A reader asks: “Why is Saint Jude pictured with a flame on his head? He wasn’t the only one at Pentecost and I haven’t seen anyone else depicted this way.” As Monsignor Charles Pope explains, “Almost all official answers to the meaning
A reader writes: “This past Easter Sunday, the parishioners were not allowed to say the rosary before Mass by the presiding priest. This is a normal practice that we have had in this church for over 40 years. Is there any logical
A reader asks why the Vatican keeps its art and other treasures instead of selling them and giving the proceeds to those in need. As Monsignor Charles Pope explains, “The answer is that there is a value in making the arts available
A reader writes: “I am unsure what Pope St. John Paul II wanted us to meditate on when we pray the Third Luminous Mystery, ‘The Proclamation of the Kingdom.’ Scriptural Rosary texts differ so greatly. What should I concentrate on?” As Monsignor
A reader asks: “Why is everybody, except the Blessed Virgin, conceived with original sin on their souls? If all of us inherit our first parents’ mortal sin, why do we not inherit the personal sins of our own parents or other ancestors?”
The Catholic Church says in Unam Sanctum (A.D. 1302), “Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” But Lumen Gentium (A.D. 1963) says, “Those also can
A reader writes: “Wasn’t Mary a surrogate mother? Did she not bear a son for someone other than her husband, Joseph? Jesus was the Son of God. Was he not conceived by artificial insemination? She didn’t have intercourse with anyone. … I
A reader writes: “The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council states: ‘the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith
A reader asks: “I read that a penitent can go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a confession in hand. Why is this not mentioned as an option? I have great difficulty with the usual format. I have not received the Eucharist
A reader writes: “I recently heard that it’s OK to leave out the introductory and ending prayers of the Rosary and only say one Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, a Glory Be and the Fatima prayer for each Mystery. Is that correct?”