Answer Priest

Brand new questions

• The gospels tell us that many people recognized Jesus' glory at his birth--the shepherds, the magi, and Anna and Simeon in the Temple. Why then did the people of Nazareth not know that He was Son of God?
• Where did the apostles dwell for the 40 days before Pentecost?

Various Scriptural Questions

• Peter from Clifton Springs: There seem to be many sacred numbers in the Old and New Testament. Which numbers are sacred for Catholics? (10/30/12)
• Why does the Church keep the Old Testament in the Bible? The Old Testament is not the same as the New Testament. If the New Testament is right, doesn't that mean that the Old Testament is wrong? (01/17/13)
• What is an "ecumenical Bible"? (11/20/12)
• Amanuel from Rochester: Both the Old Testament and the New Testament accept slavery. Neither Testament condemns the practice nor encourages rebellion against it. Why did God allow the authors of the Bible to endorse an evil practice? (02/28/13)
• John from Depew: How should Catholics read the Bible? (03/07/13)
• Alex from e-mail: Is there a list of scripture passages which have been definitively interpreted by Holy Mother Church? Also, would you recommend a bible study program to help those of us wanting to study scripture “cover to cover”? (03/07/13)
• Patrick from Rochester: What was the meaning of the Transfiguration?

Development of the Canon

• Gabriel. When did the Church draw up the official list of books in the Bible? (03/14/13)
• Why do some of the Orthodox Churches have more books in their Bible than either Catholics or Protestants? What does the Catholic Church teach about those extra books? [The extra books are 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, and the book of Enoch.] (03/21/13)

Old Testament

• John from Cheektowaga: The Bible says that Abraham lived to be 175 years old. Is that because there were several men named "Abraham" over the span of 175 years? Or was the claim that he lived to be so old a stretch of the collective imagination? (03/21/13)
• Erica from Amherst: What does Genesis chapter 6 verses 1 to 4 mean? It says: "When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of heaven saw how beautiful the daughters of man were, and so they took for their wives as many of them as they chose. ... At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later), after the sons of heaven had intercourse with the daughters of man, who bore them sons. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown." (03/21/13)
• Bob from e-mail: I have some questions about dates: When did Adam and Eve exist? When Noah's flood? When was Jesus born? (03/21/13)
• Anonymous: Who did Adam and Eve's children marry? The Pastoral Assistant told us that there were other people around. Someone else told me that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans, but were just the first people to believe in God. (03/27/13)

New Testament

• Ann, East Aurora: Why did Jesus stay in the Temple instead of going to look for His parents? (added 10/22/12)
• Fred, Rochester: What is Agape love? (added 10/22/12)
• Ed from Rochester: What does the Church teach about the Rapture? It says in Scripture that "One will be taken; the other will remain." (01/15/13)
• What is the "gift of tongues"? (12/06/12)
• What is the meaning of the book of Revelation? (02/05/13)
• How persuasive were the genealogies of Matthew and Luke to the Jews? (01/16/13)
• Why in John 20 did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene not to hold on to Him after the resurrection? (Added 10/22/12)
• Mary from Buffalo: Were John & Jesus born on or about the same time? (02/18/13)
• Scott from Rochester: What did Jesus mean by "I did not come to bring peace but division"? (03/05/13)
• Steve from Kenmore: Could you explain the Parable of the Unjust Steward? It sounds as though Jesus is praising a servant for stealing from his master. That can't be right! (03/21/13)
• Erika: "Please explain the Catholic understanding of predestination and free will. A speaker on Catholic radio said that they can go together. I thought predestination meant 'once saved, always saved,' but wouldn't that mean that we don't have a real choice?"
• John C. from Skype: What did Jesus mean when He said to Peter in the last chapter of the gospel of John, "another will gird you and lead you where you do not want to go"? In the same chapter, who is "the disciple whom Jesus loved"?
• Tommy from Buffalo: I was reading Matthew chapter 27. When Jesus died on the Cross, Matthew says that "tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many." I've never heard anything about this resurrection of "many saints" before. Why don't priests preach about this miracle more often?
• Philip from Medina: What's the significance of the Blood and Water that poured from Christ's side when the soldier pierced him? (03/27/13)

John the Baptist

• What did Jesus mean when He said, "among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Mt 11:11). It sounds like St. John the Baptist is in Hell. (02/21/13)
• Joseph from Rochester: How did St. John the Baptist recognize Jesus as the Lord before Jesus completed revealing Himself to His disciples by His teaching, death, and resurrection?

Biblical Criticism

• From John from Facebook: What is the right way to think about Biblical criticism? Some people on Catholic radio advocate it; others seem to denigrate it. What does the Church teach?

The papacy

• What is a "motu proprio"? How does it differ from an encyclical or a "papal bull"? (11/20/12)
• Why does the Catholic Church have a pope? (11/02/12)

Sin

Personal sins

• Emmanuel (e-mail): Can you please give few examples of the "sin against the Holy Spirit"? (Added 10/30/12)
• What is the difference between mortal and venial sin? (12/06/12)
• How do we deal with drug dealing or other criminal activity that we see in our neighborhoods? (01/24/13)
• Why can't Catholics use contraceptives? (added 10/22/12)
• Is it true that "Love of money is the root of all evils" (1 Tim 6:10)?
• Nancy from Buffalo: Is looking at pornography a sin? (01/03/13)
• Where is the boundary line between being conscious of having a sexual appetite and committing the sin of lust? (04/09/13)
• Are there different kinds of sin? Are all mortal sins equally evil? (01/15/13)
• Sam from Buffalo: What is "spiritual adultery"? (03/14/13)

Original Sin

• Why does God punish everybody for Adam and Eve's sin? That doesn't seem to be fair at all. (01/10/13)
• John B. from Webster: Why do people have to die? (02/28/13)
• Andrew from Facebook: I've been pondering what I want to call the origin of good and evil. I'm curious as to the Catholic Church's position on whether there is simply a universal existence of good and evil, or if good and evil are essentially sent to us by God? To me it seems that is simply an interesting question without any real effect on us, because if we believe in God, we accept that everything He does is for our best interests no matter the abstract question is answered.
• Romans 5:12 says, "Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death." Does that mean that animals did not die before Adam and Eve sinned?
• Christopher J.: Why do animals experience suffering and death if they aren't guilty of original sin? (03/05/13)

Pious Spiritual Practices

• What is the history of the use of scapulars? How many kinds of scapular are there? (01/22/13)
• How did the devotion to the Infant of Prague develop? (12/20/12)
• Why do people bury a statue of St. Joseph when they are trying to sell a house? (11/15/12)
• What are "icons"? How are they different from other kinds of art found in Catholic Churches?
• How can we explain Benediction to teenagers? (12/04/12)
• What is the best way to present the pro-life message to a parish? (12/13/12)
• The Old Testament and many Protestant churches require "tithing"--giving 10% of one's income to God. Are Catholics who give less than 10% of their income to the Church offending God? (03/27/13)
• Must prayers be spoken out loud? Is it possible to pray silently or without any words? (Added 10/22/12)
• How can we tell what is from good spirits and what is from evil spirits? How can we tell what ideas, feelings, beliefs, inspirations come from God?
• What graces do you get from using holy water? (11/02/12)
• Jean from Rochester: How can we tell that a speaker is in good standing with the Church? (11/20/12)
• John from Niagara Falls: My faith has been weakening. How can I strengthen it? (01/17/13)
• Diane from Rochester: When we pray, why don't we say please? (01/16/13)
• Mary from Rochester: Why is it that sometimes God answers our prayers and other times He doesn't? (01/17/13)
• Carlos from Melrose, MA: What should I expect during a guided retreat? What should I do to prepare to go on such a retreat? (03/07/13)
• Shawn from Buffalo: can you explain the special favors associated with honoring the Divine Mercy image in your home? (03/05/13)
• Anne from Buffalo: What is a Taizé Mass? (02/21/13)
• Kevin from Buffalo: May Catholics participate in the quasi-pagan rituals used in honor societies?

