First of all, please accept my condolences on the death of your child.
Indeed, you can and should have a funeral for your child and any miscarried baby can have a Catholic funeral. Quite often hospitals and obstetricians give parents who don’t carry a child to term a hard time when they ask for the remains of their child. Catholic teaching professes that life begins at conception and that the child has a soul at that juncture as well. Often the healing that comes along with grief is not offered to the parents of a miscarried child, thinking that “they’ll get over it and have another child.”
A second common misconception is that a baby that dies needs immediate baptism. While it almost sounds…

Contact the proper authorities. Any parish, diocesan office or local police station can hear your suspicions, help you evaluate the evidence you do have, and take appropriate action. If the priest has several other allegations against him, even if you do not have proof, another person voicing suspicions will call attention to the matter. Still, make real sure of your suspicions. Has the victim told you he or she has been abused? A false allegation can destroy people’s lives, both the life of the supposed perpetrator, in this case the priest, and also the suspected victim. No one, especially a child or adolescent, wants to be embroiled in the fantasy of someone’s overactive imagination, and have everyone…

First of all, we know that the Bible contains enormous amounts of historical facts, many of which have been verified by historians and archaeologists. What we can say about the Bible is that it was not primarily concerned with facts. The human authors, guided by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, set forth to relate a story of faith that took place within a historical context. This means that their focus was on the faith experience and the revealing of God’s saving grace in human history. For them, facts were secondary. As a result, there are some historical incongruities in the Bible. Despite this, Catholics confidently say that we believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. This means that, when it comes to truth…

The first thing I wonder on reading your question is why you feel the need to make such a distinction? Jesus commands, “Stop Judging that you may not be judged” (Mt 7:1). St. Ignatius counsels that the first question one should ask if one feels the need to correct another is if one is, in truth and love, the one to make the correction. Maybe the correction will be better received and appropriated if the appropriate person suggests the correction.
On another level, the answer to your question is rather obvious: ask the person. Only a person in the sanctity of their own conscience can decide if he or she is rejecting the Catholic faith. Only the person can tell you if they are rejecting the faith. And, even if they do so…

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “May fifth”) is a relatively minor Mexican holiday commemorating the Battle of Puebla of May 5, 1862, in which Mexican forces defeated an invading French army far superior in numbers and equipment. Mexico only temporarily halted the French invasion; French reinforcements soon conquered the capital and it was not until 1867 that Mexico finally freed itself from French control.
However, Cinco de Mayo has taken on a life of its own in the United States, celebrated by Mexican-Americans and many others. Some parishes with significant Mexican populations participate in civic or community activities to celebrate the holiday. Any national or cultural holiday is a good occasion to…

With the headlines blaring these days about priests who have been abusive to children, it’s important to note that we’re talking about a small percentage of priests who have abused children. Nonetheless, it’s a serious problem that we all hold some responsibility to keep at bay.
I would say that the first thing we should do is apologize on behalf of the church that we are part of, even though we haven’t done anything. We are part of a family of faith and if a member of your immediate family had done something horrible you’d be quick to apologize.
Secondly, I would note four things that I have found to be helpful. One is to be vigilant. All dioceses have classes for people who work with children…

Many Christians are surprised to learn that the Qur’an contains numerous references to Mary. In fact, there is a sura (chapter) entitled “Maryam” (Arabic for Mary) — the only sura in the Qur’an that bears the name of a specific woman. This chapter includes a scene where Mary is told she will be the mother of Jesus. In this scene, just as in the Gospel of Luke, Mary questions how this birth could take place, given that she is a virgin: “‘How can I have a son,’ she said, ‘when no man has touched me, nor am I sinful?’” (Sura 19, verse 20)

Obviously, the Qur’an’s portrayal of Mary diverges from the Gospels in other key areas (among other things, Muslims believe that Mary’s son was a prophet, not God, as Christians believe). But it’s striking to see that the virginal conception of Jesus is a point of common ground between Christianity and Islam. In fact, the very positive portrayal of Mary in the Qur’an has been seen by some scholars as a potentially powerful bridge between Muslims and Christians. Whatever their differences, both faiths portray Mary as someone worthy of respect.

After China became communist, as the government sought to limit foreign influences and unite people in Chinese institutions, it prohibited religious institutions with loyalties to foreign governments. Only government-recognized and approved religious groups could exist officially. Practicing religion was allowed; declaring allegiance to a foreign authority such as the Pope in Rome was not. The government established the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association in 1957 to exercise supervision over China’s Catholics, and this official body remains the only recognized Catholic authority in China today. Its bishops are subject to approval by the government. Some of them also have approval from…

This is the prayer that is offered by the priest during confession also known as the sacrament of reconciliation or penance.
After one confesses their sins, the priest might give some advice to them and then give them a penance–an act of making amends, usually a few prayers offered to God. They then ask them to say the formal prayer the act of contrition. When that is done they then offer the prayer of absolution which formally forgives their sins ritualistically.
Here are the words, some of the most beautiful in all of Catholic tradition:
God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of your son, you have reconciled the world to yourself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of…

Question: Are Catholic Women Allowed to Dress Sexy? Someone once told me that it was being immodest to do so and that this was sinful behavior.
Answer: As in most things, the answer depends on the object of your intentions. Are you dressing sexy in the hope of attracting someone with whom you want to have sex that night? Is your clothing too revealing to the point where it is clearly a “sexual overload for anyone who you hope to catch their eye (revealing way too much and leaving nothing to the imagination)?
Some would give the excuse that they should be able to dress however they want and that it’s another’s problem if they receive their outfit in a sexual manner. Granted, for some, even a nice pair of…

It’s important to understand the Jewish dietary laws within the broader context of the covenant. For the people of Israel, the Law describes in everyday practical ways how to honor God and remain faithful to him, outlining the proper conduct that is expected of a faithful Jew. Thus, the Law was not seen as a burden, but as a guide to sustaining a relationship with God and with his people.

