Why did Jesus never directly answer whether he was 'king of the Jews?'
Q: One thing about which I've always been curious, especially this time of the year, is why in the various Gospel accounts of Jesus before Pilate, Jesus never directly answered, "Are you the king ...
Why did Jesus descend into hell if he was sinless?
Q: In the Apostles Creed, we say that Jesus "descended into hell" after he died on the cross. But why would Jesus go to hell if he was sinless? A: The short answer is that Jesus was not sent to hell ...
Does holy water 'absolve' us from venial sin?
Q: I heard a priest on the radio talking about holy water fonts in church, and he said that as a sacramental, the holy water "absolves us from venial sin." He actually used the word "absolves." That doesn't ...
How do you proceed if an ex refuses to be a part of the annulment process?
Q: How do you proceed if the ex refuses to be a part of the annulment process? Are you stalled from moving forward? It seems to give the ex-spouse power over your spiritual growth and direction. A: ...
Can you use a deconsecrated altar for other purposes?
Q: Is it acceptable in the eyes of God to have an alcoholic drink at a bar that was once an altar? My diocese has deconsecrated said altar. A: I of course can't speak directly for God, but I ...
Does my ex have to be involved in the annulment process?
Q: I've recently decided to return to my childhood Catholic faith after many years aways, and my priest told me I need to get an annulment. When I called the marriage tribunal, they said they needed to ...
Should I give up prayers of petition this Lent as my priest suggested in his homily?
Q: In a recent homily, my parish priest suggested that we all "give up prayers of petition for Lent." He said we're not being good friends to God if all we do is ask him for things, and that "you've all ...
Why doesn't the Church require more demanding fasting for Lent?
Q: I think the Catholic Church's Lenten discipline is kind of a joke. Specifically, Friday abstinence really isn't that tough since most people aren't going to suffer if they can't have ...
