Ask a Franciscan
Tridentine Mass Revisited
Father Pat McCloskey, OFM, answers questions about the Latin Mass, a line in the Our Father, and heaven.
Ask a Franciscan about…Lent and Easter
My lifelong curiosity prompts me to ask: 1) When and how did Ash Wednesday originate? 2) What was the specific thinking that inspired this practice? 3) Can you recommend reference sources on this subject?
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What Is the Meaning of the Tau Cross?
Why do Franciscans so often wear a Tau cross or use it in their artwork? Also, compared to the crosses we usually see, why doesn’t it have a top part?
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Frequently Asked Questions about Advent
Advent, which comes from the Latin word for arrival or coming, is a period of preparation for the birth of our Lord.
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‘I Believe’ or ‘We Believe’ in the Nicene Creed?
On Sundays and holy days of obligation, we recite the Nicene Creed. We begin by saying, “We believe in one God….” Although this is the first person plural, this prayer’s Latin text reads “Credo” (“I believe,” first person singular).
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What about Reincarnation?
One of my close friends believes in reincarnation. My Catholic education and faith leave me with no reason to believe in multiple lives. Among other things, my friend claims that all mention of reincarnation was removed from the Bible in ...
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