Neela Kale is a writer and catechetical minister based in the Archdiocese of Portland. She served with the Incarnate Word Missionaries in Mexico and earned a Master of Divinity at the Jesuit School of Theology. Some of her best theological reflection happens on two wheels as she rides her bike around the hills of western Oregon.

	February 9th, 2012 What does the Church teach about homosexuality? The Catholic Church's teaching on all aspects of human sexuality is derived from our belief that God created human beings, male and female, out of love, and gave us a special vocation to love and ...
	December 22nd, 2011 Can you tell me about Christmas traditions from the Philippines? One beautiful Christmas tradition in the Philippines is the novena known as Simbang Gabi, from Tagalog words meaning “night worship” (sometimes translated as “misa de gallo” or “mass of the rooster” because of the early ...
	November 24th, 2011 Why do engaged couples have to do marriage preparation? Marriage in the Catholic Church is different from civil marriage. It is no mere legal contract, easily made and easily broken; rather, it is a covenantal relationship in which a man and woman commit ...
	November 17th, 2011 Should I offer a small offering of money to my pastor for doing my wedding on top of the church fees? Fees for a wedding ceremony go directly to the parish and are generally applied to administrative expenses: church upkeep and utilities, staff time and paperwork. The pastor receives a salary from the parish; weddings ...
	November 10th, 2011 Is it appropriate to invite my priest to my wedding reception? If you’re planning a Catholic wedding, then you and your fiancé have been working closely with your priest throughout the preparation process. He has probably met with you many times, helped you to arrange ...
	November 3rd, 2011 What is appropriate attire for priests when they are “off-duty”? Priests should dress tastefully and modestly, just as we all should, whether they are “on” or “off” duty. But, except for members of some religious orders that wear habits, they don’t have to follow any ...
	October 27th, 2011 My mother wants my crazy aunt to sing at my wedding.  Auntie can’t sing but she thinks she can.  How should I decline the offer without making waves? If your only disagreement with your family about your wedding has to do with your aunt’s voice, you’re probably ahead of the game. But in the interest of family harmony, rather than reminding your ...
	October 20th, 2011 Are seminarians supposed to wear something distinctive so women will know they are unavailable? Although Roman collars, habits and wedding rings are widely recognizable signs of the wearer’s life commitment, these visual markers are customs, not requirements (except in the case of some religious orders that do require the ...
	October 13th, 2011 Why can’t I have my dog in my wedding? If your dog is a service dog and you or another member of your wedding party depend on it in order to participate in the ...
	October 13th, 2011 What’s the first step in an annulment process? The best answer to your question is that you should first make an appointment with your parish priest. Each person’s situation is different and each annulment case is unique; your priest will work with you ...
	September 8th, 2011 My employee wears very revealing clothing on the job. How should I address this with her? Does your workplace have a dress code? If so, remind your employee that when she was hired she agreed to follow it. Review the dress code with her during her performance evaluation or ...
	August 25th, 2011 I found an opposing team’s football playbook in the garbage bin outside their school in my neighborhood. Should I share it with my coaches and teammates? Imagine that an opposing team’s player found your team’s playbook and wanted to share it with his teammates. Would that help you to answer your own question? The eighth commandment (do not bear ...
	August 18th, 2011 How can I stop leering at my very attractive married coworker? Your coworker’s marital status is actually insignificant – the fact that you describe your behavior as “leering” suggests that it has gone beyond appropriate admiration and become an expression of lust. How can you ...
	August 9th, 2011 Can you bring your baby to work? The answer depends on your employer’s policies, as well as on whether you’re a day care provider, an office worker, or a firefighter, to give just a few possibilities. Some parents, occasionally or regularly, ...
	August 2nd, 2011 What is the proper attire for mass? Schools that require students to wear uniforms know that we take things more seriously when we are dressed for the occasion. Our dress communicates a great deal about who we are and what is ...
	July 27th, 2011 My son’s first communion rehearsal is the same time as his drum lesson, and we pay a lot of money for the drum lesson. Do we still have to go? First communion day is very special for children. After a long period of preparation, they will finally receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time. There is often a lot ...
	July 25th, 2011 Why can’t I chew gum in church? A church building is a special place calling for special behavior. While the church is our home and we should feel comfortable there – indeed, the ...
	July 20th, 2011 My daughter’s first communion dress isn’t ready yet. Why won’t the pastor change the mass time? Congratulations on your daughter’s upcoming first communion! Of course you want to make sure that it is special, but don’t lose sight of what is really important. First communion is not about the ...
	July 20th, 2011 I’m thinking of becoming a stripper to make extra money on the side for college and eventually medical school, so I can help the poor. The job only entails dancing behind a glass wall and there’s no sexual touching involved. Is this morally objectionable? The Catholic Church teaches that human sexuality is a beautiful gift from God. It allows us to love others and, in a special way, to truly give ourselves in love to one other person...
	July 12th, 2011 My child gags when practicing consuming the unconsecrated host for her first communion. What should I do to eliminate the yuck factor? It’s good that you’re tackling this issue before first communion day. Make sure your child understands that you expect reverent behavior; do not encourage or tolerate any kind of silliness around the act of ...