Q: Are the homilies of priests and deacons critiqued? The homily quality among preachers varies considerably. Some are outstanding; others are poor. Are continuing education classes available and/or required for clergy especially in the area of homily development and presentation? A: Yes, the homilies of priests and deacons, are always …

Q: In Matthew 24, Jesus says no one knows when the world will end. He says that the Son does not know, only the Father. The Son is consubstantial with the Father in the Trinity. How can the Father know and the Son not know? This puzzles me. A: The …

Dear Father: What happened to Purgatory? Haven’t heard about it for decades. Did it go away? What are the past and current teachings of the church on the subject? Dear Reader: Thank you for your question. Purgatory is still very much a part of church teaching. In paragraphs 1030-1032 of …

Father David Endres, PhD., recently appointed Dean of the Athenaeum and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, will write a regular column for The Catholic Telegraph beginning with the July 2016 edition of the newspaper. In addition to his administrative position at the seminary, Father Endres is an Assistant Professor of Church History …

Dear Father: : As we begin this Year of Mercy, I began to wonder about confession. How are priests trained to hear confessions? Dear Reader: The training of priests to hear confessions has changed over the centuries. Prior to the Council of Trent (1545-1563), priests were trained largely through an …

Dear Father: I hate to sound cynical and tired, but do we really need a Year of Mercy after all the specially designated Years (Jubilee Year, Rosary, Eucharist, St. Paul, Faith, Consecrated Life, etc.) we have had? Dear Reader: Yes. We need such a year. Recently I attended a talk on Luke’s …

Dear Father: What’s the purpose of a homily? Is it to reflect on the scriptures, to teach or give catechism, to talk about the saint of the day or current events?  Dear Reader: The answer to your questions can be found in recent church documents. Your question deals with the …

  Dear Father: Why aren’t non-Catholics allowed to receive the Eucharist? I’ve talked to my parish priest and his response was two-fold:   They need to be in union with the Catholic Church, and they must believe that the Eucharist is the body of Christ, not just a symbol of Christ’s …

Dear Father: Year after year and month after month, I have been wondering why does the creed we recite during Sunday Mass state that Christ “rose again?” When was the first time He rose? I checked my Lithuanian creed interpretation and it does not state “He rose again.”  In Lithuanian, …

Dear Father: What does the Church teach about Reiki? Why do people turn to these types of things instead of Jesus or the saints? Dear Reader: Thank you for your question.Some years ago, I was in the Metaphysics section of a bookstore. I was edified thinking that a mainstream bookstore …