The Sign of the Cross

• Anonymous: The Catechism says, "the Christian begins his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross: 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.'" Does this mean that many Catholics have been sinning because they have not been taught to do this?

Devotions

• Can you explain the devotion to the Infant of Prague? (03/07/13)
• Judy from Rochester: Can you recommend a book that my husband and I can read regarding family rosaries?

Addiction and Recovery

• Kathy from Rochester: What does the Church think of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous? (01/10/13)
• Nancy from Buffalo: what do recovering alcoholic priests do when they have to drink the wine/Precious Blood?
• Jason from Florida: With regards to drinking alcohol, how much is too much? When does it become sinful? How can I explain to my friends that drinking too much has a negative effect on a person's relationship with God? (03/27/13)

Intercession

• The great-nephew of Uncle Sammy: I'm horrible at remembering who I'm praying for more than a week after I tell people I am or decide to. Also, I've a rather long list of those people. I've been keeping the names in a notebook organized by Intentions, Conversions, and Souls in Purgatory. Is it alright if I pray for 'everyone in my book' or 'everyone whose Conversion I'm praying for (etc.),' or should I be praying for each person by name?

Impure Spiritual Practices

• Amy, Rochester: Can Catholics use a labyrinth as a legitimate form of meditation? It seems to be a pagan practice. (01/10/13)
• What is the "creation spirituality" of Matthew Fox all about? Is this approved by the Church?
• Is the use of "affirmations" an Eastern spirituality and therefore an anti-Christian practice? (added 10/30/12)
• What is Catharism? What was St. Dominic's role in correcting this heresy? (03/14/13)
• Can Catholics join Masonic lodges? (11/02/12)
• I've heard people use the word "gnosticism," but I don't understand why it is a problem. What does it mean? Why does the Church condemn gnosticism? (10/22/12)
• Do ghosts exist? (01/07/13)
• Can people talk with the dead? (11/29/12)
• What is the Evil Eye and is it real? (02/28/13)

New Age Religions and Spiritualities from Eastern Religions

• Andrew from Niagara Falls: What is your opinion on Yoga as exercise? (03/27/13)
• Anonymous from e-mail: I am an aerobic instructor and I teach a dance-based aerobic class. There's nothing spiritual about it. My question is, in some of her stretching, they use Pilates and yoga-based moves, and I just learned today that yoga positions give honor to a deity. Am I doing bad things by instructing people in this way?

Witchcraft

• E-mail from Name Withheld: "Before I took the faith as seriously as I do now, I was friends with a woman who claims to be a 'green witch.' I'm not really sure exactly what that is but I'm not comfortable with it since my conversion. I guess my concern is with any evil spirits she has attaching themselves to us. ... Is this a rational fear? Should I keep my distance or only meet her in a public place? I don't feel comfortable with her in my home and I'm not keen on the idea of going to her house either."

Advice for Parents

• How should parents deal with horror movies, fascination with the occult, and the general acceptance of sin in today's entertainment media? (03/05/13)
• Paul from Kenmore: I feel overwhelmed as a parent with risks the internet poses for kids. What can I do to keep them safe? (12/20/12)
• What is the best way to prepare a child with Down Syndrome to receive Penance and Holy Communion? (02/19/13)

Advent and Christmas

• What is the Jesse Tree?
• Jason from Orlando: Is it good for parents to lie to their children about the existence of Santa Claus?
• What does the name "Santa Claus" mean? Is he a pagan god?
• Who was "good King Wenceslaus"? Why is there a Christmas carol about him?
• Was the date of Christmas chosen in order to take over the major holiday of the Sol Invictus cult?

Liturgical Questions

• Rick's question: What is the difference between a solemnity, a feast, and a memorial? (added 10/22/12)
• Gabriel from E. Amherst: What is the origin of benediction of the Blessed Sacrament? (11/02/12)
• What kind of materials should the chalice and other sacred_vessels be made out of? What should I do if my priest uses vessels made from the wrong materials?
• Some parishes ring bells during Mass, some don't. Which is the right practice? (02/21/13)
• Aren't the bells at Mass like the voices of the angels in Revelation? (03/05/13)
• Bonnie: Is it OK to receive Communion twice at the same Mass? (added 10/30/12)
• Can a priest dictate that people only stand to receive Communion at his church? In other words, may he prevent people from kneeling to receive Communion?
• It seems that men, in general, hate going to Church, while most women seem to enjoy it. Why is that? (01/17/13)
• Are priests who are recovering from alcoholism allowed to use grape juice at Mass? (11/15/12)
• What is the "Sunday obligation"? Who is obliged to go to Mass? What about the elderly, the sick, and travelers? When is it OK to skip Mass? (11/20/12)
• What if I only attend half of the Mass? Have I met my Sunday obligation? (12/06/12)
• Do we still have to fast 1 hour before receiving Communion? Does water or medicine break the fast? (11/15/12)
• Why do some non-Catholic Churches have a different calendar from ours? Which one of us has the real date for Christmas and Easter?
• Ty from Rochester: Why is there not a First Sunday in Ordinary time? (12/13/12)
• Chris from Texas: Why do some parishes have a crucifix on the altar facing the priest when they celebrate Mass? Thanks! (01/15/13)
• Chris from e-mail: Is there any meaning behind a veil covering the tabernacle? I have seen veils covering tabernacles at parishes I have visited before.
• Scott from Rochester: When I pray in the morning, my first prayer is the Confiteor and the Kyrie from the beginning of the Mass. Is that OK, or should those prayers just be restricted to the Mass? (03/27/13)

Vestments

• Chris from Texas: What are the special meanings of the priestly vestments? Amice, cincture, alb, stole, chasuble. (01/10/13)
• Anonymous: What are the proper colors for liturgical vestments? What do the various colors signify?

