Ask a Franciscan

sheet music

Substituting for the Gloria

For the past few years, from midnight Christmas through Epiphany, the director of music in our parish has elected to use "Angels We Have Heard on High" instead of the Gloria. What is proper in this regard?
Read More →

What Is Americanism?

Is Americanism a heresy? If so, what does it mean? The person who introduced me to this term was not very clear about its meaning.
Read More →

How Could Jesus ‘Be Sin’?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God made “him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (602). What does this mean? How can the Son of ...
Read More →

Origins of the Celibacy Rule

When did the Roman Catholic Church begin to require celibacy before a man could be ordained a priest? Why? Doesn’t this suggest that marriage is inferior to celibacy?
Read More →

Can Second Cousins Marry?

A niece of my husband has become very close to one of her second cousins. They and some family members are questioning if they are too closely related to marry one another. Are they?
Read More →

Suffering from Natural Disasters

Why do you think God inflicts such natural disasters on many innocent, God-loving people?
Read More →

Subscribe to Our Blog