Ask a Priest

5,442 Responses

Anonymous, on March 17, 2023 at 1:32 am said:

Is FGM recognized as a sin in the Catholic church? If yes, what makes it so? From my standpoint, I would think it would be unlawful because the practice disrespects natural, God-given anatomy and is done without a known medical concern, if not more.

FATHER JOE: It is the immoral mutilation of the human body.
Shane, on March 16, 2023 at 4:59 am said:

I don’t know too much about the Bible but God sent down a big flood and stuff what if he do it again what gonna happen are we gonna all die.

FATHER JOE: Next time it will likely be fire. In any case, unless we are the last generation, given mortality and time everyone dies.
J, on March 16, 2023 at 2:31 am said:

Each month, my mother spends money on cosmetics when she has a huge box of unopened products from years of purchasing. She is on a VERY limited income, and may not be able to afford her property taxes this year in order to keep the house. Yet, this month, per habit, she has spent $41 on just makeup and the month isn’t over. The house is crowded with clutter and she has no room for this stuff on top of the money situation. How do I get through to her? What is the Lord’s guidance?

FATHER JOE: Is it your place to tell your mother what to do?
Richard Powell, on March 15, 2023 at 7:11 pm said:

I was married in 1979 and divorced in 1982. A man who claims he is an authority on the catechism keeps telling me I cannot accept communion. I never married again. I am not having sex with any woman.

I have been told by priests and the bishop that I can take communion so long as don’t get married again or have a sexual relationship. Who is right?

FATHER JOE: Beware of fools. The bishop and priests are correct. Remain chaste, go to confession and take Holy Communion.
Hilary, on March 14, 2023 at 11:46 am said:

What do you think of this?

https://www.foxnews.com/world/catholic-priest-sues-allegedly-being-fired-hospital-answering-patient-questions-marriage

FATHER JOE: The priest was wronged.
katetherrien, on March 10, 2023 at 12:44 pm said:

Dear Father Joe,
Is it ok to have dreamcatchers as pieces of cultural art. We homeschool and are studying different cultures and making art pieces representative of these cultures. Someone told me Catholics shouldn’t have dreamcatchers.
Thank you

FATHER JOE: It is permissible for artistic or decorative purposes, but not as an expression of folk religion.
Michelle, on March 5, 2023 at 1:49 am said:

Is it a sin to work on Sunday ?. I currently attend the mass on Saturday night. Thank you.

FATHER JOE: Not necessarily, but it is discouraged because the Lord’s Day is a traditional day of rest and is best spent with family and at worship. However, the demands of the modern world make it increasingly difficult to avoid Sunday work. God understands if employment obligations and economic circumstances mandate that you have to work to sustain yourself and your family. Just do not forget your obligations to God. The anticipatory Mass on Saturday night is a recognition of this need for many of our people.
Ida, on March 3, 2023 at 6:29 pm said:

Dear Father,
thank you for running this blog, I am writing here for the first time.
I regularly go to confession but my sins still haunt me and I feel like I will never be a truly pure woman. Physically I am a virgin but when I read Matthew 5:28 and compare it to things I have done in my two past relationships with men I know it was adultery even though none of these men fully undressed me. I regret disobeying God and feel sorry for Him having to deal with me so much that sometimes I cry for hours and I wish I could be truly pure. How does one get rid of paralyzing guilt?

FATHER JOE: Hopefully the guilt is not paralyzing. Go to confession, say your prayers and associate with good single men. Do not be ashamed of your womanhood and do not allow yourself to be exploited either. What God makes is good. He makes us as sexual beings and is the author of marriage and family life. Know joy and chaste love!
Darla, on March 2, 2023 at 8:54 pm said:

I would like to know what is REQUIRED for a catholic after death. Can i just get cremated or am I required to have a wake/service/etc.

