Ask a Franciscan

I read about a person who went to confession, repenting of not wanting the sufferings that God had allowed. That person was healed. Because I have many sufferings, I did the same thing but was not healed.

Years ago, it was not permitted to have flowers in the sanctuary during Lent. Is that still the case? Where is this issue addressed?

Where does the church get authority to give annulments to remarry? I do not think that humans have the right to change God’s law.

Please clarify what the church teaches about prenuptial agreements and why.

The Catholic Church teaches that we have a body and a soul. When do we receive our souls? Is it at the moment of conception?

As a child, I was taught to pray: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” If this ...