Eucharist

• Diane from Rochester: I was given a strange-looking Host at Mass last week. Does the shape of the Host make any difference? (01/17/13)
• Are lay ministers allowed to run Communion services when priests or deacons are not available?
• Acts 27:33-38 describes Paul as taking bread, giving thanks to God, breaking the bread, and eating it. This sounds like the Eucharist. But then it says that "they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea." Did Paul throw away consecrated bread?
• Tom from Williamsville: If, God forbid, a priest is in mortal sin and is celebrating Mass, does that in any way affect or negate the transubstantiation of the host into the Body and Blood of our Lord? (02/05/13)
• Jim from Niagara Falls: What is the significance of the crosses made on the forehead, lips, and heart just before the reading of the Gospel? (03/07/13)
• Jenne from Facebook: Is it OK to have toys in church for small children? (01/17/13)
• May a Roman Catholic attend Mass and receive the Eucharist in Orthodox territory? (01/17/13)
• Jason from Orlando:

1.) How many times a day can you receive Communion? (01/16/13)

2.) If you receive Communion during the Saturday Vigil Mass does that count for Sunday? (01/16/13)

• Kevin: Following up on the question of how often we can receive Holy Communion... Can someone really trying to grow spiritually and/or overcome a sinful habit receive Holy Communion twice a day to receive extra spiritual benefit?
• Lisa from Buffalo: Does having a cough drop or a piece of gum to quench a cough before communion break the fast?
• Mike: I saw a person kneel to receive Communion once, and wondered why they did that. Is that allowed? (02/26/13)
• Jason from Florida: What is a healing Mass? How does it differ from a regular Mass?
• Jason from Florida: What is the origin of women covering their heads in Church? Is it still obligatory? (04/09/13)
• Jason. Florida. I love incense. Can you explain the theological and liturgical significance of incense and why many churches today do not use incense very often?
• Erica from Williamsville. I have read that we can make satisfaction for our sins through the Mass. Does that happen automatically by simply attending Mass, or do we have to offer the Mass specifically in reparation for our sins?
• John from Wilson: Once upon a time, I saw priests and extraordinary ministers dip the host in the chalice so that people could receive both species at the same time. Why is that no longer being done?
• Brent from Rochester: What happens to the Body and Blood of Christ after we receive them and the sacred species are digested in our bodies?
• Gabriel from E. Amherst: When did the Church write the Eucharistic Prayers used in the Mass?
• Chris from Texas: Why isn't Eucharistic Prayer I used more often by priests when they celebrate Mass? It is such a beautiful Eucharistic Prayer with a lot of meaning and symbolism.
• Chris from Texas: When can a votive Mass be celebrated and what type of votive Masses are there for a priest to choose from to use? (03/27/13)
• Víctor from Facebook: Today when giving the Eucharist, the priest said "the Bread of Life" while distributing Communion instead of "the Body of Christ." Is this acceptable? And if so is this done during a certain time of the year or can be used at any given time?

Sunday Obligation

• A friend from Amherst: Is it true that "half a Mass is better than none"? Where does it say you need to be at Mass before the Gospel for that Mass to fulfill your Sunday obligation?

Eucharistic Miracles

• John from Facebook: Is there an authoritative list of Eucharist miracles that the Church recognizes? If so where? And of the ones that the Church has had scientifically investigated, is it an accurate statement that the blood type, when a blood type was found, has always been AB?

Parts of the Mass

• David from Lackawana: I have heard priests talk about the "canon" of the Mass. What part of the Mass is the "canon," and what does this use of the word have to do with "canon law" or "canonization," if anything?
• Debra. What is the meaning of the word AMEN and how is it pronounced? I have heard it the first syllable pronounced as "ah," rhyming with "raw," and also as "ay," rhyming with "hay." Should we say "Ahmen" or "Aymen"? I have also heard the word itself is Hebrew shorthand for something like Almighty God Be Merciful. Any insight on AMEN will be greatly appreciated.
• Michelle from Buffalo: Should Catholics genuflect before receiving Communion? Is it irreverent to receive it in the hand instead of on the tongue?
• Chris on a cell phone: Why are Venial Sins forgiven during Mass and not mortal sins?

Confession

• How should we prepare ourselves make a good confession? (12/20/12)
• Susan from Buffalo: How do you go to confession? What is the script to follow? (01/22/13)
• Michael from Rochester: How should we deal with leftover feelings of guilt from sins that have been confessed already? (03/05/13)
• Scott from Rochester: What is the sin of presumption? Doesn't the Catholic sacrament of Confession encourage presumption? (02/21/13)
• Dave from Williamsville: When and how should we make a general confession? (03/27/13)
• Anonymous e-mail from the Southern Tier: If someone joins a Protestant denomination, but later repents and wants to return to the Church, may they be absolved from their sin and received back into the Church by any priest? Or do they have to obtain absolution and permission to return to the sacraments from their bishop?
• John from Lakeview: Is it possible to be absolved from sins in the sacrament of confession without having "a firm purpose of amendment"?

Marriage

• Should a divorced Methodist man get married to a Roman Catholic woman in the Methodist church because "they will accept anyone"? Would that marriage then be accepted by the Catholic Church?
• Nancy from Buffalo: What does the Church say about Catholics marrying non-Catholics? Can it be done? If so, under what conditions?
• When should Catholics refuse to attend a non-Catholic wedding ceremony?
• Why does the Catholic Church not permit divorce when almost all other Christian groups do? (01/17/13)
• What is the difference between an annulment and a divorce? Is an "annulment" just a "divorce" under a different name? (02/19/13)
• Can divorced Catholics receive Communion? (01/03/13)
• Does the Church's teaching about the murder of a spouse being an impediment to marrying the widow or widower of the murder victim apply to the case of Laertes and Gertrude in "Hamlet" or to David and Bathsheba in the Old Testament?
• Since the man and woman are the ministers of the sacrament of marriage, do they have to be present at their own wedding?
• Lisa from Lockport: Do you have to be confirmed in order to married in the Church?
• Sue from Lewiston. Does the Catholic Church require that the maid or matron of honor and/or the best man be practicing Catholics? Do the best man and maid of honor have to be Confirmed, too?

Declarations of nullity

• Mary from Rochester (a revert): Why do different priests give different answers to the same question? Especially in marriage cases, shouldn't there just be one answer to these questions?
• John from Wilson: What are the grounds for obtaining a declaration that a marriage was "null and void"?
• Amy from e-mail: If marriages can be annulled, meaning a valid marriage never took place, is it possible that some marriages that have not broken up were really never valid? If so, and if the two people are living together without being in a valid sacramental marriage, are they committing adultery?
• From a divorced listener: My ex-wife hasn't had our marriage annulled, but she is remarried. Am I cooperating with her sin by not seeking an annulment?

Baptism

• Allison from Texas: Who may baptize infants in danger of dying? Do they have to be baptized later by a priest or a deacon? (12/13/12)
• Jason from Orlando: What is the role of Godparents in the Catholic Church? (03/07/13)
• John from Webster: I heard that Pope Benedict was baptized on his birthday. Why don't we typically get baptized on our birthday? (03/27/13)

Sacramental Theology

• Randolph from Hamilton, Ontario: The Catholic Church teaches that some other Churches not united to Rome (for example, the Eastern Orthodox) have a valid priesthood and therefore have the same seven sacraments as the Catholic Church. Does this apply to the Anglican (or Episcopalian) Church? (Added 10/22/12)
• What is the difference between a permanent deacon and a priest? (Added 10/30/12)
• Frank, Rochester: At the end of John chapter 6, Jesus says, "It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." Doesn't that mean that the Eucharist is spiritual, not physical? (11/29/12)
• If "catholic" means "universal," why can't everybody take Communion with Catholics? (11/02/12)
• Why doesn't the Church ordain women as priests? Doesn't the New Testament talk about deaconesses? Doesn't the prohibition turn all women into second-class citizens in the Church? (11/29/12)
• Why does the Roman rite make celibacy mandatory for priests? (Added 10/30/12)
• Why doesn't the Catholic Church allow priests to get married? (11/02/12)
• Who is allowed to receive the Sacrament of the Sick? May one be anointed before knee surgery? (11/15/12)

Holy Orders

• Christopher from Facebook: Why do we call some priests "Monsignor"?
• Is the Pope ordained as Pope in the same way that deacons are ordained as priests and priests are ordained as bishops? (03/27/13)
• Kevin from Buffalo: Will the new Anglican ordinariate open the door to relaxation of the requirement for priestly celibacy in the rest of the Latin rite?
• Joanne from Facebook: If a bishop is a bad man and has been caught in many lies, why do the priests follow him?