FATEHR JOE: There is a preference for a body to be buried but cremation is tolerated. There should be a funeral Mass with internment in a cemetery.
john, on March 1, 2023 at 2:38 pm said:

Dear Father Joe,

I have scammed a lot of people online 4 years ago. I feel guiltly & remorse for what I have done to them. How can I pay for my sins, Father Joe? It’s quite difficult to pay them one by one. Can I donate to several charities the same amount that i stole from them? What should I do, Father Joe?

FATHER JOE: Moral restitution might be an element with the sacrament of penance. Donations may be made to the parish or approved charities. We try to do good for the wrong that was done.
Rebecca Vidrine, on February 25, 2023 at 3:45 pm said:

When saying the 54 day rosary, when do I say the “concluding prayer” of each mystery. For example the book has, “The Annunciation – Concluding Prayer:” Do I recite it after naming the mystery, but before the 10 Hail Mary’s, or after the Hail Mary’s?

FATHER JOE: The Concluding Prayer is said after the Glory Be
Liam, on February 23, 2023 at 4:33 pm said:

Hello Fr.

I recently returned to Mass after time away from the faith. I went to confession before going and confessed my sins. However in that confession I left out two sins that I thought at the time were only venial so I didn’t have to confess them. They both qualify as grave matter but I did not think at the time they fell into all three categories required for mortal sin so I left them out as admittedly I was embarrassed.

I went to confession the next time and these sins were not on my conscience so I left them out again.

However, when I went to confession for the third time yesterday these two sins were playing on my conscience so I confessed both of them.

I am now worried that because the first time I did not confess the two sins, were all my other sins (including mortal ones) I confessed in my first confession not absolved if the confession was potentially invalid? Should I go to confession again and confess all the sins I confessed in my first confession?

Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.

I’m now wondering, was my first confession valid?

FATHER JOE: We should always confess any mortal sins we recall. Given your qualifications, I believe you confessed in good faith. Give it to God!
Hillary, on February 23, 2023 at 3:55 pm said:

Hello I had a few questions on the process of confirmation, and the connection it has to the catholic church.

What do you believe is the most important stage for a Catholic in order to further connect with the church?

Do you believe that every Catholic should be confirmed?

How long have you been a pastor for/how long have you been catholic?

It would greatly appreciated if you answered these questions, thank you in advance Father Joe.

FATHER JOE:

What do you mean by stage? If you mean what is the most important sacrament then the answer is easy. It is baptism.

How important is confirmation? Confirmation completes our baptism and is the third sacrament of initiation. It grants us a fuller share of the Holy Spirit and is very important in our discipleship. No catholic should be married without having been confirmed!

I think you mean to ask how long I have been a priest. The answer is about 37 years. I have been a Catholic since infancy, 64 and going on 65 years.
Anonymous, on February 22, 2023 at 7:13 pm said:

Dear Father,

I have a serious question that I cannot settle regarding damaging property and restitution,

Years ago when I was in school, I purposely and intentionally wasted an unknown quantity of ink and paper printing garbage on multiple (at least 10) occassions, of this I know to cost an unknown amount of money especially as I purposely at times printed specific things that would waste heavy amounts of ink.

Would such a thing like this require restitution?

Firstly I am wondering this, because I know that restitution must ordinarily be made in cases of willful damage and theft. But here I am left more clouded in a certain answer than I do when I deal with the issue of taxes since taxes must be paid for the common good, even though we know a lot of our money goes to bad things, and since if we don’t pay taxes, others will have to be taxed more to fill what we owe and we would cause unjust damages thereby.

Though in this case the public school system has basic things that are licitly taught, but the entire system as a whole is directly evil, at least in part, and certainly in its underlying foundation, as in the worldviews that are espoused and so forth such as the promotion of many sins and a materialistic, atheistic, and anti-Catholic worldview.

