Q: Why would God allow Satan to torture and torment Job when he knew Job was a wonderful man and if God is, indeed, omniscient? A: First of all, it’s not known whether Job was a literal historical figure. Many Scripture scholars believe that the Book of Job in the Old Testament is essentially a…
Q: When I was in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (commonly known as RCIA, now the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), the instructor said normal weekly Eucharist counts as a ‘confession,’ and reception counts as ‘absolution.’ She said in most cases, most people “don’t need to bother” the priest with their sins,…
Q: I used to bring Holy Communion to the sick and wondered: why can’t we bring the Precious Blood to those who are dying and can’t consume solid food? A: The short answer is that, with a few caveats, the Church does in fact allow Holy Communion under the form of wine to be taken…
Q: My brother is an alcoholic and has already had one failed marriage because of it. He recently got an annulment and is now planning his second wedding. How can the Church let him marry again when it seems obvious that his second marriage is going to fail as well? A: Naturally I cannot comment…
Q: There’s a really beautiful Eastern Orthodox church in my neighbourhood. Every time I pass by it, I always wonder, is this one of the churches that Catholics can attend? (Ohio) A: I think you might be confusing the Orthodox with Eastern Catholics. While the Orthodox have valid sacraments and very similar doctrinal teachings as…
Q: One of the Protestant churches I attended in the past said that when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it came to every believer in Jesus, including down to today, which they said meant we all ought to be able to do miracles. Another church taught the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles only,…
Q: Recently, I heard a priest speak on the importance of supporting your “territorial parish,” which he made sound like whatever parish happened to be in your neighbourhood. But I have been an active member of a different parish for years, and I don’t understand the need to support a parish I didn’t choose to…
Q: In a recent article, you quoted the Code of Canon Law for what constitutes a valid nonsacramental marriage. I’m not sure if you know this, but the Jewish marriage document – the ketubah – is essentially a prenuptial agreement that outlines the protections the spouses are to receive should either one initiate divorce proceedings.…
A: I assume by “St Michael prayer,” you mean the prayer that usually begins: “St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…” My own thought is that, since this is technically a devotional prayer and not part of the liturgy strictly speaking, if the St Michael prayer is prayed in connection with a Mass, then…
Q: Is it always wrong in every case to lie? What about the so-called ‘little white lie?’ I’m thinking of situations where you tell a person something you know is false to spare their feelings, when they’re likely never going to know the truth anyway. A: Our Catholic faith teaches us that lying is an offense against the…