Exclusion from the Sacraments

• Sean from Ontario couldn't be confirmed because his non-Catholic wife is uncertain about baptizing and raising the children as Catholics. Is that the right thing for Sean's priest to do?

Extraordinary Form of the Mass

• Tim from Buffalo: What are the differences between between the Traditional Latin and the Mass we usually attend? (03/07/13)

Liturgical Furnishings

• Scott from Rochester: All of the crucifixes in Catholic Churches have INRI on them. What do those letters mean? (03/27/13)
• I see the letters "IHS" in various forms of decoration in churches--on tabernacles, on vestments, or in paintings or murals. What do those letters mean?
• What does the symbol made up of a P and an X stand for in Church art?
• What does the word "tabernacle" mean? Why do some churches cover the tabernacle with a veil and other churches do not?
• Tommy from Buffalo: Protestants have an empty cross in their churches. Why do Catholics keep Jesus on the Cross?
• Amy from east of Buffalo: "I attended mass at a church for my Goddaughter's Baptism and was very concerned. There were no kneelers in the Church, no statues, no crucifix, and no visible tabernacle--the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is hidden behind the altar. This does not seem to meet the standard set in the Catechism that the Blessed Sacrament should be kept in a 'most worthy place with the greatest honor'! Why is this allowed? It reminded me of when Jesus said to St. Faustina that people treat him as a dead object in the Eucharist. I can't see how a church can be allowed to show the Blessed Sacrament this much disrespect. The parishioners say they do not have statues because they gave the money to the poor instead of spending on such things."

Liturgical Year

Lent

• Brendan from Niagara Falls: I went to a church last week, and they have their Holy Water Font covered with a purple cloth. Some churches put sand or gravel in the holy water fonts. Is that an approved liturgical custom?
• Some churches cover the crucifixes and statues with purple cloth toward the end of Lent, but other churches don't. Is that required or prohibited?
• Sue Ellen: When someone's birthday or anniversary falls on Good Friday, what is the best way to celebrate it?
• When the Solemnity of St. Joseph falls on a Friday during Lent, are we allowed to eat meat that day?
• John from Webster: Please talk about the season of Lent. During Lent, how far can we go in treating each Sunday as a 'little' Easter? A friend of mine scoffed at a church which served donuts after the 11 AM Sunday Mass' during Lent.

Easter

• John from Webster: Where does the word "Easter" comes from? Is that in the Bible? (03/27/13)
• John from Webster: Can you explain what 'Divine Mercy Sunday' is all about?
• Amy from e-mail: Why is Good Friday on a Friday and Easter on a Sunday if Jesus rose on the third day? It seems to me that if Jesus spent three days in the tomb, He must either have died on a Wednesday or rose from the dead on a Tuesday.

Catholic Universities

• John from Webster: What is a "mandatum"? Is the mandatum a legal Church document, or Church contract an educator agrees to and signs when presented by the local bishop (diocese)? What effect has the mandatum had on keeping Catholic schools Catholic?

- Do Catholic Universities/ Colleges Boards of Directors or the Presidents of the schools cooperate, facilitate, or prevent this contract coming into existence?

- Have local bishops given up requiring this?

- Are teachers in Catholic elementary and high schools required to have a diocesan mandatum?

• Kevin from Buffalo: I attend a Catholic school. What should I do when the truth is not taught by my teachers? (11/29/12)
• Have we lost the purpose of Catholic education today? (11/02/12)
• Anonymous: Dear Father, I go to a Catholic University that has a large Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Student organization that is funded by the university. What is the rationale for why an organization that is so against Catholic teaching is allowed and funded by a Catholic University? Is there something I should do about the situation? Thank you!

Particular Feasts

• Why does the Church have a feast called "All Souls Day"? What is the purpose of the feast?

Mary

• John from Webster: What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary? (11/02/12)
• Why do Eastern Christians call Mary "Theotokos"? (added 10/22/12)
• Does the fact that the New Testament says Jesus had brothers mean that Mary did not remain a virgin after His birth? (11/29/12)
• Marsha from West Seneca: How can I explain Mary as the Mother of God to a non-Catholic? Is it in Scripture? (01/10/13)
• Kathryn: How did Mary come to be referred to as the "Star of the Sea"? Etymology of "Mary." (01/15/13)

Rosary

• Norah from Amherst: What event in Scripture does the 3rd Luminous Mystery (Proclamation of the Kingdom) refer to? What should someone meditate upon during this Mystery?
• Scot from Rochester: Sometimes when I'm praying the rosary, I'll add or subtract Hail Marys. Is that OK?
• Gabriel from East Amherst: Where did the Rosary come from? What does the word "rosary" mean? (03/07/13)
• What right did the pope have to add the five Luminous Mysteries to the rosary? Didn't our Lady give the mysteries to St. Dominic? If she wanted to have luminous mysteries, wouldn't she have provided them herself?
• May Catholics wear a rosary as a necklace? What about non-Catholics, rappers, or gang members who do the same?

Apparitions

• Amy from East of Buffalo: How long does it take for an apparition of Our Lady to be approved? How does the process of approval work?
• Dan from LeRoy: What happened at Fatima? What does the Church teach about the apparitions and the accounts given by the visionaries?
• Karena on Facebook: My non-Catholic Christian friend asked, "Has anyone seen any apparitions of Jesus?" I replied, "Not to my knowledge." I imagine this is because when we see Jesus next, it will be his "Second Coming," and Mary appears to remind us of this. Was I correct in what I said?

Angels

• John from Williamsville: How do angels do battle against humans? They do not have bodies. How do they war against each other? (Added 10/22/12)
• Are parts of cities under the dominion of Satan? (11/02/12)
• Can people talk with their guardian angels? (Added 10/30/12)
• Joseph from Buffalo: Can Angels read minds? What are the consequences if the devil can also read minds? (01/15/13)
• Betty: Does God need the angels? Wouldn't the existence and activity of angels take glory away from God? (01/16/13)
• Andrew on Facebook: Could there be any connections between the "personal gods" that people and families invoke in ancient cultures? The book, God: A Biography, suggested this might be the case.
• Fr Mark Noonan from Tonwanda: How close are the angels to us?
• Are all angels masculine? Are there any female angels? (12/20/12)

What is an angel?

