Ask a Franciscan
Purgatory and Praying for the Dead
A Christian friend says that the Bible contains no references to purgatory. What is the basis for the Church’s teaching about this? Why do Catholics pray for the dead?
Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas
Answers to some often asked questions about the Christmas season.
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Receiving the Host in the Hand
When and why did the Catholic Church begin the practice of receiving the host in the hand during Holy Communion?
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Catholic Burials for Non-Catholics
May a non-Catholic husband and father have a Catholic funeral if the deceased’s widow or children request it?
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Is Pope Emeritus Still Infallible?
A friend asked me recently, “Now that Benedict XVI has resigned as pope, is he still infallible?” I don’t think so, but I wasn’t sure how to explain my answer. Can you help?
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Why Was Pope John XXIII's Feast Moved
When Pope John XXIII was beatified in 2000, the date assigned for his feast was October 11, the day that Vatican II began in 1962. The feast has since been moved to June 3, the day he died in 1963. ...
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How Could Jesus ‘Be Sin’?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God made “him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (602). What does this mean? How can the Son of ...
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