Ask a Franciscan
Is Agnosticism a Sin?
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 7, 2025
I know that being an atheist is looked down upon, but I want to know if being an agnostic is a sin.
Why Does God Make the Devil So Powerful?
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 6, 2025
If God created the angel Lucifer, who failed God through pride, why didn't God simply dump him in hell instead of allowing him to torment and wreck so many human lives? Isn't God more powerful than Satan? I have heard ...
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Understanding the Term ‘Born Again’
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 5, 2025
Q. The term born again has become very popular among many Christians now, but I am not sure of its meaning. I suspect that it is misused or misunderstood by many people who proudly use it. Also, we read in ...
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How Can Mary Be the ‘Mother of God’?
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 4, 2025
In the second part of the Hail Mary, we say, "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." My fundamentalist brother wants to know how Mary can be the mother ...
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When Does Jesus Become Present?
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 3, 2025
The Western Church asserted the body and blood are present at the completion of the words of consecration. The Eastern Church supported the view that the real presence takes place through the epiclesis (the prayer for the sending or coming ...
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Is Shopping on Sunday Immoral?
Pat McCloskey, OFM
November 2, 2025
Is it all right to shop on Sunday if you really need something? Not long ago, my daughter asked me on a Sunday to check at a nearby store to get some special dishes for a party she was having. ...
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Attending Mass on Holy Days of Obligation
Pat McCloskey, OFM
October 31, 2025
Can the obligation to attend Mass on holy days be fulfilled before or after the actual day?
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