What Does the Church Teach about Transgender?
Transgender is an umbrella term. It includes people whose gender identity is the opposite of the sex they were assigned at birth, and it may also include...
Question & Answer
Can I Make my Confession Online?
Question: Could one make a confession over Zoom or other Internet services? Answer: The short answer is: No. The Church teaches that sacramental confession and absolution require...
Can Lay People Give a Blessing at Communion?
Question: I have been to churches where young children and those not receiving the Eucharist still process forward at Communion time and receive a blessing. My own...
Who May Conduct a Communion Service?
Question: Is an Extraordinary Eucharistic minister of Holy Communion allowed to conduct a Communion service and distribute Holy Communion without a priest or deacon being present? Answer:...
Are Saints Relics Morbid?
By Father Kenneth Doyle – Question: I am a Catholic convert and support all the dogmas of the church. But there is one practice that I must...
How Late May I Be for Mass?
Answered by Fr Thomas Plastow SJ Question: If I arrive at church after Mass has begun, how late may I be before I am not allowed to...
What is the Cross on Our Cover?
Question: I’ve noticed that each month, the cover of The Southern Cross features a cross with four smaller crosses. What do these crosses denote, and why are...
Who are South Africa’s Three Cardinals?
The first local cardinal was Owen McCann, archbishop of Cape Town from 1950-84. Born in 1907 in Cape Town, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal...
What are a Priest’s Vestments called and what do they mean?
The coloured vestment people see during Mass is called a chasuble and is one of four vestments priests wear for mass. Three are put on before the...
What are the Tasks and Ranks of Cardinals?
Question: How many different types of Cardinals are there? And what do they actually do? Answer: The role of a cardinal is historically and primarily that of...
