can we serve our purgatory during this life? Don Paul Denizot, interviewed for the program Sanctuaires normands on RCF, clarifies the matter.
Trying to figure out what will happen after the resurrection of the dead is quite tricky. However, a few things can be said about them, and their capacities can be described. Interviewing don Pierre Gazeau for RCF Radio.
The Christians assert their faith in the Credo in proclaiming: "I believe in the resurrection of the flesh", which means the resurrection of the body. Therefore, at the end of times, everyone will recover their resurrected body, which is described as 'glorious'. What is the basis for such a belief? What are the secrets of resurrected bodies?