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Readers Respond: Do You Have a Question About Catholicism?
Responses: 48

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Beliefs & Teachings

From the article: Reader Questions From 2009

Two thousand years of history and development of doctrine has made Catholicism a rich and varied religion. That variety, however, can sometimes lead to confusion. Ask any ten Catholics a question, and you might receive ten different answers. Do you have a question that you would like answered? Submit it here, and I will try to work it into our Reader Questions series. Ask Your Question!

Organ Donation

After reading your response about donating one's body to science, I'm wondering how donating an organ fits into this. If at the final resurrection, my physical body no longer has my liver, or eyes, or lungs, etc., how does that factor into our decision regarding organ donation?
—Guest carolmb

Multiple Marriages

My husband and I have been married for 25 years. This is my second marriage and his fourth. We are Catholic converts of about 14 years and very active in our church. We were not married in the church. Should we seek annulment for our previous marriages?
—Guest Anne

Adultery and Communion

If a person is living an adulterous lifestyle and attends Mass, can he receive Communion?
—Guest Maria

Unmarried and Receiving Communion

Please clarify if a couple who are not married in a Catholic church can receive Holy Communion. How can they remedy the situation if the other party is separated from previous wife?
—carolparada

Divorce, Annulment, and Communion

I was married in the Church in 1984. My husband became an alcoholic and became violent. I divorced him after he held a loaded gun to my head. I cannot locate him to get an annulment. I have been receiving Communion after Confession and I want to know if I am OK doing this. I have been divorced for over 20 years, and I love the Lord and now live alone since my only son is 29 and living in Dallas. Am I sinning because I do receive Communion and my marriage has not been annulled?
—klasskat

Why Won't the Church Marry Us?

My husband was married before, but not in the Church. I had never been married, but the Church would not marry us. Why?
—Guest Rachel Leyba

TV/Radio Mass and Our Sunday Duty

I understand that the intent of Sunday Mass is to worship in a community. When one cannot attend Sunday Mass due to work, transportation, illness, etc., does going to Mass and actively participating via the TV or radio count? The theory being something is better than nothing . . . If not, then why have them?
—Guest dprodriguez@wi.rr.com

Our Sunday Duty and Holy Communion

At what stage in the Mass when you come in can you not take Holy Communion?
—Guest fredrickmuthuri@yahoo.co.uk

Baptizing Children of Unmarried Mother

Would I be able to have my two children baptized, as I am not married? I am a Catholic, and my son attends a Catholic school, and I would like them both to be brought up in the Catholic faith.
—Guest Janet

Indulgences

I have been reading about indulgences and their reintroduction since Vatican II but my question is what practical use are they? I read indulgences were originally for reducing penance time by the early Christians since they were enduring hardship by being persecuted by the Romans they felt they did not need further penance. Since then the practice of indulgences has grown to include punishment due to sins in this life and also in purgatory. I read that at baptism all our sins are forgiven and all our punishments including temporal in this life and purgatory and eternal punishment (hell) is remissed. So, if God forgives us and remisses our punishment at baptism why does he only forgive us at the sacrament of penance but not remiss our punishment there as well since he did it in baptism?
—Guest carl

Christ died for original or all sins??

Please clarify this point for me. My Husband is Lutheran, and whenever I go w/him to church, inevitably "Christ died for all our sins" comes up. I thought I was taught in catechism that He died to forgive original sin. Our own sinning is our responsibility to repent for, not forgiven because we believe in Christ & that He died for our sins. Am I correct here, or did I not get this right?? Since I don't hear it preached this way in Catholic services, I think this must be a protestant theory?? Thanks for your help
—Redhead56

Choosing a Patron Saint

How do I determine which saint to choose as my Patron Saint? For some reason, my confirmation name is listed as being "Lisa". I have no idea where that came from.
—annakpennington

Married Anglican Priests and Conversion

What will happen to the wife and children of a married Anglican priest who becomes a priest in the Catholic Church? Will they be the Church's responsibility?
—Guest Dike Eugene