Have a question for Father? Send it to us, and we will post your question and answer on our website.

I thought the Mass was to be celebrated in the same manner in all parishes! When I visit another Church, the congregation is kneeling during the reception of the Eucharist, and kneeling during the Consecration, where we at St. Barnabas stand at those times. Also, during the Our Father, most people are not showing their hands. I thought Vatican II changed all that so that we are truly One Holy Catholic Church! Thanks for your email regarding appropriate posture during Mass. It’s important to remember that being the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church doesn’t necessarily mean that we all do things in exactly the same way. For example, all the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church (Byzantine, Ukrainian, Melchite, Maronite, etc.) are just as Catholic as the Roman Catholic Church but have done things in different ways. While in most Roman Catholic Churches, kneeling is the rule from the Holy, Holy, Holy to the Great Amen before the Our Father, in some churches, the configuration of the building makes it difficult to kneel for a length of time. At St. Barnabas for example, the pitch of the floor and the angle of the backs of the pews make it very difficult to kneel. In the United States, the standard position for receiving Holy Communion is standing, while a person may receive kneeling. The extension of the hands during the Our Father is the recent restoration of an ancient custom. Sometimes it takes a while for things to catch on. In some dioceses, not much has been said about it, and it is an option after all. Certainly the essentials of the Mass are the same, but you will find some variations in lesser things from place to place. - Father Ralph

Does the church still believe that Sunday is Holy and that work of any kind should be avoided? What about shopping or eating out on Sundays? In responding to your questions about the proper observance of Sunday, perhaps you may find this paragraph (2187) from the Catechism of the Catholic Church helpful: “Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.) and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity, the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees.” - Father Ralph

How do you explain why Catholics pray to the saints? We don't...... If we want, we can ask the saints to pray with us or for us, but prayer itself is directed to God. From the earliest times of Christian history, our community has believed that at death, life is changed, but not ended. Soooooo..... people whom we love and respect as good people are still there/here to help us. It's called the "Communion of Saints." Just as they helped us on earth, we believe that they still love us and want to help us from heaven, just as a good friend would here and now. It's like I believe my dad, who died almost 13 years ago now, is a saint. I talk to him everyday and ask him to continue to help me live life, as he did when he was physically here with me.... Does a Catholic HAVE to talk with the saints? No. Only if it helps you to deepen your relationship with God. - Father Bob

What do I say to those who say that they have been "born again" and that I have to be? Maybe something like: Me too! I was born again at my Baptism! Or, I was born again at my Confirmation! Isn't it great!! (And that might be as far as the conversation gets, if you're talking to a really fundamentalist Christian who does not believe that that counts!.... My master's thesis was on this area. Often the "discussion" isn't really a discussion. If you need to discuss this area further, give me a hollar.) - Father Bob

Does the Catholic Church really forbid artifical means of birth control, like the birth control pill? If so, are those who use artificial means committing a sin? We need to start with the fact that the sexual union of a man and a woman is ONLY appropriate within a marriage relationship. In this way, a husband and wife cooperate with God in simply providing the possibility for creation to continue. There is nothing more sacred that any human being can do than that. It is meant to be an act of faith of a husband and wife in each other, and an act of faith of both of them in God. The use of artificial means of controlling birth by pills or any other method becomes just that, an issue of control. If we honor God as the Lord of Life, then control over when life is to be created or not belongs to God. When we seek to take absolute control of what belongs to God, we find ourselves in very dangerous territory. The situation is often complicated by medical needs that may arise which may affect human conception and birth, and those situations need to be considered separately. Responsible parenthood is promoted by the Church, and natural family planning is meant to assist in that, but attempting to take total control is always seriously wrong. - Father Ralph

Does a Communal Penance Service take the place of individual Confession? A Communal Penance Service INCLUDES individual Confession. So it IS the sacrament of Confession. The communal form is used usually during times like Advent or Lent and usually involves community prayers and then simply and briefly standing in front of the priest to celebrate the sacrament, rather than going into a confessional. You can also make an appointment for individual Confession when convenient for you. P.S. Confession/Reconciliation has changed a lot over the years. It's a celebration of God's forgiveness, not an inquisition of details. I usually recommend that people try to celebrate it mayber 2 or 3 times a year to keep tabs on how they and where they most need to grow in their relationship with God and others. Try it! You'll like it!! - Father Bob

