Why do priests wear black with a white collar? What is the history and significance? Question of Faith | Fr. David Endres The colors of the vesture that clergy wear are diverse: from the white worn by the pope, to the bishops’ purple, to the black of diocesan priests. In …

The Church holds to the possibility that those who do not know God, through no fault of their own, can be saved. Despite the preaching of the Gospel in many parts of the world, some people have not yet heard it. Even in places where it has been preached, the …

Catholics engage with their faith in bodily and material ways—not just genuflecting, kneeling, and making the sign of the cross but thumbing rosary beads, collecting holy cards, and praying before statues and artwork. Unlike members of some non-Catholic faith traditions, Catholics have long fostered a kind of tactile piety. But …

Why do Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent? What is the history behind the practice? The Church’s penitential traditions date back to the first Christians. Jesus provided a model for fasting and abstinence during His 40 days in the desert and taught that fasting would be part of …

The priest who baptized me has left active ministry and no longer functions as a priest. Does that invalidate my baptism? Early in its history, the Church struggled with the question of whether a sacrament’s validity was impacted by the minister’s personal faith, devotion or moral state. Some argued that …

As part of marriage preparation, the priest informed us only a marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament. Since my fiancé is not baptized, how will the Church view our marriage? Catholics exult marriage, believing God is its author. Marriage is meant to be a covenant between two baptized …

I heard that during Advent’s final days the “O Antiphons” are prayed as part of Evening Prayer. What are these antiphons? As Catholics go through the liturgical year, no day is the same as another. As you mention in your question, one example of this variation is the “O Antiphons,” …

I have heard that Pentecost is the Church’s birthday, but I have also heard that Good Friday is when the Church was born. Which is correct? The Church is the family of God; she is the body of Christ. Because the Church is truly a body, she has a birthday, …

I have heard it is possible for someone who wishes to receive communion at Mass to be denied. In what cases can someone be denied communion? Is this different from being “excommunicated”? When Catholics approach to receive communion, it is presumed that they are in a proper state to receive. …

In the parable of the dishonest steward, what does Jesus mean when he says, “make friends with dishonest wealth” (Luke 16:9)? The parable of the dishonest steward remains one of the most puzzling passages in the New Testament. Thankfully, the Church can help us understand it. Dei Verbum, a document …