Posts from:

Pat McCloskey, OFM

Pat McCloskey, OFM, is the Franciscan advisor for St. Anthony Messenger and the writer of its "Ask a Franciscan" column.

Prepare the Way

Pat McCloskey, OFM December 14, 2018

Then as he was walking through the forest joyfully singing in French and praising God, he was suddenly set upon by robbers. They threatened him and asked him who he was but he replied intrepidly with the prophetic words, “I am the herald of the great King.” Then they beat him and threw him into a ditch full of snow, telling him, “Lie there, rustic herald of God.” With that they made off and Francis jumped from the ditch, full of joy, and made the woods re-echo with his praise to the Creator of all.

Handling Opposition to One’s Catholic Faith

Pat McCloskey, OFM November 26, 2018

How can good Catholics respond to people who question our beliefs or openly reject our Catholic faith?

Hospice or Palliative Care?

Pat McCloskey, OFM November 26, 2018

I realize that the Catholic Church teaches that it is permissible to discontinue extraordinary measures when someone is dying. My sister, who was in a nursing home, had heart failure and decided to stop eating. She was cognizant. They were going to start hospice care, but she died before that could happen. What was the right thing to do in this case?

Placement of the Tabernacle

Pat McCloskey, OFM November 26, 2018

Why is the tabernacle not always on the main altar? Placing it elsewhere seems to show a lack of reverence.

God the Warrior?

Pat McCloskey, OFM October 24, 2018

Our faith teaches that peace overrides force. In the Old Testament, however, there are passages that describe how God cleared a path for the Hebrew people through war and displacement of other people and cultures. Isn’t that a contradiction?

Can Laypeople Give Blessings?

Pat McCloskey, OFM October 24, 2018

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?

Quick Questions and Answers

Pat McCloskey, OFM October 24, 2018

How can I fully convince myself and others that “Jesus is the only way to God “?

The integrity of your life is the best way. Cardinal Emmanuel Suhard of Paris (d. 1949) once wrote: “To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist. ” Unfortunately, the lives of some Christians might make perfect sense if God did not exist because God is more an ornament in their lives rather than the central focus.