Ask a Franciscan
Is Suicide a Sin?
I once read in a Catholic newspaper that suicide may not be a sin if a person is depressed or mentally ill or does not appreciate that what he or she is doing is wrong. What does the Catholic Church teach about this?
How Many People Have Received the Stigmata?
Who besides St. Francis of Assisi and St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina have received the stigmata, the marks of Christ’s five wounds? Have any women received the stigmata?
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What Color Vestments Can Be Worn at a Funeral Mass?
I have seen celebrants at funerals wear white, purple or black vestments. Are all of these colors permitted? Isn’t this a Mass of Resurrection?
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Are Catholic Schools the Answer?
Why do so many graduates of Catholic schools become agnostics or atheists or join other churches? Doesn’t the Bible say that there will be great punishment for those who lead others astray?
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Anglican Bishops Who Become Roman Catholics
If a bishop from the Anglican Church or the Episcopal Church becomes a Latin-rite Catholic, is he still considered a bishop? Does he then become a recipient of apostolic succession?
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Must I Obey All Laws?
Aren’t immigration laws as binding as all other laws? Even though someone can campaign to change a law, isn’t that person obliged to obey all current laws?
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The Stage Between Blessed and Saint?
Why is there an intermediary stage between Blessed and Saint if both titles assure someone of going to heaven? Are Blesseds waiting on the periphery to be admitted into heaven?
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