Ask a Franciscan
Red, White, and Green Martyrs?
In the book How the Irish Saved Civilization (Doubleday), Thomas Cahill talks about both green and white martyrdom. According to Cahill, Ireland was unique in that Christianity was introduced there without bloodshed (red martyrdom).
Three Lenten Questions
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.
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‘Dresser of Sycamores’
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 ...
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Pope Francis, Big Bang, Evolution
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.
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The Rift between Jews and Samaritans
I have been perplexed by the rift between Jews and Samaritans and their hatred mentioned in the New Testament.
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Is Gambling a Sin?
Is it a sin to place a bet on a horse race? What about lotteries or betting on sports contests? What does the Catholic Church think about playing slot machines? At times it seems that the Church opposes gambling, but ...
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