• What does the word "angel" mean? (03/05/13)
• Are angels "persons"?
• Do angels have free will?
• Do angels live in time?
• When were angels created? (03/27/13)
• Can an angel repent of sin and be forgiven?
• Can angels move physical things?
• Can angels work miracles?
• Can angels appear on earth? (03/07/13)
• Do angels have wings and halos?
• How do angels move from one place to another?
• How do angels know?
• Do angels have feelings?
• Do all Catholics have to believe that angels exist? (02/28/13)
• How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
• Do angels sing?
• Do angels play musical instruments?
• How does angelic union compare to marital union?
• What are the nine choirs of angels?
• Why are the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael called "saints"?
• Bob from Cheektowaga: What is the chaplet of St. Michael?

Sin of the Angels

• How could angels commit a sin? Aren't they pure spiritual beings with undistorted intelligence? Wouldn't they know with perfect knowledge that it is good to serve God and evil not to serve God?
• Jason from Florida: Did the angels need a savior? Are they also saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus?

Was there really a war among the angels?

• How do angels fight a war?
• Why does God let devils exist? (03/27/13)
• Was the serpent an angel?
• What does the word "Satan" mean? (02/28/13)
• What does the word "devil" mean?
• Does the devil really cause people to sin? (04/30/13)
• Can the devil really take possession of people? (04/16/13)

Does everyone have a guardian angel?

• Does my guardian angel have a name?
• Is it OK for me to give my guardian angel an name?
• Do the angels love us?
• Are the angels happy?
• Is it OK to pray to the angels?

Why was St. Thomas called "The Angelic Doctor"?

• Did he see angels?
• Did he have a special devotion to the angels?
• What was his "proof" for the existence of angels?

Extra angel questions

• Do the people whom we love become our angels when they die?
• Have you ever seen an angel?
• Do you pray to the angels?
• Why do we call Our Lady the "Queen of Angels"?
• What are "genies"?

The Devil and Demons

• Ed from Rochester: In the book of Job, a group of angels come into God's court, and among the group is Satan. How did Satan get into heaven?
• Alice from Batavia: Can demons and spirits hear our thoughts? (03/07/13)
• Alison from Willis, Texas: Is it true that Lucifer lost his angelic powers when he refused to serve God? If he is defeated, how is it that he has so much power to cause trouble in our world? (03/27/13)

Exorcism

• Sarah from the station: When Jesus exorcised the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20]), why did the demons want to inhabit the pigs? Why did Jesus let them do so?

The Last Things

Second Coming of Jesus

• Andy from Buffalo: My eighth-graders have lots of questions about the end of the world and the book of Revelation. What should I tell them? (01/03/13)
• Barbara from Kenmore: How do you balance excitement about the possibility of Christ's return in glory with the duties of everyday life?

Death

• Justin from e-mail: Do the dead feel the pain of separation from the living as we feel the pain of being separated from them? If so, is this part of their suffering in Purgatory? (02/21/13)

Heaven

• Susanne from Rochester: What will the New Jerusalem will be like? (12/13/12)
• Ann from Orchard Park: How can I explain Heaven to my son if it is a state of being and not a place? (02/05/13)
• Mike from Ontario: Is heaven here but in a different dimension that we can perceive only when we enter Heaven rather than some distant removed location?

Purgatory

• Ben from Buffalo: Do the souls in Purgatory know they will be saved? (02/07/13)
• Jim from Buffalo: Is there any way to know if someone for whom I have been praying for a long time has been released from Purgatory?
• Kathy from Buffalo: What is the "temporal punishment due to sin" that is inflicted on souls in Purgatory? (02/28/13)

Indulgences

• Amy from Facebook: Must you receive communion on the same day you seek a plenary indulgence or can it be from communion you received days prior?
• Chris: What are the conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence? (03/07/13)

Hell

• Rick from Grand Island: In Crossing the Threshold of Hope, John Paul II wrote: "There is a destination to eternal damnation as well, which consists in the ultimate rejection of God, the ultimate break of the communion with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit...Eternal damnation is certainly proclaimed in the Gospel. To what degree is it realized in life beyond the grave? This is, ultimately, a great mystery (pg. 72-73)." On Culture Talks: The Pope made a statement that there is a hell, but can't be sure there are people there.
• Sam from Buffalo: Why does the Apostle's Creed say, "He descended into hell"? We got into a discussion about Heaven and Hell being spiritual states, not physical locations.
• Alison from Willis, Texas: I have heard many people explain hell as being the absence of God and a place where the damned cannot feel anything but hate. Those who will eventually go to Heaven will eventually receive some type of transfigured bodies. Is this the right way to think about Heaven and Hell? Do the souls of the damned also receive a resurrected body at the Last Judgment? (04/30/13)
• Lara from Buffalo: Can God uncreate things that He has created? What is the status of the fallen angels and the damned? Could God make them cease to exist? (04/23/13)

Saints

• Christina: Are Catholics the only ones who have saints whose bodies are incorrupt? (10/22/12)
• Are we obliged to believe in all of the visions and all of the writings of the saints? They are perfect, aren't they? Doesn't that mean that there is no error in what they taught? (12/06/12)
• Barbara from Kenmore: At a Jesuit parish, the priests gave a blessing with the relics of a saint after Mass was over. Is it appropriate to do that? It seems as though doing so would detract from the greatest possible graces just give in Holy Communion.
• Question from anonymous: What is the best way to pray to the saints?
• Yasmin from Facebook: We had begun talking about Father Pio, and the topic of incorruptible bodies came up. How do we know if a body is incorruptible? The idea of the Church digging up the bodies seems too far-fetched & weird. Does the custom of keeping the bodies in glass cases prevent them from decaying?
• Jason from Florida: Is there any method used for determining a saint's feast day? Who makes the decision? (03/05/13)
• Grace from West Seneca: Was St. Joseph born with Original Sin? How old was he when he became engaged to Mary?
• Diane from Rochester: When the Church investigates claims of miraculous healing, how does it know which saint is responsible for the miracle?
• Dave from Amherst: How does canonization work? What are the criteria used to judge that someone is a saint? (03/27/13)
• Marsha from Rochester: Could Fr. explain the Communion of Saints as if he were talking to a Non-Catholic?

Development of Doctrine

• What does the Catholic Church mean by the words "Holy Trinity." Is that phrase found in the Scriptures? (Added 10/22/12)
• Has Catholic doctrine changed over the centuries, or hasn't it? In particular, did Vatican II change the teaching of the Church? (11/29/12)
• Wasn't the Body of Christ really simple in the beginning, with no rules or rulers? Hasn't the Catholic Church betrayed Jesus by inventing all kinds of things not found in the Scriptures? (11/29/12)
• Dan from Akron: Why are the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed so different? (02/19/13)
• Tom from Webster: Why do Christians today ignore the commandment in Acts chapter 15 which prohibits eating the blood of animals?
• Emile, a Muslim, from Buffalo: "How much power does the Church have to change Biblical law?"
• Why does the Church call those who disagree with her teaching "heretics"? Didn't Jesus say not to pass judgment on others?
• Gloria from Rochester: "What does the word 'dogmatic' mean?" (12/13/12)
• Jason from Orlando: "Is there a difference between the word 'doctrine' and the word 'dogma'?"
• Jason from Orlando: My understanding of the decision of the Council of Jerusalem (described in Acts 15) is that it determined that under the New Covenant, Gentile (non-Jewish) converts to Christianity are not bound by Mosaic Law regarding things like circumcision, dietary laws, and observance of the Sabbath.
  • First, am I understanding Acts 15 correctly?
  • Second, are Jews who become Christians bound by Mosaic Law?
  • Third, is the decision in Acts 15 not to impose Mosaic law on Gentile converts a legitimate defense for observing Sunday as "the Day of the Lord," that is, the primary day of worship, prayer, and rest, instead of Saturday, which is the seventh day of the week for the Jews, the day that God commanded to be kept holy.

