Answers to My Catholic Friends

When a pope dies, posters are put up all over Italy urging people to pray for his soul. How long must he suffer in Purgatory? Why hasn't he, of all people, attained the salvation of his soul?How can we know if Christ completely paid for our sins once and for all on the cross, or if the Mass renews His sacrifice and shortens the time we must suffer for our sins in Purgatory?Why don't protestants venerate images and pray to the saints?As an evangelical missionary in Italy for over thirty years, author Thomas Heinze learned that there are certain things that Roman Catholics would like to know about the faith of the Protestants and about the Bible. Moreover, they want clear, unevasive answers. The ecumenical movement in their own church has made it more important than ever for them to have this information. Heinze understands that many Catholics may be suspicious of a Protestant Bible, so he uses the Catholic Bible to answer questions like these:... Do you have the Mass like the Catholic Church? Why not?... Where do the differences between Catholics and Protestants come from? Is the Bible really as important as they say it is?... What is the most important difference between Catholics and Protestants?... Why don't Protestants venerate images? Is that idolatry?... Why are Evangelical pastors permitted to marry?... Do you believe in Mary? Did she have other children?... Is there a Purgatory? Where did the idea of Purgatory come from?... On whom is the church founded? Was it really Peter?.. To whom should we confess?