Foot-Washing Rite at Holy Thursday Mass
The foot-washing ceremony on Holy Thursday is perhaps one of the most meaningful of the Sacred Triduum’s liturgical moments. It has been made even more significant now....
Author: Michael Shackleton
Where are Priests in the Bible?
According to Acts 6:5-6 the Apostles ordained seven men as deacons. Nowhere in the New Testament is there a record of men being ordained priests. How can...
Is Predestination in the Bible?
The Church rejects any suggestion of the “predestination” doctrine, and yet I seem to detect such suggestion in Scripture. “My Father, who has given them to me”...
Why Are We Guilty of Adam and Eve’s Sin?
It is impossible in law to find someone guilty of a crime committed by another. I know the problem of original sin is part of the mystery...
Is Hellfire Truly Eternal?
Question: Our Lord spoke of hell where the wicked are punished in “a fire that shall never be quenched” (Mk 9:43). This appears to me to be...
When is Our Conscience Clear?
Please help me understand how we can be guided by our conscience. The Catechism is too wordy for me. How can I be sure I have a...
Must the Afflicted Fast in Lent?
What about invalids and the physically challenged who live with pain and hardship? Are they bound to observe the Lenten strictures of fasting and abstinence? I hope...
Why Do Some Reject Papal Primacy?
Browsing through the Internet, I am surprised at the number of Christian websites that contradict the Catholic Church’s understanding of the intent of Matthew 16:18, “You are...
What Cloth Must Go On The Altar?
A sacristan recently told me about a priest who refuses to cover the altar with a full-sized cloth because he doesn’t like “fancy decorations”. I was brought...
Is Calling Priests ‘Father’ Out Now?
A priest I know encourages his parishioners not to call him “Father” but to address him by his first name instead. I find this awkward because I...
Sin, Confession and Penance
As a sinner, I find myself confessing the same sins repeatedly. I have discovered that the priest gives a variety of penances for the same sin. This...
We Are Saints
Guest Editorial by Michael Shackleton Celebrating the memory of the great saints of the Church is an annual time to be happy, as it is on All...
