Ask a Franciscan

St. Peter's and the Vatican | Photo by Simone Savoldi on Unsplash

Why Is the Pope Called the ‘Supreme Pontiff’?

According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, the definition for the pope is “supreme pontiff.” Why is that?

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Can a Catholic Marry a Lutheran?

Will this marriage be recognized by the Catholic Church? Can a Catholic priest give a blessing?
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Why Two Judgments?

In parochial school, I learned that there is a particular judgment when a person dies and that there will also be a general judgment at the end of the world. Why?
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How Can a Mass Be Offered for a Single Person?

If every sacrifice of the Mass is offered for the Church, how can people request individual intentions?
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Stages in the Canonization Process

What do the four stages in the canonization process (servant of God, venerable, blessed and saint) mean?
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Were All the Apostles Single?

Were all the apostles single men when they began to follow Jesus? Is there anything in the Bible on this? Is that why the Catholic Church ordains only single men?
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A patinated bronze statue of St. John the Baptist

Did John the Baptist Doubt Jesus?

After John described Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (Jn 1:36), Andrew and another disciple left John to follow Jesus. Was John the Baptist having doubts about who Jesus was?
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