Do Catholic Parents Have to Raise their Children as Catholics?

Posted on January 22, 2009 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: A friend’s daughter is planning to marry a Lutheran. They’re going to get married at our parish by the assistant pastor. My friend told me that nowadays, when a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, they don’t have to raise their children as Catholics. I was shocked! Is this true? –Tom Continue reading →

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Do Priests Have to Say Mass Every Day?

Posted on January 8, 2009 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q1: My husband and I watched a movie about medieval knights recently, and in it there were some monks who all went to their chapel in the middle of the night to pray and sing together. Is that still done in the Church anywhere today? –Alicia

Q2: We have a retired priest living in our parish rectory with the pastor. There’s one Mass scheduled per day during the week. They take turns saying it. I asked the parish secretary what time the other priest says Mass, if he doesn’t say the scheduled one. She looked surprised and said that they don’t say Mass unless it’s on the schedule. Can that be right? Aren’t priests required to say Mass every day?  –Julie Continue reading →

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Can We Receive Holy Communion Twice on Christmas Day?

Posted on December 18, 2008 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: When we were kids, we were told that on Christmas Day, we were allowed to receive Holy Communion twice, if we attended two Masses.  The same was true for Easter.  Is this still allowed?  –Margie Continue reading →

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Can a Priest Ever Reveal What is Said in Confession? (Part I)

Posted on December 4, 2008 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I know that a priest who hears confessions is forbidden to reveal their contents to others. But does that hold if someone admits in the confessional that he’s sexually molesting children? Isn’t the priest breaking the law if he fails to inform the authorities that he knows So-and-so is a child molester?  –Patrick Continue reading →

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The Priesthood and the Vow of Poverty

Posted on November 20, 2008 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: The pastor of my sister’s parish just bought a new car.  The car he traded in was only two years old.  He’s now driving one of the nicest cars in the whole parish. How can a priest keep buying new cars like this if he vowed poverty when he was ordained? –Rick Continue reading →

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