In the Book of Genesis, it is stipulated that God provided all fruits and vegetables for human food (Gn 1:29) The dietary laws, mostly found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, pertain to food from animals, birds, and fish. For a food to be kosher or fit for consumption, it must meet the following criteria: the animal must have a cloven hoof…

India is the world’s largest secular democracy, but it is also home to tremendous religious diversity, which sometimes plays out in devastating religious conflicts. Christians (the majority of whom are Catholic) make up little more than 2% of the population, and thus religious divisions involving Catholics have not been as prominent as tensions between Hindus and Muslims. Christianity’s long history in India seemed to protect it from some of the imperialist associations it has in other Asian countries, and Catholic institutions such as schools and hospitals enjoy great popularity.
However, a majority of Catholics in India belong to a lower-caste group called Dalits. The lowest-caste status of untouchability…

There are several thoughts that I’d like to share about this. The first being a simple one. You can talk to your pastor about how you might improve the “performance” aspect of the music at mass–which is what I think you are really referring to. Perhaps you are a good singer and can offer your own gifts and talents here.
The second thought is that perhaps this is an opportunity to be mindful. To consider that the music wasn’t really composed for you to like or dislike. Rather, this was someone’s prayer. The composer sat down and wrote a piece of music designed not to move US, but rather, to move GOD.
Now some would also say “If THAT music was made to move God, than perhaps one may…

Well, you can.  The question is should you?  More importantly, what is God asking of you in this situation?  Mostly consider refraining from sex until after the wedding.  Even if you are now in a “committed relationship” you are still immersed in a culture whose first commandment is, “If it feels good, do it.”  Maybe the idea of “Wait! It will feel and be even better!” is worth considering.

There is so much wrong with the hook-up culture in which so many young people try and form their minds and hearts and prepare for marriage.  But the worst thing about hook-ups (solely physical sex without any expectation of any further connection, let alone relationship) is that such encounters make sex so much…

The communion of saints is one of the things that I love most about being Catholic. In brief, it’s the belief that there’s a family bond, a communion, between all believers in Christ – those who have died, as well as those of us who are still alive. This understanding helps explain the Catholic belief in intercessory prayer: just as we might ask a friend or family member to pray for us, so we can ask members of our heavenly family to do the same, and to support us as we strive to live a good life. As it says in Lumen Gentium, “just as Christian communion among wayfarers brings us closer to Christ, so our companionship with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues every grace and the…

The Bible does not specifically identify gambling as a sin but rather offers a number of warnings about the dangers of money, specifically

1Timothy 6:10 which teaches that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
While the word gambling does not appear in the Bible, it is important to note that at the root of gambling is an excessive desire for money and material possessions, which the Bible does indeed warn against. (Luke 16:13)
Likewise, gambling represents an attempt to make money without doing any work which is a laziness that the Bible warns against (Proverbs 10:4)
In addition, gamblers, by their very nature, covet money, which is a violation of the Tenth Commandment.  Finally, gambling represents…

If I know some of the products I buy (like Nike sneakers for example) were made in sweatshops, am I morally bound by the church not to purchase them?

Are you morally bound by the church or your conscience?  The church teaches you must follow your rightly formed conscience.  Check out this video of Jim Keady who gave up a job as a soccer coach at St. John’s University rather than wear Nike apparel.

Jim now spends his life trying to educate us on the issues you raise.  Visit his website  http://educatingforjustice.org/

Walter LaFeber’s Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism (Norton 2002) revealed that Nike paid Jordan more per year to be Nike’s “face” than they paid all the women combined who labored…

Great question! For different people, obviously there will be different answers based on what inspires them and perhaps a personal preference for a particular kind of literature.
Since you asked me, I will say that I really can’t narrow down my choices to just one. The ones that inspire me the most are The Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John in the New Testament. And in the Old Testament I’m a great fan of the WIsdom Literature: Ecclesiastes and Job as well as the book of Proverbs.
Perhaps, the last one I mention, Proverbs, is the one I’d be forced to take. After all, I know most of the stories in the Gospels and in the two Wisdom books I mentioned. But Proverbs provides us with age-old wisdom in the form…

Great question! For different people, obviously there will be different answers based on what inspires them and perhaps a personal preference for a particular kind of literature.
Since you asked me, I will say that I really can’t narrow down my choices to just one. The ones that inspire me the most are The Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John in the New Testament. And in the Old Testament I’m a great fan of the WIsdom Literature: Ecclesiastes and Job as well as the book of Proverbs. Perhaps, the last one I mention, Proverbs, is the one I’d be forced to take. After all, I know most of the stories in the Gospels and in the two Wisdom books I mentioned. But Proverbs provides us with age-old wisdom in the form…

Sure you can.  The question is should you?  More importantly, what is God asking of you in this situation?  A helpful book for you would be Dean Brackley’s The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times.

More intriguing is the fact you are asking the question.  Obviously, you are aware that as Catholics, we find pornography abusive and troubling on many levels.  Pornography “does grave injury to the dignity of the participants… since one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others” (CCC #2354).  The Catechism goes on to speak of porn’s more subtle and  insidious damage.  Porn immerses one in “a fantasy world.”  Such fantasy can make it very difficult to live with reality. …