Therefore, for example, it does not seem licit to make restutition at least directly as it would go towards funding these activities directly, and instead indirectly as to the poor and so forth, but is one then bound to make resitution at all? I ask since though this paper instead could have gone to teach licit subjects, the foundation in itself is morally evil and though I know certainly that wasting the ink and paper was gravely evil, this still leaves me confused on what to do.

I then ask, if it is necessary to make restitution, since I am unsure of how much I had cost the school, how can I know how much I must give back. I can safely estimate the price of one ink cartidge and price of paper, but what should I exactly do since I cannot figure out the number of times that I had done this?

FATHER JOE: The Church would not make such an outright pejorative judgment against public education. The matter likely is now too remote and inconsequential for restitution. However, you can show appreciation for the sacrifices made to give you an education.
Sarah, on February 21, 2023 at 12:56 pm said:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-intervenes-again-restrict-celebration-115811057.html

Just curious, if mass is celebrated in different languages in different countries, what does it matter if it celebrated in Latin in some places? It’s just another language.

FATHER JOE: Latin is the mother tongue of the Roman Catholic Church.
Aidan, on February 21, 2023 at 4:36 am said:

Hello father
I was curious if the church permits magic like spells and what not as long as you use it for good. Like as a way to counter dark magic i could use a protection spell

FATHER JOE: All sorcery is condemned as mortal sin and as superstition.
Cathy Martinoli, on February 20, 2023 at 9:58 pm said:

1. Does the Catholic Church agree/believe in the Tripple Blessing that Holy Love, Ohio
have planned for Devine Mercy Sundsy. They offer it all the time off and on.
2. Cleveland Ohio Bishp has decreed that their the Apparitions are not real. Does their decision apply to All Catholics to not paricipae in the services at Holy Love?

FATHER JOE: I have never heard of it. Go with the bishop on this one.
"Alyssa, on February 17, 2023 at 1:59 am said:

Can a Catholic have two funerals?

FATHER JOE: There is no limit to prayer for the dead.
Michelle Delaney, on February 10, 2023 at 7:32 pm said:

Hello I want to ask about all Fridays during lent.If you eat meat on Friday during lent can you substitute it for another act of pennace or is it a grave sin to do so?

Thank you? Michelle D.

FATHER JOE: You can only substitute another penance for the abstinence on Fridays outside of Lent.
Adric, on February 9, 2023 at 10:50 am said:

Dear Fr. Joe,

Which Eucharistic miracles does the Church proclaim to be unquestionably true?

I have the same question regarding Marian apparitions.

Thank you.

FATHER JOE: The only Eucharistic miracle that interests me happens with the consecration at every Mass. As for Marian apparitions, even the most famous like Lourdes, Fatima, and Guadalupe are still only promoted as private revelation.
Robert L., on February 7, 2023 at 3:09 am said:

Hi Father,
I was wondering is gambling a mortal sin or is it a venial sin ? The only time I heard of it being talked about is, when the Roman soldiers casted lots for Jesus’s garment. I look at it as a hobby, while I may spend $40 to $60 betting the horses, others have been known to spend $100 or more on a day at golf. Please advise, my wife and I need to know, thank you Father. Robert L.

FATHER JOE: Gambling in itself is not sinful. Note that many churches raise funds with BINGO. However, it can become sinful if taken to extremes, becomes addictive and wrongly exploits needed resources.
Caleb, on February 6, 2023 at 3:30 am said:

Hi my name is Caleb I am very nervous that my Dad will not go to heaven because he is not baptized and he is nervous to do the Eucharist.
Can he still go to heaven if he doesn’t do these things?

