Ask a Priest

4,707 Responses

Jeff, on October 20, 2021 at 8:25 pm said:

Fr Joe,
A couple living together unmarried with children just moved and the man wants to bless the house going room to room with Holy water. I feel participating in that would be wrong. I was planning on politely declining the invitation to participate. Am I correct? I do not want to have any part in condoning sinful behavior. It seems everyone blurrs the lines these days. Please advise.

Jeff

FATHER JOE: Homes are blessed not only with water and prayers but the the virtuous lives of those who live there. Urge them to get married and to be in right relationship with God if they truly want a godly home.
Constantine Stambolitis, on October 20, 2021 at 12:50 pm said:

Islam says a child born out of wedlock is not the child of the person islamically and needs to observe hijab. Why observe hijab if there will be no sexual attraction in the first place? What does Catholicism say about this?

FATHER JOE: Help to make a baby and he or she is yours.
Percy, on October 18, 2021 at 2:03 am said:

Hello Father,

I am thinking of getting a Bachelor’s Degree on this particular higher institution but the problem is that the owner is not Catholic but a member of a religion that broke away from the Catholic Church many centuries ago.

The good thing with this particular higher institution is that they will accept me even though I told them my checkered past.

Can I take this Bachelor’s Degree course from this institution?

Thank you,
Percy

FATHER JOE: Sure.
Theo hansen, on October 17, 2021 at 12:04 am said:

, holy water is water blessed by a clergy. When you are baptized you are also blessed by a clergy. Humans are 70% water. Does that mean that baptized people are technically holy water/made up of holy water

FATHER JOE: You are being silly. Water is blessed as a sacramental. The water and formula of baptism targets the person and forgives sin, gives grace, makes one a temple of the Holy Spirit, incorporates him or her as a member of the Church, imprints a permanent character upon the soul marking one as a Christian and makes one an adopted son or daughter of the heavenly Father, an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.
Sadira Mirjafary, on October 15, 2021 at 11:27 pm said:

If I willingly eat meat on any Friday (not in Lent) does a Penance still count as something like taking a cold shower, less screen time, more Bible study/prayer time? Is it a sin even if I still do a different Penance?

FATHER JOE: You are allowed to select your penance, unless the bishops have reinstituted Friday abstinence. I believe this has happened in the UK but I could be corrected.
Tom, on October 13, 2021 at 10:03 pm said:

Hi Father,
Is watching Marvel a sin (as in Iron Man, Captain America etc.).

FATHER JOE: No.
Von, on October 13, 2021 at 6:40 am said:

Hello Father

Im looking into bible journaling. Is it disrespectful to doodle, write, and color in the holy bible?
Thank you

FATHER JOE: Not if it is your personal study bible. Mine is filled with notations.