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Category Archives: Clergy Issues
When Can a Layperson Be a Pastor of a Parish?
Q: My sister-in-law and I were having an innocent conversation about our parishes, and ended up in a huge fight. I made some comment like, “the pastor of a parish always has to be a priest,” and she went ballistic, … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Parish Life
Tagged canon law, Catholic, layperson, moderator, parish, pastor
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Opus Dei and Personal Prelatures
Q: My mom is a supernumerary [i.e., a lay member] in Opus Dei. She is freaking out because Pope Francis recently forced changes on Opus Dei’s leadership and now they have to change their statutes. She says that the Pope … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Other Canonical Questions
Tagged canon law, Catholic, Opus Dei, personal prelature
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What’s a Benefice? Eliminating Financial Corruption in the Church
Q: Can you please explain what exactly a benefice is, and how it works in the Church today? …I recently endured a tirade from an anti-Catholic evangelical, who among a million other things was bashing the Church for its financial … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues
Tagged benefice, canon law, Catholic, clergy
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Can Laypeople Hold Top Vatican Positions?
Q: My husband and I are hoping that you can clear up our confusion about the significance of this article … about Pope Francis reorganizing the different offices in the Vatican. It sounds to us like the Pope says that … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Other Canonical Questions, Rights of the Faithful, The Pope
Tagged canon law, Catholic, clergy, laypeople, Lumen Gentium, power of governance, Praedicate Evangelium
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Does an Excommunicated Priest Administer Valid Sacraments? (Part II)
(Part I of this article was posted on April 28, 2022, and can be read here.) We have been discussing a scenario described to us by John, who wanted to know if his confirmation was administered invalidly. John was concerned … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Crimes and Sanctions, Sacraments
Tagged baptism, canon law, Catholic, confirmation, excommunicate, invalid, marriage, priest, schism, validity
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