Category Archives: ASK FATHER Question Box

QUAERITUR: Light One Up – Incense, Thuribles, and You.

From a reader: I am writing to ask you about the proper provision for incense at Holy Mass. Can you or your readers recommend a way to ensure a plentiful supply of incense smoke from a thurible at Mass, and … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests | Tagged , , , , , , | 71 Comments

QUAERITUR: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

From a reader: According to the Liturgy of the Hours note for the Baptism of the Lord this feast is to be omitted when Epiphany falls on a Sunday with a date of January 7 or 8. In the Ordo … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

QUAERITUR: Friday fish and chips cooked in beef fat? WDTPRS POLL: “meatless Fridays”.

POLL BELOW! From a reader: I was watching TV last night & on the program they were talking about fish & chips fried in rendered beef fat at a restaurant. Fish & Chips is one of my favorite Friday dishes … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Fr. Z's Kitchen, Our Catholic Identity, POLLS | Tagged , , , , , | 72 Comments

QUAERITUR: A saint’s qualification for the title “Virgin”

From a reader: Praised be Jesus Christ!  I was recently told (by someone who heard from someone else) that in order to bear the title “Virgin”, a Saint would not only have been kept from all physical sins of impurity … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , | 42 Comments

QUAERITUR: conferring baptism using another person’s hand

A few people asked me today via email about the validity of a baptism wherein someone used the hand of a dead person to pour the water, someone moving the hand. A rare scenario, of course, and one that is … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

QUAERITUR: Does wine in a cruet left on the altar also get consecrated?

From a reader: During week day Masses the priest at our parish sometimes has no server. In this circumstance he obviously has to go to the credence table himself to get the gifts. After pouring the water and wine into … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

QUAERITUR: Joining the Polish National Catholic Church

From a reader: Some relatives told me they were considering joining the Polish National Catholic Church. I see from what you have previously written they have valid sacraments (that’s good) but they don’t seem to be in union with our … Continue reading

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box, Dogs and Fleas, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

QUAERITUR: Children “playing Mass”

From a reader: Is it ok for a child to pretend to say Mass? After reading the following post and its comments I was beginning to be concerned (HERE). I looked it up in Canon Law and saw similar things. … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM | Tagged , , , , | 44 Comments

QUAERITUR: Can the new Lectionary be used with the Extraordinary Form?

From a seminarian (edited): Fr. Z, thanks for all you do. [My pleasure.] I have learned much from reading your blog over the last few years, and I continue to come here as a seminarian for trusted commentary on different issues.  I … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, Universae Ecclesiae | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

QUAERITUR: Can a priest ad lib the intro to the Lord’s Prayer?

Here is a serious insider-canon-ball post about something which nevertheless affects a great many people, since it deals with our liturgical worship, namely, the words by which the priest introduces the Lord’s Prayer. In the new, corrected translation we see: … Continue reading

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, HONORED GUESTS, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, The Drill | Tagged , , | 58 Comments