The Son of God is an understandable title for Jesus, but what does Son of Man mean for Him? The title “The Son of Man” is used both in the Old Testament (where God refers to the prophet Ezekial as the Son of Man) as well as in the New Testament. “It is used to designate Jesus Christ no fewer than eighty-one times - thirty times in St. Matthew, fourteen times in St. Mark, twenty-five times in St. Luke, and twelve times in St. John. (The remarkable thing is that the title was only used by Jesus to designate himself). The early Fathers were of the opinion that the expression was used out of humility and to show Christ's human nature, and this is very probable considering the early rise of Docetism (which claimed that Jesus was Spirit and his physical body was an illusion). Others think that He adopted a title which would not give [offense] to His enemies, and which, as time went on, was capable of being applied so as to cover His Messianic claims - to include everything that had been foretold of the representative man, the second Adam, the suffering servant of Jehovah, the Messianic king.” http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14144a.htm The title Son of Man is, therefore, used by Jesus to designate his humanity. He was truly born of human flesh. It is a title of humility, and it is a title that he calls himself to both reveal and conceal his divinity.- Father Michael

How does a priest get promoted? Who decides if and when a priest becomes bishop, cardinal, etc.? Every few years, each bishop is asked to draw up a list of priests thought to be good candidates to become bishops. Usually the bishop will consult the priests in his diocese to submit appropriate names to help in this determination. Lay folks are often consulted in a confidential process as well. From these suggestions, a diocesan bishop sends several names to the Archbishop (in our case, the Archbishop of Cincinnati), and from similar lists submitted by the other bishops in the State of Ohio, the Archbishop sends a list of several names to the Papal Nuncio (the Vatican Ambassador) in Washington, D.C. The Nuncio sends out letters to wide variety of people, both clergy and lay, to confidentially ask them their opinions of various priests that have been proposed. After all that information has been gathered, it is sent to the Congregation for Bishops (a cabinet-level office of the Pope which deals with the needs of dioceses around the world). The Congregation then makes suggestions to the Pope, who ultimately chooses those who are to become bishop. As for Cardinal, it is good to remember that the title of Cardinal is an honorary one. There are only three orders to the Sacrament of Holy Orders: deacon, priest and bishop. Cardinals are generally bishops who have been specially chosen by the Holy Father to be his advisers and to eventually elect a new Pope. Most of the Cardinals are bishops of some of the larger dioceses throughout the world. - Father Ralph

Can you explain why women cannot be priests? Do you think this will ever change? (Any insight as to why women can be priests in other faiths?) This is a question that I am just waiting for my daughter to ask me... Let me state first of all that by Baptism, we all share in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, and that enables the efforts of so many people, women and men alike, to take on a value that is unique and inestimable as far as the good that can be and is accomplished in the name of the Church. That common sharing in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to offer ourselves, along with the bread and wine offered at Mass, to be changed into the Body of Christ, which is another name for the Church and which is the work of a lifetime for all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. As to who may share in the Ordained Priesthood, that is a determination made by the Teaching Authority of the Church, that is the Pope and the Bishops in union with him throughout the world. That teaching authority, most recently during the time of Pope John Paul II, has stated that the Church does not have the authorization to change the teaching and practice of the Church that only males would be ordained to the priesthood. This is not meant to a complementary relationship between male and female. Briefly, this means that for people to be equal, not everyone needs to be able to do everything in the same way. What is most necessary is that we all learn how to truly respect one another for the gifts and talents that we have been given by God, and allow each other to use those gifts for the good of all. As for the question of whether I think this practice of the Church will ever change, my own reaction is that from all that has been said, I just do not see how that would be possible. But then, you’ll be glad to know that I am neither God nor the Pope! - Father Ralph

Where was St. Joseph when Christ was crucified? Dead..............probably. Not much is known about Joseph factually. There are lots of "pious legends," although they have no factual basis. Matthew and Luke talk about Joseph. But the last mention of him is by Luke when he looks for Jesus in the temple... It's presumed that Joseph died before Jesus began His public ministry. Plus, would Jesus, just before He died on the cross, have given the care of His mom to John, if Joseph were still alive? He was a good, faithful, loving, Jewish carpenter.... who obviously took really good care of Mary and Jesus. - Father Bob

Why is it that Sunday's aren't counted during Lent? I grew up honoring my Lenten promises every day of the week. Just recently, I heard people say you don't have to observe it on Sundays; is that true? Every Sunday is considered a “mini-Easter” celebrating the resurrection of the Lord. This is true even of the Sundays of Lent, even though the prayers and readings of these Sundays have a penitential character. If you count the “40 days of Lent” beginning with Ash Wednesday, you’ll find that such a count from Ash Wednesday does not include the Sundays of Lent. Many people, like yourself, choose to maintain their Lenten practices on the Sundays of Lent as well, but that would be the option of the individual. The important thing is to make the time of Lent different from the rest of the year, especially by means of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Keep up your good work, after all, a little extra never hurts! - Father Ralph

