Ask a Franciscan

Was Jesus Born in December?

Pat McCloskey, OFM October 21, 2024

Do we celebrate Christmas in December because we know he was born in that month? If not, why is his birth celebrated then?

Q: Many TV shows include sexual remarks or people sleeping with people to whom they are not married. I don’t watch much television, but I do enjoy several hospital-based programs that have good plots but frequently include these situations, which are ...

Is There a Heaven?

Pat McCloskey, OFM May 13, 2020

Q: All my life we have been told that when we die we will be with God for all eternity. I sometimes feel, however, that when you die that’s it—no heaven, God or anything. It’s frightening to think that what I ...

Receiving Holy Communion in a Protestant Church

Pat McCloskey, OFM May 13, 2020

I recently attended the wedding of a friend’s son who was married in a Protestant ceremony. This wedding included a communion service. In order to show respect for my friend and his son, I received communion but afterwards questioned if ...

Marks of Respect Vary by Culture

Pat McCloskey, OFM May 13, 2020

Why do people kiss the pope’s ring? This strikes me as a very odd custom and is certainly not based on the Bible. I have never found anyone who could give me a good explanation for this practice.

Man walks on the beach | Photo by David Monje on Unsplash

Has Anyone Seen God Face-to-Face?

Pat McCloskey, OFM May 13, 2020

From the description in Genesis 3:8-24, it does not sound as though Adam and Eve saw God face-to-face. When Moses encountered the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22), he heard God speak but did not see God.

Substituting for the Gloria

Pat McCloskey, OFM May 12, 2020

For the past few years, from midnight Christmas through Epiphany, the director of music in our parish has elected to use "Angels We Have Heard on High" instead of the Gloria. What is proper in this regard?

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