Category Archives: “How To…” – Practical Notes

ASK FATHER: According to Paul VI do female readers have to remain outside the sanctuary?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Greeting Father! Corpus Christi Watershed has an interesting post regarding female altar servers: In this article they mention Pope Paul VI allowing the use of female readers. It shows clearly they are allowed only when a male is … Read More →

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ACTION ITEM COMPLETED: Custom breastplate for Swiss Guard being made!

UPDATE: Hurray!  You did it.  I am removing the donation button.  But if you are still eager to donate something… there’s always my button on the sidebar! Apparently the last donation was pretty large and it put them well over … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Lied to the priest. Is our marriage valid?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Many years ago when my wife and I got married we were not serious Catholics. We cohabitated before we were married, and I think we even may have lied to the priest about it but I’m … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Mass in the living room

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Our parish priest has agreed to say mass in our home living room. How should we set up furniture wise to accommodate this? Thank you. If your manor house has a chapel, as in Brideshead Revisited, it is appropriate … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Dealing with “blessings” from Extraordinary Ministers of Communion

From a reader… QUAERITUR: At Mass yesterday, I saw an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion dispensing “blessings” for those in line who have not yet received their First Communion or were choosing simply to come up for a blessing. As … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Father says that rubrics are only suggestions

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I am a member of a consultative body for our parish. During a lively (for lack of a less-positive term) discussion at a recent meeting we were told by our pastor that the GIRM is, in … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Confession and absolution via text message? Phone? VOIP?

A question pops up once in a while and I have dealt with it before.  Can you be absolved over the phone or by internet?  NO.  That would be INVALID. I was alerted to this post at the site of … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Stole-less confession. Okay?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Does a priest have to wear a stole during confession? I surprised a priest and asked for confession and he did without a stole. No, a priest does not have to wear a stole. The stole is … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Membership in a parish, borders, registration

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I am a parishoner at an ethnic church in the Archdiocese of X with national boundaries where there are Masses, sacraments, services, etc in my preferred language. However, I live 20 minutes away in the Diocese of Y. Who … Read More →

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Ancient Greek Fish on Friday

One of the blogs I follow is Pass the Garum. They recently moved to a new site, by the way. As you know from reading this blog for a while, garum is a fermented fish sauce that the Romans put … Read More →

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