Ask a Franciscan
Pedophile Priests Protected
My wife and I do not feel comfortable discussing this with our parish priest and hope you can provide some guidance. As cradle Catholics, we find it very difficult to continue in our Catholic faith because of repeated reports of abuse of children by pedophile priests. Despite these reports, there is no definitive action mostly lip service. Pope Francis should declare these behaviors unacceptable and inconsistent with Christ’s teachings.
St. Francis and the Eucharist
What did the Eucharist mean to St. Francis? How did he express his devotion to it?
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Questioning God’s Plan
My wife and I are both seriously ill and have been since we married 14 years ago. Now her medications have stopped working, and we are meeting with the doctors. I'm currently very angry and questioning God's plan. I don't ...
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Where Do Prayers Go?
If you are praying for someone who may have gone to hell, where do those prayers go? Should you keep praying for them even though you don't really know where anyone goes? Only God knows for sure.
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Why Pray for Grandma Jones?
In your August 2018 column, you wrote that God does not have a vast, eternal plan that Grandma Jones had successful heart surgery last month. OK, why do I pray for her or anyone else? You prayed before her surgery ...
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Can Laypeople Give Blessings?
Can someone give a blessing to a sick friend, or a birthday blessing, a blessing at a meal, or on other occasions? Does the person need the permission of the local bishop?
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Jesus and Slavery
I have been a Catholic from birth but often have questions about some of the issues we are facing today, such as the evils associated with slavery. The Romans had slaves, but is there any evidence that Jesus condemned that ...
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