What Is the Institutional Church? Question: I hear a lot about the “institutional church.” It seems to be a phrase trotted out by people who want to see the moral law changed or to question authority. What is the “institutional churc … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
Questions Answered – February 2019
January 28, 2019 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Why Do We Need Grace? Question: St. Thomas believed that man has an inborn understanding and disposition toward doing the good. What, then, is the purpose of the infusion of grace? Answer: I really do not know where you get the idea … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – January 2019
January 17, 2019 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Mortal Sin and the Individual Conscience Question: My question is about the “full knowledge” element for mortal sin. My belief has always been in line with the following statement from the FAQ section of the popular program “The Light Is On … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
December 20, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
The Meaning of Propitiation in the Bible Question: I have found several authors I consider to be orthodox disagreeing on the scriptural meaning of propitiation. One seems to understand it as Jesus placating God’s anger by this sacrifice. H … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
September 18, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: I truly appreciate our parish priest. Everyone loves and admires him. People find it sometimes difficult to express their appreciation. How does one go about showing their appreciation for their priest? Answer: One hears so … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
September 2, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: When we do not have enough consecrated bread for Holy Communion is it permitted to dip unconsecrated bread into consecrated wine? Does the Council of Trent give special permission in this regard? Answer: I am constantly amazed … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
July 31, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Jesus says: “Judge not.” (Mt. 7:1) When are we allowed to judge? Answer: The issue of judgement is an important moral problem. Judgement is an act of the virtue of justice. Since justice involves establishing equity between one … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
June 14, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: It is my impression that when we celebrate the Eucharist in my diocese at community Mass, Eucharistic Prayer 2 predominates. What might underlie this preference? What merit is there to criticisms about the historicity, and … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
June 1, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Since I was a child in school many years ago (I am now 67!), I have had a question I could not answer. Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, we learned as children. We also learned about prehistoric man. Were our first … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
April 28, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: What is the origin of female altar servers? Answer: Female altar servers are a fact of life in the Church since 1992. The ability of girls to serve at Mass is established by papal authority, so one must accept their possibility … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
March 30, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: A fine layman friend of mine was attending a class at a Catholic college taught by a priest who was insisting that Christ’s acquired knowledge was defective, citing Mk 2:26, when Our Lord cited that David ate the loaves of o … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
For February 2018
February 24, 2018 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: There seems to be an ongoing question about the explanation of marriage which appears in Amoris Laetitia concerning the reliability of moral laws. Even some orthodox Catholics are questioning whether a moral law can be considered … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
December 12, 2017 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Please explain why “even attachment to venial sin” prevents one from obtaining a plenary indulgence. It seems no one can receive one as we all are attached to, and even commit, venial sins. Answer: The answers to this question a … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
October 19, 2017 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: There has been a great deal of talk recently about the fact that Christians cannot be rigid, and that rigidity compromises mercy and the Gospel. The Pharisees are used as examples of this. Why is there so much emphasis on this, … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
September 27, 2017 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Can you explain to me just what is referred to as the “dark night of the soul” in the mystical life? Should all Christians experience these? Answer: The question of the dark night of the soul is central to any description of th … [Read more...]
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