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As of April 21, 2025, the Apostolic See is vacant. By law, during the vacancy nothing is to be altered in the governance of the universal Church (c. 335).
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Category Archives: Sacraments
How Can Arranged Marriages be Valid?
Q: While doing journalistic research recently, I was shocked to discover that even in this day and age, there are some countries and cultures where parents still arrange their children’s marriages. The bride and groom don’t know each other, and … Continue reading
Posted in Marriage, Sacraments
Tagged arranged marriage, canon law, Catholic, forced marriage, underage
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Who Decides Whether a Catholic Has Been Excommunicated?
Q: My (big mouthed!) spiritual director directly broke the seal of confession (names and sins) privately to me not once but twice (same conversation)…. When it happened, I called him out on it and told him he had just excommunicated … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Confession, Crimes and Sanctions, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, Catholic, confession, excommunicated, latae sententiae, sacramental seal
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Excommunication and the Seal of Confession (Sanctions, Part VI)
Q: My question relates to the seal of the confessional because I am wondering if I broke it. I know I acted imprudently, but whether or not I broke it is somewhat unclear to me…. I was hearing confessions and … Continue reading
Posted in Confession, Crimes and Sanctions, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, Catholic, sacramental seal, seal of confession
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Bishops Interfering in Parish Ministry, Part II
Q: The bishop of [a diocese in the US] is giving an annual retreat which nearly every priest in the diocese must attend, leaving parishes without priests, daily Mass, and access to the sacraments for four days. He stated that … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Holy Mass, Parish Life, Rights of the Faithful, Sacraments
Tagged bishop, canon law, Catholic, clergy, diocese, retreat
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Preventing Desecration of the Eucharist
Q: My diocese has seen a spate of attempted thefts of the Eucharist. Usually this happens when someone receives the Host and tries to put It into his/her pocket. Once, though, someone approached a deacon with money and tried to … Continue reading
Posted in Crimes and Sanctions, Holy Mass, Parish Life, The Eucharist
Tagged canon law, Catholic, desecration, eucharist, holy communion, satanism, satanist
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