Is there a recommended reading list on Church history? That covers more than 2,000 years, so it kind of depends on what area of Church history you're wondering about. The reference book I use a lot is "Catholicism" by Fr. Richard McBrien. He's a professor at Notre Dame University. You can look up a topic, and he usually gives a clear history as well. You can also check the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops www.usccb.org by topic.... If all else fails -- "Google it"! - Father Bob

Matthew 26: 24 refers to Judas, "...but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." 1. Wasn't Judas' role necessary in God's plan? 2. Was Judas' despair a greater sin than his betrayal? To respond to your question, it might be good to consider Mary in contrast to Judas in thinking about those who are necessary in the plan of God. What I mean by that is, both Mary and Judas were invited to be a part of the plan of salvation. But neither was forced to do so. God provided the invitation. Mary responded so completely and wholeheartedly that she becomes a model for all Christians. Judas also responds, in his case, to be an Apostle. However, the influences of pride, greed and perhaps jealousy overcome him and cause him to become the betrayer. He becomes a good model of what NOT to do. He was not forced into that, but did what he did by his own free will. As to which sin is greater, despair or betrayal, lotsa luck in figuring that one out! In the Divine Comedy, Dante puts the betrayers in the lowest level of Hell because they loved someone and turned that love into hate. Despair is often seen as a sin of pride in the sense that a person convinces themselves that they have done something so terrible that it is beyond the power of God to forgive. As for Judas, the last thing the Scriptures say is that “Judas went out and hanged himself,” but the story may not stop there. We can only hope that in his last moments Judas was able to see the limitless forgiveness of Jesus to whom he had been so close, and that in a way that only God could provide, he was able to experience that forgiveness. - Father Ralph

Were women crucified, too? Yes, they were. There is not much written about it, but according to the Jewish historian, Josephus, when crucifixion was used on women, they faced the cross, whereas men were crucified with their backs to the cross. - Father Bob

Can one hour of perpetual adoration count as a Catholic's one hour with God per week, or is Mass required? Not sure where you got the "one hour with God per week" thing? Unless you're referring to what Jesus said to the disciples in the garden (Mt.26:40 "Could you not stay awake with me for one hour?") If so, Jesus was talking to the disciples at that moment, although it's been quoted to apply to different situations and attitudes toward prayer. Perpetual Adoration is a private personal devotion that some people do in their prayer life....others don't. Mass is called the "source and summit" of our prayer and our life as a community of faith, which we get together to do for "approximately" an hour a week (depending on how long the priest or deacon talks!) Bottom line?? We need to go to Mass to thank our God for being present in EVERY hour of our lives. - Father Bob

What is meant by "redemptive suffering?" Whenever we were in pain, suffering, or struggling as children my mother used to always say, and still does, “offer it up.” It drove me nuts, but I see know there’s much wisdom in this statement. Mother Theresa once said, while driving by a hospital, “there is so much wasted suffering here!” The idea is that suffering, while it is not God’s intent for us, can be redeemed. God can bring good from our suffering if we offer it to him and unite it to the suffering that Jesus endured on the cross. The catechism states that, “The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the ‘one mediator between God and men’.” It is through accepting suffering and taking up our cross that we are united with Christ in a deep and intimate way. Our suffering is not meaningless; rather it has absolute meaning if we see it in light of the cross. When we experience our suffering as a way of relating to Jesus, it becomes redemptive. We can find that, like the saints, we can not only accept the cross, but thank God for the cross because it unites us to the Paschal Mystery: Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. For a direct reference of this, please see the Catechism #618 or click here on the link below and go to the section: "Our participation in Christ's sacrifice." - Father Michael