Magisterium

• Cherrie and John from Facebook: What does the word "magisterium" mean? Where is that in the Bible?
• Jonathan from East Amherst: How many dogmas are there in the Church's teaching?

Catholic Understanding of God

Existence and Attributes of God

• Carol from Depew: Her 5 year old grand-daughter wants to know "who made God?"

Trinity

• Gerald from Rochester: Are the persons of the Trinity "distinct ways of being"? (02/21/13)
• Diane from Rochester: Do the persons of the blessed trinity worship each other?
• Mario from Buffalo: Why is it that our Orthodox brothers and sisters do not accept the Filioque? (04/30/13)
• Anonymous. How can the average lay person understand who the Holy Spirit is? I can easily picture the Father and the Son, but the Spirit seems to be totally invisible.

Old Testament History

• David from Lackawana: Did the United Kingdom of Israel break up during King Solomon's reign? (03/07/13)
• Brendan in Amherst: How was Jewish society run if there wasn't a King after the Babylonian Captivity in 586 BC? Did it become a theocracy? (01/15/13)
• Ed from Rochester: Did Abraham know that he would not be required to kill Isaac? (02/28/13)

New Testament History

• Jason from Facebook: What languages did Jesus know and speak during His earthly ministry? (03/27/13)

Church history

• Dave: Was the Church born when Jesus died on the Cross (blood and water from His side) or on the day of Pentecost? (Added 10/26/12)
• Why did the Jews reject Jesus? Weren't they waiting for a Christ? (Added 10/22/12)
• Rick from Grand Island: Why do languages go dead? Why isn't Latin spoken today as it was in the patristic era? (01/03/13)

Faith and Reason

• Should Christians try to prove the articles of faith by reason alone? If someone seeks scientific evidence for the resurrection, wouldn't that mean that the resurrection was not a miracle? If science could explain the resurrection, then it would seem that the resurrection is something natural rather than something supernatural. (11/29/12)
• Emmanuel from Rochester: Are faith and reason opposed to each other? Isn't someone who just believes what they are told a better person than someone who wants explanations and arguments in favor of the faith? (11/15/12)
• Daniel: Can you have wisdom without a lot of intelligence? (11/02/12)
• How does St. Thomas Aquinas understand the relationship between faith and reason? (Natural theology vs. revealed truths.) (Added 10/22/12)
• Bob from Boston, NY: What did Thomas Aquinas mean by "Lifeless Faith"? (Nature and Grace ix.i.iv.iv).
• John from California on Facebook: What is the greatest challenge when explaining that faith is supported by reason and that reason needs to be grounded in faith? What are the cultural roadblocks that keep people from grasping the relationship between faith and reason? I guess what I am really asking is for advice on the best way to show that the act of faith is not irrational and not anti-scientific, but a very reasonable and intelligent choice.

Catholicism and Science

• Why did the Church condemn Galileo? Is the Church opposed to science? (12/20/12)
• Will from North Carolina: What does the Church teach about aliens? If they exist, are they, too, saved by Jesus' death on the Cross? (01/16/13)
• John from Cheektowaga: Stephen Hawkings claims that there is no need to think that God created the universe; he can imagine our universe popping into existence as a consequence of the law of gravity. What does the Church think about that kind of speculation?

Catholicism and the Arts

• John from Buffalo: The Michelangelo sculpture "Pieta" portrays our Blessed Mother holding her son across her lap as she sits on a rock. What does "pieta" mean? (04/23/13)

Priests

• Anna from Rochester: When speaking to a priest, should people use the priest's first name or his last name? In other words, should people say "Father Marty" or "Father Moleski"?

Religious life

• Ed from Rochester: Why are there so many religious orders in the Catholic Church? Shouldn't all Catholics have the same way of life? (added 10/22/12)
• Paul from Amherst: Why are some Carmelites called "discalced"? What does that word mean? (03/07/13)

Suffering

• Phil from Medina: Why do bad things happen to good people? (03/07/13)
• Why did Jesus have to suffer? (01/16/13)
• If Jesus' suffering is all-sufficient, why do we have to suffer? (03/07/13)
• Christopher Janiak: Why do some animals experience pain if they aren't guilty of original sin? (01/10/13)

Abortion

• Josh from South Buffalo: What can we say to someone who claims that the embryo is not a human until there's brain activity?
• Scott from Rochester: What would you say to a woman who's had an abortion? What type of Penance would you give?

Miracles

• Kevin from Buffalo: It seems that very few Catholics today investigate and verify miracles (for acceptance or dismissal), leaving it almost entirely up to atheists. Outside of canonization procedures, of course, but those aren't really public."

Catholic Ethics

The End Does Not Justify the Means

• Mary from Clarence: Why does the Church say that 'the end doesn't justify the means'? (12/13/12)
• Phillip from Medina: When James Kopp killed Barnett Slepian in 1998, was he guilty of committing a sin even though he stopped an even greater one?

Conception

• Jeff from Rochester: What happens to the soul of the fertilized cell during cell divisions that occur during the formation of 'mirror-image twins'?

Motherhood

• Amy from East of Buffalo: What does the church teach about infant bonding, breastfeeding, and the like. I am looking for something to encourage more of my friends and family to nurse and to discourage so much of the material 'needs' that our culture throws at new moms. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Catholic Medical Ethics

• Mike from Webster: What does the Church teach about organ donation and transplants? Is it OK to sign the organ donor form on our driver's license? Is it OK to accept an organ transplant? (01/22/13)
• A friend from e-mail: Does the Church allow people to donate part of their liver to someone who needs a transplant? (03/27/13)
• Justin from e-mail: "How does the Catholic Church feel about donating your dead body to medical schools for education instead of having the traditional burial services?

Suicide

• Steve from e-mail: I was surprised that Mass was said at a "memorial service" for someone who committed suicide. What is the Church's teaching about this?

Suicide vs. Accepting Death

• Cathy from Buffalo: My eleven-year-old grandson asked, "What if you threw yourself in front of a bullet or a car to save someone, but you knew you'd die as a result? Is that all right?" (12/14/12)

Entertainment and Ethics

• John from Webster: Is it possible to watch a horror movie that portrays evil activities just for entertainment? Or does attendance at the movie mean that the viewer is supporting the work of evil spirits? (01/15/13)

Natural Family Planning

• Jason from Florida: A friend was defending the Church's teaching about the intrinsic evil of artificial contraception when talking with some Protestants, who said that this teaching wasn't found in Scripture. Is there a scriptural basis that can be used to support the Church's teaching on this matter? How can we explain it to non-Catholic Christians who believe in sola scriptura? (04/18/13)

Church and State

• Anne from Buffalo: Shouldn't those who want pro-choice or pro-abortion politicians to be condemned by the Church also seek the condemnation of politicians who oppose labour laws and aid to the poor? Such politicians are also acting against Catholic teaching.
• Why do people talk about the Church's teaching on abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, human cloning, and same-sex "marriage" as "non-negotiables"? What is it about this group of teachings that makes them different from other Church teachings about our social life? Aren't issues like making peace, gun control, capital punishment, environmental issues, health care, labor law, concern for the poor, and immigration reform also of concern to Catholics?

