Ask a Franciscan

Beginnings of Human Life

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?

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A Scary Prayer for a Child

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 ...
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What Advice Can I Give?

My daughter-in-law’s brother is in a committed gay relationship and is going to be the father of a child carried by a woman who will allow the two men to adopt the baby.
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The Heroic Act

Many years ago, as a child of 11 or 12, I read a book on Fatima. At the end of the book was a pledge called a heroic act where persons pledged to give all the indulgences they earned during ...
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Dedication of Days and Months

When I grew up I learned what or to whom each month of the year was dedicated. A lot of years have passed. Can you tell me if the months still have a special dedication? How are they dedicated?
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What Is the Process for Canonizing Someone?

What steps does the Church follow in recognizing saints? How do Servants of God and Venerables differ?
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Why Eucharistic Adoration?

What is the meaning of eucharistic adoration in the Church? I have been attending such adoration in the past year and would like to know about it. It makes me feel good to attend. Does it carry a special blessing?
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