Ask Father

DEAR FATHER: When I was young, my parents and teachers told me that Sunday Mass was very special; we were visiting with God. We showed our respect by wearing our best clothes, blessing ourselves with holy water as we entered the church in…

Dear Father: The summer months are a busy time with lots of recreational activities, vacation time, and yard work. The garden and the lawn seem to always need attention, whether it’s watering, pulling weeds, or mowing. Is working in your…

Q. Dear Father:  I grew up with a mom who always told me to “offer it up” whenever anything went wrong. Now that I am an adult, I wonder if maybe I need a more grown-up understanding of “offering up” sacrifices. What exactly does that…

Dear Father, The husband of a dear friend committed suicide two years ago. She is still in a state of shock and can barely function normally. Is there anything I can do to help her? — AT A LOSS Let me begin with a story. St. John Vianney,…

DEAR FATHER: I don’t go to church that often, but I enjoy going with the relatives on holidays like Christmas and Easter. On those occasions I also like to go to Communion with all the family — it gives us a special sense of togetherness,…

Dear Father, I have a neighbor who loves to gossip. She doesn’t hesitate to mention anything bad about other people. She justifies her conduct by saying that the Bible recommends it. She quotes John 8:32: “And you will know the truth and…

Dear Father:  In our culture it seems that celebrating Christmas starts earlier and earlier each year. Stores get out the Christmas merchandise in October! As a grandmother, I want to instill in my grandchildren the importance and…

DEAR FATHER: I was reading a spiritual book about personal prayer, and in the book it talks about how to get into a meditative state and just talk to God. I have a wandering mind and find it very difficult to get into a meditative state of…

by Msgr. Stuart Swetland Dear Father: In the Apostles’ Creed, we profess our belief in “the resurrection of the body.” In the post-Resurrection Gospels, Jesus is able to pass through doors, eat actual food, and show his wounds to St.…

by Fr. Hugh Vincent Dyer, OP Q Dear Father: In the wake of the recent scandals in the Church, I’m wondering about sacraments that accused clergy administered before the Church removed them from active ministry or laicized them. Are all of…