FATHER JOE: God can save whom he wills. All I know is that the normative way to be saved is to have faith in Christ and to be baptized. The Eucharist is not magic. One must be disposed by faith and membership in the Church to receive the graces of the sacrament. Urge your father to explore the faith and pray with and for him.
Rebekah, on February 5, 2023 at 2:45 pm said:

My mother and her sister (my aunt) despise each other. They hadn’t spoken for years until their mother (my grandma) had to be put in a nursing facility. They were then forced to have some limited communication, and seemed to be on the same page. Let’s just say that a third family member got involved yesterday and completely severed what little bridge of communication that was there. It is now chaos between two women in their 60’s and I’m left holding the ball… I gladly would have moved her to my home and taken care of her. I suffer from a mental illness that sometimes confuses me. I need some guidance on, or just a Father to pray over the whole situation please. I am praying, trying to keep calm, and to stay on top of my medications. Bless you.

FATHER JOE: Family relationships can often be tense. It is said that we can choose our friends but we are given our families. Life is messy and sometimes there are no good solutions to life’s problems. The issue of caring for an elderly parent or grandparent is a common situation these days. Everyone has an opinion but the responsibility is often dismissed or passed off upon others. Nursing care and facilities are incredibly expensive. As the care becomes increasingly extensive and time-demanding, it can leave you with few options. One may have his or her own health or mental issues which compound the situation and are often serious. How do you take care of someone else when you are struggling with your own care needs? Continue to urge mature dialogue and peace in the family. I will keep you and the matter in prayer.
Skip, on February 4, 2023 at 1:48 pm said:

I am Catholic. And for a time period I heard this question asked to me by friends that left the Catholic Church , and honestly I use to not really know what to say. I wasn’t as deep into my faith as I am today. However, I will say, today now with technology and entertainment at the highest levels in history of man kind, our brain wants validation both intellectually and emotionally and it wants it FAST. If we can know something or feel something instantly based upon how the brain feels and processed based on the way we are attached to technology, then it’s either not true or we can’t believe it. It’s simple as that.

With that said, the Catholic Church offers us order. The greatest most deepest most intimate form of “Church” through the mass, the sacraments, the saints, and the full order of details of living scripture not based on how we feel, but the depths of belief. The depths of an intimate relationship with our lord.

I honestly think comparing is the first slip up we make as people as to think how we are to encounter salvation.

We can’t expect someone to believe that’s the only path to salvation. Many people on earth have no idea what Catholic is. So first off, I’d encourage you to rethink about your own belief. What do you believe? What do you have knowledge of? Do you believe in the mass, do you believe in the sacraments, do you believe in all the orders of the church.
If not, then it is your free will to choose how you believe in God.
HOWEVER, haha I think where we miss the mark and get confused is when we spiritually and intellectually know what we believe, but emotionally allow ourselves to not commit to that order of belief.
Lastly I see many people let one or two or even a few people of the Catholic Church which may make bad decisions or not as reversing as it should be in certain positions, and we allow that to take over our emotions and leave the Church.

So my best foot forward for the question of is the Catholic Church the only way to salvation?, the real questions is “what do you believe?”

We should not live two different beliefs in my opinion. That’s double minded.
However, I believe we must respect another’s belief and how the encounter through TRUE conscious Not emotions, how we receive salvation.

Peace be with you

FATHER JOE: Salvation is a gift and God sets the terms. We cannot merit it apart from Christ. If there were others ways to be saved then the redemptive death of our Lord would have been unnecessary. However, the Church has always taught that Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth. The gates of heaven closed by sin are opened by the Savior. There is an intimate communion between Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. While the Church is composed of sinners, the Church is holy because Christ is holy. Our Lord gives us the Church as the great sacrament of salvation. We encounter Jesus in his Church. The Mass is an earthly participation in the marriage banquet of heaven. It is also a re-presentation of the saving oblation of Calvary. Given this truth, those Catholics who have fallen away from worship are literally turning their backs to the gift of salvation and heaven. Those outside the faith need to be evangelized by believers. A failure to spread the word in fulfillment of the great commission is a failure to love as we should. Peace!
Jon, on February 4, 2023 at 7:14 am said:

Where does Jesus Christ stand in Christianity

FATHER JOE: He is Christianity and the head of the Church.