Ask a Franciscan
Understanding Sins of Omission
I realize that I can sin by some action (for example, murder or theft), but I have never understood how someone can sin by inaction, by not doing something. How is that possible?
Missing Mass on Sunday
As an 80-year-old Catholic, I was taught that missing Mass through your own fault is a mortal sin that, if unconfessed and unabsolved, could send you to hell forever. I know friends and other Catholics who are good people but ...
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Is Suicide a Sin?
I once read in a Catholic newspaper that suicide may not be a sin if a person is depressed or mentally ill or does not appreciate that what he or she is doing is wrong. What does the Catholic Church ...
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Finding a Saint's Feast Day
Last February, I realized that our parish did not celebrate the feast of St. Valentine. Does this mean that he may have been a true saint but, due to poor record-keeping, has been forgotten? Was he ever officially recognized as ...
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Anger at the Church
Father Pat McCloskey, OFM, answers questions in his Ask a Franciscan column!
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What about Limbo?
Question about limbo: Are souls in a state of eternal happiness outside heaven or do they go to hell forever? I pray for my granddaughter’s soul.
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Did Jesus Condemn Slavery?
I cannot find any passage in the Gospels where Jesus condemns slavery. Have I missed something?
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