War and Peace

• What is the "Just War Theory"? I don't see anything like that in the Scriptures. (12/04/12)
• Why aren't Catholics pacifists? The Quaker tradition seems closer to the ideal proposed by Jesus to "turn the other cheek." (12/06/12)
• Sarah from West Seneca: The Church teaches that "the end never justifies the means," so we can never do something evil in order to accomplish something good. The just war theory seems to contradict that teaching. (04/30/13)

Ethical Treatment of Animals

• Tom from Webster. Does the Church accept the use of animal tissues and organs for surgery and transplants?
• Does the Catholic Church endorse the use of animals in medical experiments and product testing? (04/11/13)

Animal souls

• Do animals have souls? (04/18/13)
• Will all animals go to Heaven? Most importantly, will my pets be with me in Heaven?

Vegan Questions

• From Wake Up: (edited and abridged)

1. I learned in Catholic church that God is called the most merciful being, so why would He create sentient beings who are intelligent, can feel pain, and become frightened, as humans do, only to have them tortured horribly by humans?
2. Did God say that He created animals for humans to consume?
3. How would we feel if we were forcibly and repeatedly impregnated as milk cows are? How would we feel if the babies we carried for nine months were taken away from us and slaughtered so that the milk nature meant for them could be collected and sold for others to drink? How would we feel if we were hooked up to milking machines until we were "spent," then shipped off to slaughter when we became too sick or too weak to be financially valuable?
4. The Catholic church teaches their followers to oppose abortion because it is a mortal sin to kill, yet they allow their followers to brutally kill animals in order to satisfy the followers' taste buds. Isn't it hypocritical to protest the killing of human beings and not protest the killing of other living beings?
5. I learned in Catholic church that arrogance is the most basic cause of every sin. Isn't it arrogant to allow humans to treat animals without compassion as we have been doing for so long?

Prophecy

• John from Wilson: What is the difference between psychics and prophets? (01/10/13)

Islam

• Why has there been so much war between Muslims and Christians? Why did Christians think that God would be pleased with the Crusades? (02/21/13)
• What books would be helpful in learning more about the history of Catholicism and Islam? (01/17/13)

Patriotism

• Kathrine from Byron: Is it ever taking the Lord's name in vain to say "God bless America"? Will God always hear our prayer for our country?

Protestants vs. Catholics

• Why can't Catholics take communion in Protestant services? Aren't we all supposed to love one another? (01/03/13)
• Cecil from Buffalo: Why don't Protestants believe in Mary like we do?
• Why do Protestants and Catholics have a different list of the 10 commandments? For Protestants, the first commandment is "I am the Lord Your God." The second commandment is, "You shall make no graven images." For Catholics, the first commandment is, "I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me." The second Catholic commandment is, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." At the end, Protestants have only one coveting commandment that deals with coveting both spouses and goods; Catholics have two separate commandments about not coveting.
• Bonnie from Lancaster: What are people talking about when they say "you must be born again"?
• Jen from Facebook: Buffalo. I have a friend who was recently "saved". She is very excited, and I'm glad she found faith in Christ. However, now she seems to be on a mission to "save" everyone. I've talked to her about the Catholic beliefs and why we believe what we believe. I am getting tired and frustrated with our conversations because she does not understand why I think that I and my fellow Catholics are saved. How can I persuade her that her anxiety about my salvation is misplaced?

Faith vs. Works

• Bob: Can you recommend some resources to help me understand the relationship between salvation by grace and our call to perform good works? (03/27/13)

Forgiving our enemies

• How can we forgive people who have done real evil to us? Does Jesus require us to "forgive and forget"? (12/14/12)

The Church

• John Z. from Facebook: Is the church considered the Kingdom of God here on earth? (04/18/13)

Precepts of the Church

• I've heard that there are precepts of the Church. What does that mean and what are they? (01/10/13)

1. Attend Mass

• Are Catholics really required to attend Mass on Sunday? (12/14/12)

4. Fast and abstain

• Jason from Orlando: What does Canon law require for Friday Penance and abstaining from meat? Why is fish allowed? May Catholics eat eggs on days of abstinence?
• A friend in Amherst: canon 1251 says that Catholics are to abstain from eating meat on every Friday of the year. Why don't Catholics in the United States obey that canon?

Cooperation with Antagonists of the Church

• John in Tonawanda: Would it be improper for Catholics to attend a festival promoted by a Hellenic Orthodox Church? (01/16/13)
• Leo from Rochester: should we boycott corporations who promote Planned Parenthood and/or same-sex marriage? (02/05/13)
• Should Catholics buy the Harry Potter books or watch the movies? Since the author is clearly against many teachings of the Church, isn't it wrong for Catholics to endorse her work in any way? (04/18/13)

Protestant Questions

• From a set of apologetic flash cards by Ascension Press. The cards have short answers on the back for these questions.

• Do Catholics think, "I can sin today, and go to confession tomorrow"?

• Some Protestant friends say, "At every Catholic Mass, Jesus is sacrificed again and again." Does Jesus die at each Mass? How can Jesus die more than once?

• If Catholics literally eat Jesus' flesh, doesn't that make them cannibals?

• Why do call Mary the "Mother of God" when they say the "Hail Mary"? Isn't Mary just Jesus' human mother? She is only human, so she can't be the mother of Jesus' divinity.

• Matthew 13:55-56 proves that Jesus had brothers and sisters. That means that the Catholic Church is wrong in thinking that Mary was "ever-virgin."

• The fact that Mary calls God her "Savior" means that she must have sinned--and that, in turn, means that Catholics are wrong to call her "Immaculate."

• The Bible does not call Mary "Queen of Heaven." Why do Catholics use that non-Scriptural title? (03/27/13)

• Why do Catholics have priests? All Christians are priests. In 1 Peter 2:9 it says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood."

• Jesus said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan" in Matthew 16:23. How could Peter be the rock on which the Church is built if he is Satan? (04/18/13)

• Peter was not infallible. Galatians 2:11-12 says that Peter was "clearly in the wrong" because he stopped eating meals with the Gentils in order to please the Jews.

• Even if Peter had some authority among the first apostles, there is no Scriptural evidence that he passed his authority on to later popes.

• Purgatory is not necessary. You're either saved or not saved.

• St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord. Christians go straight to Heaven after death. There is no purgatory.

• Do Catholics think that Purgatory gives them a second chance to be saved? (01/16/13)

• Catholics distort the Scriptures. It says in 1 John 5:13 that we can know we have eternal life. As a Protestant, I have "blessed assurance" that I am saved. Catholics don't understand this gospel truth. Once you are saved, you are saved forever.

