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Question 5: Is it permissible to use another light source, for example an electric light, instead of a candle to indicate the Real Presence of Christ in the sanctuary?

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Question 6: Does the Catholic Church allow abortion when the life of the mother is threatened?

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Question 7: Several practicing Catholics told me that if a person commits a sin but is unaware that it is a sin, it is not a sin for that person, even if they commit murder, or any other sin. How can this concept be reconciled with what our lord said about sin in the gospels?

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Question 8: What is the current Church stand on ordaining men with homosexual tendencies?

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Question 9: Priests are ordained by the order of Melchizedek. Who is Melchizedek, and why are priests ordained by this order?

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Question 10: Why should I wear the Brown Scapular? Must I be enrolled? Who can enroll? Is the scapular devotion endorsed by the church? Why should I wear the scapular when I already have Jesus?

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Question 11: Why do some crucifixes have a skull and bones underneath the corpus of Christ? -- K. P. - Hesperia, CA

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Question 12: As Catholics, are we allowed to cremate and are we allowed to spread the ashes?

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Question 13: Why does the priest mix a small amount of water with the wine to be consecrated?

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Question 14: Why do we make the sign of the cross?

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Question 15: Does a person who receives the Sacrament of Confirmation with mortal sin on his soul commit a sacrilege? ----

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Question 16: I have a friend who is is a homosexual and he claims that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were not hospitable. What is the teaching of the Church regarding the sin of Sodom?

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Question 17: What are the origins of the "Hail Mary"?

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Question 18: What is the "Secret of the Mass"? -- W. C. - Hesperia

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Question 19: Why does the Catholic Church not ordain women? Were not deaconesses ordained in the early Church? -

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Question 20: Why do we Catholics call our priest "Father," when Jesus said: "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (Mt. 23:9). -- M. P. - Hesperia, CA

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Question 21: What is a Monstrance?

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Question 22: What is the origin and meaning of the Stations of the Cross?

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Question 23: Years ago, when a mother had a baby, the mother and child went to the church for a special blessing. Does this still occur and what is the blessing?

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Question 24: What is incense and why is it used at Mass?

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Question 25: What is the difference between a Sacrament and a sacramental?

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Question 26: I overheard part of a conversation between a priest and a parishioner at my church, where the priest said the the Church was against mixed marriages. Since when is the Church against marriages between different races?

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Question 27: Would you please elaborate on your answer to the previous question? Why can't a Catholic who marries a non-Catholic have a Catholic ceremony first and then be married be a minister to please the parents who are non-Catholics?

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Question 28: Isn't the wearing of medals is a superstitious practice, similar to the pagan custom of wearing amulets or charms to ward off disease and danger.

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Question 29: Can my mother be my sponsor for Confirmation? --

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Question 30: Does the Catholic Church condemn astrology? Is it sinful to have one�s horoscope taken? What about the use of a weejee board?

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Question 31: Recently I was advised by a parish priest that I should not strike my breast during the Agnus Dei -- that it was liturgically incorrect. I have done this for years and I am sure I have seen this "rubric" somewhere. Has something changed or has it expressly been forbidden?

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Question 32: John Edward claimed to be able to contact the dead on his TV program, Crossing Over; how did he do it? Now, there is a new television program called Medium, is this a program that Catholics should watch? Does the Catholic Church allow a Catholic to attend a spiritistic s�ance or to become a Medium? Isn�t spiritism invaluable in supplying us with proof of immortality?

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Question 33: Do animals have souls and will there be animals in heaven?

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Question 34: Is it permissible for a lay person to expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration.

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Question 35: What is meant by the statement �Outside the Church there is no salvation�? Does that mean that all non-Catholics will go to Hell?

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Question 36: How can it be proved from the Scriptures that the Virgin Mary was miraculously conceived? Doesn�t the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin contradict the Scriptures, which teach that all men died in Adam (1 Cor. 15:22)? Is this not a relatively new teaching of the Church, first proclaimed in 1854?

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Question 37: Were their any Catholic signers to the Declaration of Independence?

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Question 38: What are the rules concerning the sacred vessels used at Mass?

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Question 39: Why do we re-baptize Protestants when they enter the Church?

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Question 40: May a Protestant be a sponsor for a Catholic Child?

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Question 41: Is it absolutely necessary to believe the Genesis story of Adam and Eve being the first man and first woman, and that the entire human race came from them?

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Question 42: Would you please elaborate your answer to question 33 as to the difference between the soul of an animal and the soul of a human being?

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Question 43: Why do we Catholics identify ourselves as Catholics rather than simply using the title "Christian"? Many Protestants say that Catholics are not Christians, how should I respond?

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Question 44: Does the Pope go to Confession?

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Question 45: What is the Liturgy of the Hours?

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Question 46: What is the significance of the pink candle on the advent wreath?

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Question 47: Please tell me a bit about how Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus.

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Question 48: Is there such a thing as Reincarnation?

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Question 49: Did Jesus have brothers and sisters?

