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Catholic Questions - Death (2)
My wife died. Can I still talk with her?
When someone we love dies, the world is changed forever. We usually feel a mixture of emotions, including sadness that we can no longer see them or do many of the...
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Mistakes
Jesus shared an uncomfortable historical truth: namely, that at two moments in history, God sent his prophets to others and not to his chosen people. It's right there in the Scriptures. But instead of taking these reminders to heart...
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You Are the Remedy to Skepticism
Fr. Frank McDevitt is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Aurora, Ont.
The Christian creed begins: I believe in God.
The skeptic’s creed begins: I will believe it when I see it.
For the skeptic...
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Catholic Questions - Holy Spirit
What is the Holy Spirit like?
When I was in school, I learned a lot about the Holy Spirit. For example, l learned that the Holy Spirit:
Is the third person in the Trinity
Was experienced in a powerful way...
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Christ is Risen
Christ is Risen!!
For many years, Christians greeted each other this way all through the Easter season. "Christ is risen," one would say. Another would respond, "Christ has indeed risen. Alleluia!" What a beautiful, joyful thing to say! Why don...
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God Leads Us amid Our Uncertainty
Fr. Michael McGourty is the pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Toronto.
Life can change in an instant.
As I read the Gospel of John for the Mass on Easter Sunday morning, I could not think that Mary...
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Catholic Questions - Adam & Eve
Did Adam and Eve really exist? Is the Bible true?
Someone once gave us these words of wisdom: "Every story in the Bible is true; some of them even happened that way." What that means is that yes, every story...
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Imperfections
A bowl that once belonged to my mother sits on a table in my living room. Look closely and you will see a crack down the middle, from years ago when a baseball made contact. I've been tempted to...
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Keep Lent Alive by Forgiving Others
Fr. Biju Kannampuzha is the pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Barrie, Ont.
Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, which reminds us of the glorious and triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the crowds greeted...
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Catholic Questions - Anger
Is it a sin to get angry?
In the Bible, Jesus himself got angry, so anger itself is not a sin. Perhaps-as was true for Jesus-if we are angry at something that is unjust, our anger might help...
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Signs
The great thing about signs - billboards ads, traffic signals, garage sale posters - is that they work hard to catch your eye with minimal effort from us. We give bonus points to signs that are clever or entertaining. So here comes...
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Pastoral Plan: Catholic Outreach in Justice and Love
Our pastoral plan challenges us to witness and serve in diverse ways and to be advocates where injustice occurs: through pastoral care to those who are poor and marginalized, to students on campus, to those who are imprisoned, seeking refuge...
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Catholic Questions - Death
My grandmother dies last week. Was that God's idea? I ask because people say, "God never sends more than you can handle."
First, please accept my sympathy at your grandmother's death. When someone we love dies, the world...
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Forgiveness
We teach kids to forgive, but we adults sometimes need refresher courses. Here's a quick one: a real apology doesn't use passive aggressive statements like, "I'm sorry you feel that way." It avoids the word "but," as...
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Does Our Sin Make God’s Love for Us Fade?
Fr. Michael McGourty is the pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Toronto, Ont.
The Sisters of Life, who have their Centre for Life in the rectory of St. Peter’s Church, run a ministry for those who...
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Catholic Questions - Prayer
My husband is out of work and we have been fighting. I am afraid of the way things are going and don't know how to pray. Can you help?
For everyone, life is sometimes sad and scary. It might...
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Catholic Questions - Confession
When I go to Confession, I disguise my voice because I am embarrassed. What can I do?
Certainly it is appropriate to feel sorry for the wrong we've done and the good we've failed to do. But we...
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Support
Ever had one of those days when you're tired and spent and you fell like you want to hate everything? When you sob and weep and maybe even shake your fist at God? Remember, on those days, God is...