• Catholics count the commandments differently from Protestants. They took out the commandment against "graven images" because they worship statues.

• Why do Catholics teach things that are not in the Bible? Colossians 2:8 says not to follow "the traditions of men." (12/14/12)

• A baby can't give his heart to Jesus. How can he be baptized? (02/19/13)

Catholicism Answer Book

I've modified some of these questions and added some extra questions.

John Trigilio and Kenneth D. Brighenti, The Catholicism Answer Book: The 300 Most Frequently Asked Questions.

1. How do we know there is a God? (03/27/13)

2. Is God male or female?

-. Why do some people refer to the Church as "she"?

3. Why is the Holy Trinity not three gods?

4. Does the Catholic Church teach that the world was created in 6 days?

-. If Catholics believe that God is the Creator, doesn't that mean they are forbidden to believe in evolution?

6. Did God make evil? If God didn't make evil, who did? (01/17/13)

9. From "It's a Wonderful Life": Do humans turn into angels when they earn their wings?

10. If God created Eve from Adam's rib, then why do men have the same number of ribs as women?

--. Why would eating an apple be a sin? If God left the forbidden apples where Adam and Eve could get them, isn't sin God's fault?

25. Was Jesus really born on December 25? (01/03/13)

26. Was Jesus God or human? (04/23/13)

30. Did Jesus know who He was and where He came from? (03/07/13)

36. Could Jesus sin? If not, what is the significance of Jesus being tempted in the desert? (03/07/13)

56. Why don't Catholics believe in reincarnation? (01/17/13)

64. Can a priest ever refuse to give absolution? (01/10/13)

66. What determines whether someone is named a saint? (01/03/13)

67. Are Catholics born-again (Jn 3:3-7)? If they are not, aren't they all going to Hell? (01/03/13)

84. What if my sins are always the same? Should I stop going to Confession because I lack true contrition for sin? (04/11/13)

90. Can someone be anointed if they are already dead?

--. Can someone be baptized if they are dead?

--. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:29: "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" Can someone be baptized for someone else who is dead?

91. What is the difference between deacons, priests, and bishops? Are they just three different names for the same thing?

99. Can Catholics be married outdoors? (04/18/13)

---. What does the word "Mass" mean?

123. Can the faithful bless their own homes? (01/10/13)

150. The internet is used to promote sin and crime. Shouldn't all good Christians boycott the internet in order to avoid cooperating with evil?

152. Has the Church changed its teaching on capital punishment? If it did, doesn't that prove that the Church is not infallible?

157. What is wrong with in vitro fertilization? (01/03/13)

158. Why does the Church object to the use of embryonic stem cells for research? Is the Church against science? Doesn't it want to heal diseases?

167. If someone's parents were abusive or alcoholic or drug-addicted, do you still have to honor them? (03/05/13)

---. The Catholic Church teaches that there is a difference between venial sins and mortal sins. How much can I sin without offending God too much? (04/23/13)

186. God is all-powerful. No one can oppose His will. He cannot be changed. So why should we pray? What difference does it make? Won't God do whatever He wants anyway? (02/19/13)

197. Why do Catholic churches and monasteries have bell towers? Why do some Churches ring bells during the Mass? (01/16/13)

222. What was the purpose of the Inquisition? (01/22/13)

237. Do all priests take a vow of poverty? (01/16/13)

247. Why do Catholic churches have crucifixes while Protestant churches have crosses? Aren't Catholics "crucifying Jesus again"? (01/16/13)

248. If an Anglican priest converts to Catholicism, does he have to be ordained by the Catholic Church? (01/10/13)

288. What is Opus Dei? (01/03/13)

Eastern Catholic Traditions

• The Catholic Church is composed of many distinct Churches. The Roman Catholic Church is associated with the West and with the Latin or Roman rite. How does it differ from the Eastern Catholic Churches?
• Can Roman Catholics take communion in one of the Eastern Catholic Churches? (04/18/13)
• John from Irvine, CA: Are Latin Rite Catholics allowed to pray to Eastern Rite Catholic Saints like one of my favorites, St. Charbel? (03/07/13)

Spiritual Reading

• Chris from e-mail: What are some good books for a young adult to read in order to help them grow in understanding and practicing our faith? (03/07/13)

Discernment

• Kevin from Stoughton, Mass.: What does "discernment" mean? What practical steps can one take to become good at discernment? (03/27/13)
• Jason from Florida. It seems that Jesus gives us two contradictory pieces of advice. On the one hand, He encourages us to get out of the boat and walk on the water, as He did with Peter. On the other hand, He says we should accept the crosses that He sends us. How do you reconcile the conflicting advice?

Vocations

• What does the Church mean by the word "vocation"? How do people know whether they have a vocation? (03/07/13)
• Dominic: Good afternoon, Father. I was wondering I was wondering how a priest goes into an order. Do they go to special seminaries (like a Jesuit seminary, Franciscan seminary, etc?), or do they go into one after they're Ordained? What happens after a priest joins an order? Does the order tell them where to go and what they'll be doing? Thanks so much!
• From a student: "How do you know that you have a vocation to be married?"
• Another Name Withheld: How do you discern a vocation to the priesthood and religious life?

Parish Life

• Steve from Boston: I belong to a parish that seems more Protestant than Catholic. What can I do to fix it? I would love to hear suggestions from someone who has had some success in parish renewal. (03/07/13)

10 Commandments

2. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain

• Brendan from the Outer Darkness: Is it cursing to say "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" when you're frustrated?

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

• Scott from Rochester. Thomas Aquinas says that there is no such thing as a little white lie. That seems too harsh. Is every lie a mortal sin? (04/23/13)
• Brett from Rochester: Was it ethical for Lila Rose to pose as a pregnant teenager and record what was said to her in Planned Parenthood clinics?

Virtues and Vices

Four Cardinal Virtues

• I have heard Catholics talking about "cardinal virtues." What do the virtues have to do with Cardinals? Where in the Bible does it talk about Cardinals or cardinal virtues?

Justice

• John Z. from Facebook: Could you explain how the church and capitalism can coexist? I am not a socialist but, it seems that to make money by lending it to your neighbor or by charging them more than you paid for something you sell them is like stealing from them.

Seven Deadly Sins

• What are the Seven Deadly sins? Is there one Scripture passage that lists them all? (03/27/13)
• Betty from Buffalo: Can you define Spiritual Sloth? Can you give some examples and ways to overcome it? (03/07/13)

Church History

Crusades

• Sue Ellen: When someone's birthday or anniversay falls on Good Friday, what is the best way to celebrate it?
• Don't the Crusades prove that the Church is evil and fallible? If God willed them, then wouldn't the Crusaders have won all the battles they fought? And could God be pleased with all of the murders, massacres, rapes, and robberies that took place, especially during the sack of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade?
• Scott from Tonawanda: Who were Templars? Why do people talk so much about them nowadays? (04/18/13)

Schisms and Schismatics

• Marybeth from Buffalo: What is the relationship between the Church and the Society of Pius X? Which of their sacraments are valid? Can Roman Catholics attend a Mass said by a priest from the Society of St. Pius X and take Communion with them?