Week of January 03
The end of the year is a natural time to take stock and try to make sense out of God’s actions in our lives during the past year.
Perhaps we have felt alienated from God because of sickness, disappointment or a spiritually bruising encounter with one of Jesus’ followers.
Before we welcome the new year, may we make our peace with God for the year now ending. May God continue to guide our faith journey in the year ahead.
Questions & Answers
Many people have specific questions about Catholic practice and teaching. Here you’ll find reliable information drawn from the publications of St. Anthony Messenger Press, the publishing service of the Franciscan friars who sponsor OnceCatholic.org.
Frequently Asked Questions About Catholicism
Marriage Issues
Not Fed
Drifted Away
Quarrel With the Staff
Felt Excluded
Abortion/Post-Abortion
Church Teaching
Marriage Issues
Annulments seem fishy to me. Isn’t it just a way to get money out of divorced people?
Can I still attend Mass and take Communion if I’m divorced or wasn’t married in the Church?
How do I get an annulment? How much does it cost?
I’m divorced and want to remarry. Do I need an annulment?
My fiancé isn’t Catholic. Can I still be married in a Catholic church?
Why are divorced/remarried Catholics treated differently than other sinners?
Not Fed
Why are there different versions of Jesus’ life and teachings? I don’t know what to believe.
Why do so many Catholics seem passive about their faith?
Why don’t Catholics pay more attention to Scripture?
Why should I go to Mass if I don’t get anything out of it? I pray better alone.
Why wasn’t God there for me when I needed God?
Drifted Away
I’m thinking of returning to the Church but I’m not sure where to begin. Can you help?
What exactly do Catholics believe?
Why can’t I incorporate other religious traditions into my spiritual search? Can people from other faiths be saved?
Why should I be Catholic? Isn’t it enough to be a spiritual and moral person?
Why was it so much easier to believe in God when I was a child?
Quarrel With the Staff
How can people remain Catholic if they quarrel with the Church?
Why doesn’t the Church have more holy people?
Why is the Church so imperfect?
Felt Excluded
Does the Catholic Church respect the gifts of different ethnic groups?
What does the Church have to offer single Catholics?
Why don’t women have the same opportunities in the Church as men do?
Why is the Church opposed to homosexuality?
Abortion/Post-Abortion
I had an abortion. Does that mean I’m excommunicated, or can I return to the Church?
Where should I begin to deal with the effects of my abortion?
Why does the Church treat abortion differently than other sins?
Church Teaching
Isn’t abortion basically a matter of personal freedom?
What’s so bad about living together before marriage?
Why can’t women become deacons or priests?
Why is the Church opposed to birth control?
Why isn’t the Church more accepting of homosexuality?
Search
Couldn’t find your question here? Try our “St. Anthony Search Engine” (St. Anthony of Padua is known as the patron saint of finding things. He seems the perfect patron of our search engine, don’t you agree?)
Ask a Companion
Still couldn’t find an answer? Please visit a “Conversation Corner” and ask one of the online companions. He or she will either have an answer or help you find one.