Q: I have heard that the number of seminarians is increasing locally and more of them are recent college graduates. Why do you think there are fewer second-career vocations and more young men applying to seminary? A: Yes, there has been an increase in seminary enrollments locally and nationally and …

My mother is in her mid-80s and would like to know if viewing Mass on television fulfills her obligation to attend weekend Mass. Getting to church is not easy for her, but she drives herself to the grocery and to get her hair done. She also has children that would …

Q: Are parish priests evaluated? If so, by whom, how often, and in what areas? Catholics rightly hold their priests to a high standard. When I was a seminarian, I remember reading a survey of what parishioners wanted of their priests. The report determined that among the qualities of the …

By Father David Endres Q: Has Jesus always existed or was He created at His human birth? If He always existed, is there any mention of Him in the Old Testament? Mention of His birth is clear in the Scriptures, but what about prior to His birth? A: This question …

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 …