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Question 50: What is the difference between Angels and Archangels?

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Question 51: Is a priest always bound to keep secret the sins he hears in confessions? Shouldn't he turn in a murderer?

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Question 52: What is the truth about the so-called bad Popes? Answer

Question 53: Who are excused from fasting on Fridays?

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Question 54: I know that the Catholic Church prohibits artificial birth control because it �goes against nature.� What is the Church's position on Viagra? I think it goes against nature just as much as artificial birth control does.�

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Question 55: I am interested in the study of Catholic apologetics. How would you recommend I begin?

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Question 56: Please provide the Scriptural foundations for the Seven Sacraments.

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Question 57: For years, we Catholic faithful have knelt during the �Lamb of God�. Now we are told that we are to stand. I find this posture to be disrespectful to Jesus and cannot bring myself stand when in my heart I believe I should be kneeling. Do I have the right to disobey my bishop when he orders me to do something that goes against my conscience?

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Question 58: It is the common practice that people with their arms outstretched during Mass. Is this posture appropriate?

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Question 59: I would like to know whether or not it is permissible to receive Holy Communion kneeling, even though the Bishop's of the United States say that we should stand.

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Question 60: What is the proper posture for one after receiving Holy Communion? Some people sit and others kneel.

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Question 61: Many say we should not be holding hands in the congregation while reciting the Lord's Prayer because it is not a community prayer but a prayer to "Our Father." Local priests say that since the Vatican has not specifically addressed it, then we are free to do as we please: either hold hands or not. What is the true Roman Catholic way in which to recite the Lord's Prayer during Mass?

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Question 62: My eleven-year-old daughter wishes to be confirmed. My husband and I believe that she fully understands the sacrament. Our pastor said that she will have to wait until she is in high school. What is the age of Confirmation in the United States and what are our rights in this matter?

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Question 63: What are the Scrutinies?

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Question 64. There seems to be quite a difference of opinion among the clergy as to whether or not the holy water fonts in churches should be emptied of holy water and refilled with sand or rocks during lent. Would you please clarify the Churches position?

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Question 65. What exactly are the actual DOCTRINES of the Catholic faith? Is Purgatory one? How about the saints? And while I am at it, what exactly is the purpose of saints in our faith?

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Question 66. Ok, so the Catholic Bible has a few more books in it than other religions. Why is this? A wandering Protestant was trying to convert me tonight, and he was trying to tell me that our books were added AFTER Revelations, and were not valid. Of course I believe our version is correct, but is there a timeline of when the books were authored vs. when each religion adopted their respective versions? This guy will be contacting me again next week, and I said I would show him that it was THEY who took books OUT of the Bible, not us who added them. If they did indeed remove books, why were they not justified in doing this? Or were our 'extra' books added after Revelations as he said? I think he said Rev. was written in 90 A.D.

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Question 67. Is it permissible to sell a blessed article, such as a rosary? What would happen if there were an indulgence attached to the item?

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Question 68. Both Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics make the Sign of the Cross, but why is the order different (Orthodox right shoulder first, RC's left shoulder)?

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Question 69. �I think that the new Pope should allow priests to marry and/or date and for women to become priests. John Paul was a good Pope but too old fashioned, the modern church is suffering because of his old policies.�

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Question 70. In a discussion with a tax adviser, I wanted to leave a Peter�s Pence bequest in my will. The adviser said I should not do this because it is a contribution to a �foreign country� not a charity. Is this so?

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Question 71. At an area meeting of clergy, three of my priest colleagues stated that they anointed gravely ill infants because the Catechism did not forbid this. Is this permissible?

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Question72. I read that the Church declared Mormon Baptism invalid. Isn�t this both late in time and unusual in outcome? -

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Question 73. I sometimes attend Mass at your Church and notice that some women wear a covering on their head, as I used to as a child. Does the Church require women to cover their heads? If not, why and when did this practice change?

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Question 74, Under what circumstances can someone be excommunicated from the Catholic Church and what must be done to be reinstated?

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Question 75. The heresy of the de facto deification of Mary is evidenced repeatedly in Karol Wojtyla's Last Will and Testament. This man is not to be elevated as a great Christian, or erroneously described, as in the words of President George W. Bush, as a "faithful servant of God." HE WAS NOT !!

Despite what Rome and some other Catholics like Mel Gibson ("The Passion") believe, that Mary is a "co-mediatrix" and "co-redemptrix" - this is clearly blasphemy; when compared to what the Word of God, the Bible says:

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;..." 1 Timothy 2:5.

Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, was a humble, obedient, handmaiden and servant of the Living God. However, Mary is NOT divine herself. The Romanist system of dogma that claims unbiblical and extra-biblical attributes to Mary is wicked. Mary was NOT Immaculately Conceived herself without any original sin.

There is NO biblical evidence of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. And we are NOT to pray to the DEAD. The rosary is a violation of Deuteronomy 18:10-14.

The wicked, evil practice of praying to Mary is sin.

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