Ask a Franciscan

Lent is based on Christ’s 40-day fast in the desert, which recalls the 40 years that the Hebrew people wandered between leaving Egypt and entering the Promised Land.

Q: When I pray a petition, I can't help feeling that if I pray for one person only, the prayer will be stronger or more effective than if I pray for 20 people at once. For example, is "Please help David" ...

If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does evil exist?

Q. In Amos 7:14, at the king’s sanctuary in Bethel, the prophet verbally defends himself against the priest Amaziah by denying that he ever said he belonged to a company of prophets. Amos adds, “I am a herdsman and a ...

I know that words often have a root meaning. For example, our word sacrament comes from the Latin word sacramentum, which I know St. Augustine described as “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” In preparing for a ...

According to a news article, Pope Francis recently acknowledged the Big Bang theory and evolution. I was quite startled by comments I’ve heard about this story. I hope you can enlighten me on this matter.