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Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. Ask A Priest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just search the topics below for an answer to your question! You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events. Our goal is to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question.
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I’m a Widow — Is It OK That I Watch Mass at Home?
Q: I lost my spouse and moved out of the state. I tried to attend the local church and didn’t feel right. Am I committing a sin for not attending? I do watch TV Mass or EWTN or Mass on YouTube. Keeping my faith is the only thing I have to hold me together. I hope I’m doing something right. — K. Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC: Please accept my condolences on the death of your husband. May Our Lord rest his soul. There is still one man with you who loves you dearly and who wants you close ...
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“Ask a Priest: What If Fears of Violence Keep Me From Going to Mass?”
Q: As I live in the U.S. I know that the likelihood of something terrorist or violent in nature taking place during Mass is minimal. But I still can’t help feeling vulnerable at Mass. I don’t live in a community that is unsafe either. I am a devout Catholic and ...
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“Ask a Priest: Is It Normal to Be Assigned a Rosary as a Penance?”
Q: Just got home from confession and my husband questioned what took so long. I told him my penance was a rosary and he was shocked. (He has not been to confession in decades.) He asked what I had done and if I had “committed adultery or something.” This is ...
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“Ask a Priest: Can the Souls in Purgatory Be Tempted?”
Q: Do the souls in purgatory still experience temptation from the devil? Can they still be tormented by the devil in purgatory? If there are different levels in purgatory, does that mean the lowest level is nearest hell? If so, can the souls in the lowest level of purgatory feel ...
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“Ask a Priest: What If My Daughter Insists She Is Male?”
Q: My heart is shredded. My beautiful daughter is insisting that she is really a boy. I know this is biologically impossible. I also know that there are solid psychosocial reasons for her ideas, based on severe issues with her father (my ex-husband) and things taught and promoted in the ...
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“Ask a Priest: Why Does It Seem As If Church Teaching Has Changed?”
Q: I have been in a state of involuntary doubt for years. My main problem revolves around the question of the inspiration of the Church, whether the Holy Spirit does, indeed, offer it guidance when formulating teachings. It is not so much present-day teachings that bother me — rather, teachings ...
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“Ask a Priest: Is Mercy About Ignoring Sin?”
Q: What is mercy? I have heard so much of the word “mercy” since the Jubilee Year of Mercy began. I do not hear often about repentance and its connection with mercy. Is it about living in a state of sin without repentance and receiving pardon and mercy from God ...
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“Ask a Priest: What If Relatives Don’t Want to Attend Our Non-Catholic Wedding?”
Q: My fiancé and I are non-denominational Christians and are getting married in our church. Our families, however, are devout Catholics and are very uncomfortable with this. They do not think that a marriage such as ours will be considered valid or sacramental in the eyes of the Catholic Church. ...
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“Ask a Priest: When Does Eating Become Gluttony?”
Q: When does eating become gluttony? Is it OK to slightly overeat? Say you want the last piece of meat, although you don’t really need it. It is not as though you would be sick if you ate it. Also, is eating dessert OK since it is not necessary for ...
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