Ask a Franciscan
The Stage Between Blessed and Saint?
Why is there an intermediary stage between Blessed and Saint if both titles assure someone of going to heaven? Are Blesseds waiting on the periphery to be admitted into heaven?
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 ...
Read More →
Did Jesus Condemn Slavery?
I cannot find any passage in the Gospels where Jesus condemns slavery. Have I missed something?
Read More →
‘Son of Man’ or ‘Son of God’?
Why does Jesus refer to himself much more often as the “Son of Man” than as the “Son of God”? You are right about his preferred self-description. Using the Concordance of the New American Bible, I count in the Gospel ...
Read More →
Is There a ‘Hierarchy of Love’?
In January, Vice President JD Vance was in the news regarding his interpretation of St. Augustine of Hippo’s expression ordo amoris (order of love or hierarchy of love).
Read More →
Why Was Christ Executed?
Knowing that God is all-powerful, why did he allow Christ to be executed?
Read More →