Question: Where are deacons found in Scripture? Answer: First, it may be helpful to define what a deacon is. Scott Hahn’s Catholic Bible Dictionary defines a deacon as: “An ordained assistant to priests responsible for such ministerial duties as preaching, baptizing, witnessing marriages, distributing Communion, and presiding at funerals (but not saying the funeral Mass). In the modern Church there are two forms of the … Continue reading
Question: Isn’t the Catholic Church discriminating against people when it supports laws that ban same-sex marriage? Answer: I think there are two errors at the root of this question: 1.) All discrimination is wrong, and 2.) People have the right to enter into a same-sex marriage. I would like to address these errors in turn. Regarding the first error, people throw around the word “discrimination” … Continue reading
Question: While Jesus was carrying His Cross, He stopped and spoke to the “Daughters of Jerusalem,” but what He said to them was difficult to understand. What did He mean? Answer: This scene is found in Lk 23:27-31: And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, … Continue reading
Question: What proof is there in the resurrection of Jesus? Answer: First, the Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Messiah, was arrested, condemned by Pontius Pilate, and crucified. He was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, which was sealed with a large boulder and guarded by Roman soldiers. Three days later, some women who … Continue reading
Question: What is the proper gesture of reference towards the tabernacle both during Mass and outside of Mass? Answer: Our outward gestures, especially those that take place within the context of liturgy and prayer, should reflect our inner disposition, our own thoughts and feelings about what we are doing. That is why a question like this is an important one: it is an opportunity for … Continue reading
Question: What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Answer: The gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in Isa 11:2-3. The Douay-Rheims translation reads as follows: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the … Continue reading
Question: What is the resurrection of the body and what proof do you have that it will actually take place? Answer: The resurrection of the body is an event that will take place when Jesus comes again. At that moment, every soul that has ever lived will be reunited to its body. In other words, every human body that has ever lived will come back … Continue reading