Ask a Franciscan

Father Stephen Saffron, parish administrator, elevates the Eucharist during a Tridentine Mass at St. Josaphat Church in the Queens borough of New York City in this July 18, 2021, file photo. The Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has responded to bishops' questions about Pope Francis' July document limiting use of pre-Vatican II Mass. Among the clarifications was that confirmations and ordinations are not permitted to be celebrated according to the older rites. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Why the Push for a Latin Mass?

There seems to be a push to return to the Latin Mass and all its implications. Our parish has become very divided when this was imposed on us with refusal of Communion in the hand, reintroduction of Communion rails, and traditional hymns replaced by Latin ones. Our bishop seems to favor these changes. People are leaving our parish.

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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 ...
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No Rides to Weekday Masses

I have a very rare and painful illness that has left me handicapped. I have trouble finding rides to doctors' offices and to church. Consequently, I feel very disconnected from my parish in which I once served as a catechist ...
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Why Does a Baptized Person Need the RCIA?

Why does a baptized adult have to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)? Such a person may already know almost everything about the Catholic religion, its prayers, and the Ten Commandments.
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Why So Few Catholic Bible Study Groups?

Why doesn't the Catholic Church encourage its members to establish small groups for Bible study? Aren't many Catholics joining nondenominational churches to go deeper into their faith and have a closer connection with other believers?
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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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