Category Archives: ASK FATHER Question Box

ASK FATHER: How early can the Easter Vigil begin?

As we are our observance of the Triduum at St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff in the Extraordinary Form, I also received a question about the time to begin the Easter Vigil. The time for the Easter Vigil is explained in … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: Bishop forces priest to use table altar instead of high altar for Extraordinary Form

From priest… QUAERITUR: Recently my bishop refused to let me celebrate a Solemn High Mass at the high altar of the Church, insisting altar that is used in the Ordinary Form should be used. So I celebrated the Solemn High … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: Father doses off during Mass

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I’ve noticed one of our priests frequently doses off and falls asleep…sometimes even during Mass or other liturgical functions. Thankfully, the sleeping is short lived and he wakes back up, but I fear he might fall off into a … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: How can eating desserts during Lent be fasting? Would Jesus eat desserts?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Dear Father Z in the tradition of the Church could one have two small meals and for your full meal have a full meal including dessert? Should we not have a spirit of penance? How can fasting … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: A question about a marriage situation (not mine)

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I have a question about a marriage situation (not mine). If a marriage was valid, is it enough to resolve the state of sin of the re-“married” party(s) to simply abstain from sex without leaving the “second spouse?” Especially … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: We thought we had a valid marriage…

From a reader… QUAERITUR: My wife and I are both converts to Catholicism, and to the best of our knowledge (we even consulted our RCIA people and a priest) we thought we had a valid marriage. Having had her doubts renewed by … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: Does Lent really have 40 days? How does that add up?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Father, sorry for the possibly silly question, but adding up the days from Ash Wednesday to the Lord’s Supper Mass, excluding, it does not add up to 40 if we exclude Sundays as memorials of the … Continue reading

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Stupid Idea: Sand in holy water fonts during Lent. Fr. Z opines.

You would think that this stupid idea would have been eradicated by now but, no. I am sure that in some places you readers will see that Holy Water has been removed from the stoops – at the beginning of … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: Separating priest from altar in the Novus Ordo

From a reader… I have a question about the GIRM. If I’m reading it correctly everything except from the Offertory through Communion Rite must be done from the chair, and the missal and chalice placed elsewhere except for those times. … Continue reading

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ASK FATHER: Patron Saint of aquaculture workers

Since there is a great deal that’s fishy going on inside and coming out of the Vatican, thus making it a kind of fish hatchery, I thought this question was appropriate. From a reader… QUAERITUR: My dad is the manager … Continue reading

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