Ask a Franciscan
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?
May a Catholic Have a Living Will?
Is it proper for me as a Catholic to have a living will? What does the Church teach about this?
Read More →
Is Purgatory in the Bible?
Why do Catholics teach that purgatory exists? I can’t find it in my Bible.
Read More →
‘Son of Man’ or ‘Son of God’?
Why does Jesus refer to himself much more often as the “Son of Man” than as the “Son of God”? You are right about his preferred self-description. Using the Concordance of the New American Bible, I count in the Gospel ...
Read More →
Are Statues Idols?
Where does the Catholic Church stand on images of Christ, statues of saints, pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe, etc.? Is it wrong for me to have these items in my home?
Read More →
Why So Few Lay Saints?
Few lay men or women have been formally canonized. Most saints belonged to religious communities.
Read More →
Did Jesus Condemn Slavery?
I cannot find any passage in the Gospels where Jesus condemns slavery. Have I missed something?
Read More →