Q. I like mountain biking, especially downhill. I like the adrenaline of it and taking hard terrain, but I go fast at times and risk injury. I am wondering if this is sinful.
A. No, it is not sinful. There is a risk, but if you take the proper precautions, then you are doing what is required and prudent. It is something you can enjoy. Many things in life are risky, but that does not mean that they are sinful.
Q. When I was a child, a made a simple vow of chastity. As a teenager, I wanted to be a nun or a consecrated virgin, although I never entered a convent. But now, I have changed my mind and want to get married and have children. Does my earlier vow serve as an impediment to marriage? Do I need a dispensation?
A. No, you do not need a dispensation. A vow becomes binding only if it is public and only if it is received and confirmed by a person with the authority to receive a vow. Your vow was a simple act of piety. It was not binding and is not an impediment to any future choices or decisions.