Ask a Franciscan

Are there some resources for the struggle I find myself experiencing: believing that my mom, who died several months ago, is indeed in heaven with God? 

Why is there no Gospel account of Jesus’ meeting with his mother right after his resurrection or in the 40 days before his ascension?

I would like a priest or layperson to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy beside me as I am dying. Is this a vital preparation for one’s soul to enter heaven?

Why do Franciscans so often wear a Tau cross or use it in their artwork? Also, compared to the crosses we usually see, why doesn’t it have a top part?

Local parishes encourage us to bring nonpracticing Catholics “back into the fold.” I can’t get my adult kids to come regularly because they consider Mass an ancient practice with little or no relevance today. I know many other parents who ...

When and by whom was Our Lady of Guadalupe declared “Patroness of the Americas”?