If a couple was not married in the Church, what should they do to have their marriage recognized by the Church and also have their child baptized in the Church? Good question..... First of all, the Catholic community views marriage as such a precious vocation (and these days a very difficult one, too) that a Catholic is normally/supposed to be married by a priest/deacon for a valid marriage, to help remind them that they don't live their sacrament alone, but that God is always there to help and support....IF they let God. If they have not been married in the Church, all they have to do is call one of us and begin marriage preparation... If they have been married before, they would need an annulment (if their previous spouse is still alive), and we would help them work through that... That preparation is basically sitting down and talking about how well they talk; how their relationship is going; what faith means to them; talking about their strengths and their struggles. The preparation is adapted to the couple's needs and situation. After the preparation, if it looks like they are NOT going to kill each other in the near future---sorry--- if it looks like their love is everlasting, they then simply profess their vows in the Church, with the priest or deacon, 2 witnesses and whomever else they want to invite (or not). Secondly, for a baby to be baptized in the Catholic community, the mom/dad need to go to one baptism class that gives an overview of what baptism means; that it's not magic but a commitment to a relationship with Christ and the community of faith. But if a parent is not trying to live out that committment by weekly worship and daily life, then it doesn't make much sense to commit their child to doing it, does it? A child can be baptized as long as one of the parents is practicing their faith....and often the birth of a child, hopefully, causes the mom/dad to think about all this stuff. Hope this helps some, but if you have questions about the details, please call!! - Father Bob

Why do some sit down today while Communion is still being distributed? Tradition.... Traditionally, we usually knelt when Communion was distributed. Today, because of changes made by a Liturgical Commission in Rome, we generally stand, which is the more ancient posture of prayer. There are variations according to people's spirituality, physical ability or parish. Generally, now we stand until Communion is complete, but sometimes it might happen that the priest just doesn't notice that there is still a Eucharist Minister distributing in the back or it's been a REALLY long time for people to stand, so he may sit..... Either way, it's just a tradition. It doesn't hurt Jesus any either way. - Father Bob

Is it important to go to Confession at least once a year even if we ask for God's forgiveness at Mass each week? Whenever we ask God to forgive us, God does. No strings..... You never HAVE to go to confession, unless your conscience and heart tell you that you really need to be reconciled with God and the community because you have chosen to somehow seriously break your relationship or mortal sin. But we encourage people to celebrate God's forgiveness in the sacrament maybe two or three times a year anyhow....and to touch base with God through this sacrament, on where we have grown and most need to grow. - Father Bob

Does the Catholic faith believe that non-Christians (both atheists and those of other religions) will go to Heaven if they lead a loving life? Yep..... If a person, in their conscience, has tried their best, to the best of their knowledge, to lead a just, compassionate and loving life, that's all God asks of ANY person. - Father Bob

Why will Jesus come again to "judge the living and the dead"? Aren't the dead already judged at the time of their death, and a determination about whether or not they go to Heaven is made at that time? The fact of the final judgement ("He shall come again to judge the living and the dead") has been a consistent part of Church history... from the Nicene Creed in 325 through to the documents of Vatican Council II in 1965. The final or general judgement refers to the consumation/fulfillment of all history with the second coming of Christ to the human community. The particular or individual judgement points to the importance and uniqueness of each person in history as we stand before God within that community. Bottom line?? Yes, at our death, how WE have chosen to spend eternity and to continue to live life, begins....But we are part of a bigger picture, the entire human community. At the end of all history, somehow known to God (not me) our human community of which we are a part, will begin to live that new life too. - Father Bob

What is the attitude of the Catholic Church regarding cremation? Throughout the centuries the Catholic Church has followed the practice of burial of a body, out of respect for the body as a member of Christ's body and because of faith in the resurrection of the body. It has remained the traditional practice primarily because various groups in the past have promoted cremation as a defiance of Church teaching on the resurrection of the body. That situation no longer is prevalent. So since about 1963 the Church has permitted cremation...as long as it is not a sign of disrespect for the body or resurrection. (just f.y.i. I'm going to be cremated.) - Father Bob

What is the Church's view on "in vitro fertilization"/ assisted reproductive technologies? This is a really detailed and complicated topic that cannot be dealt with in a short space... During last October's Respect Life month we provided pamphlets on this topic and others at the doors of the Church, published by the U.S. Conference of Bishops. It tries to address this complicated topic in a clear, direct way. I put more of those pamphlets in the book rack for you. - Father Bob

What is the best way of disposing of old religious articles? 1) If they are in good shape you could package them up and take or send them to the Diocesan Propagation of the Faith Office. They give them to missionaries who may be in need of them. 2) If they are in bad shape, either burn or bury them. - Father Bob

Why is it that one can be absolved of murder but not absolved of divorce, but must go through the tribunal procedure? Both are absolved in confession, but it is recommended (and necessary IF a person intends to remarry) to go through the annulment process. As I wrote in a "Focus on Faith" article last year in the bulletin, the reason is: -- anytime anyone says "I do until the day I die," the Catholic community figures they meant it...So.... anyone who has been married before, of any faith, or no faith, needs an