Q1: Why did Pope John Paul II claim that he can’t allow women to be priests? If he’s the Pope, and has absolute authority, who can prevent him from changing the current rule? –Jennifer
Q2: How can it be that Catholics have the right to receive the sacraments, yet women cannot be ordained? I heard a woman arguing in support of women’s ordination in this way, and didn’t know how to respond. –Thomas Continue reading
Q: There’s a woman in my parish who does sidewalk counseling outside an abortion clinic. She has a lot of pro-life literature that she keeps in the trunk of her car. I looked at some of it recently and found a flyer that says that women who have abortions are excommunicated from the Church. I had never heard this before. Is this true? If so, why don’t our priests preach this fact from the pulpits? Everyone should be made aware of this! –Joanne Continue reading
Q: The noon Mass last Sunday was supposed to be offered for my deceased grandmother. I scheduled the Mass with the parish secretary and gave a monetary offering long ago. The bulletin listed my grandmother as the intention for that Mass. But when we got to church, there was a visiting priest who concelebrated the Mass with our pastor, and he mentioned several times that he was offering the Mass for the intention of new vocations from our parish. I don’t have anything against praying for vocations, but that Mass was supposed to be for my grandmother! How could they change the Mass intention like that? What should I do? –Matthew Continue reading
Q: A non-Christian friend asked me a question about the Church and I didn’t know how to answer her. She wanted to know whether the pope, since he is the highest authority in the Church, can command anything he wants, like oblige all of us Catholics to wear green on Sundays or silly things like that. It sounds like a joke, but I’m serious! What are the rules on what the pope can and can’t do? –Celine Continue reading
Q: I did some really stupid things in my earlier years, and am wondering whether I got myself excommunicated. How can I find out? –Bill Continue reading
Canon lawyers are not responsible for the content of canon law. The Supreme Legislator is. Only Pope Francis can change the Code of Canon Law, so if you're not happy with what the law says, please take it up with him.
