Ask a Franciscan

Why Do We Need Low-gluten Hosts?

I don’t understand why someone who has celiac disease and is, therefore, allergic to gluten needs a low-gluten host. The bread at Mass changes substantially into the Body of Christ.

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Man poses in yoga

What Is the Church’s Teaching on Yoga?

Speakers whom I greatly respect have said that Catholics should not do yoga or Pilates™. Does the Catholic Church allow this?
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Cross for secular franciscans

What Is the Secular Franciscan Order? 

Even though I have long known that there are Franciscan sisters, brothers, and priests, a friend recently told me about a group that is completely new to me: the Secular Franciscan Order.
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Why Roman Catholic?

Why does the Roman Catholic Church call itself that? Jesus stood against everything that the Roman Empire represented—the power, the might and the violence. Rome figured mightily in his death on the cross.
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How Did Evil Begin?

What is the absolute root cause of evil? How can an absolute evil (the devil) come from an absolute good (God)?
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A teacher and students at a Catholic school

Are Catholic Schools the Answer?

Why do so many graduates of Catholic schools become agnostics or atheists or join other churches?
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St. Francis and Mary

Why Was St. Francis So Devoted to Mary? 

I have heard that St. Francis of Assisi was very devoted to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Why? Did Francis write about her? 
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