Ask a Franciscan
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 institution?
Change on the Death Penalty
How did Pope Francis recently change the Catholic Church's teaching on the death penalty?
Read More →
Why Gluten-Free Hosts?
I understand the Church's teaching on Eucharist. Transubstantiation means it changes completely from bread and wine to the flesh and blood of Jesus. I believe in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. I also understand that our ...
Read More →
‘I Am Consumed with Guilt and Sorrow’
Q. I am feeling very guilty. I was driving my car and accidentally hit a man with my side mirror. I never saw him, and I don’t know if he stepped in front of me or not. The only reason ...
Read More →
My Problem with the Rosary
I was raised Catholic but drifted away in my early 20s. I came back in my late 20s, very much influenced by a man who prayed the rosary with great devotion. Unfortunately, he eventually betrayed me, lied to me, and ...
Read More →
Can We Sing the Our Father?
Why can’t we sing the Our Father at Mass? When I asked our parish organist, the response was that our parish was told not to do this.
Read More →
What Was That ‘Good News’?
In Luke 9:6, we read that the 12 apostles "went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere. " What was that "good news "? The Gospels were not yet written. Similarly, what did St. Paul ...
Read More →