Q. At Mass we recently sang a hymn that referred to a “pelican.” What is the spiritual meaning here? A. This reference appears in the...

Q. Why did the soldiers break the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus? A. According to those who have studied the grim mechanics of...

Q. In the Bible, why is God’s name written sometimes as “LORD” and sometimes as “Lord”? A. The English “LORD” and “Lord” in the Old...

Q. Is it true that some anti-Catholics have claimed the pope is the “beast” in Revelation? It is true. Since the time of the Protestant...

Q. Where is it in the Bible that we should ask the angels or Mary and the other saints who have passed on to pray for us? A. When the...

Q. What are “ember days”? A. Ember days are called in Latin Quattuor Anni Tempora, “four annual seasons.” They are the three days at the...

Q. What is “Quinquagesima Sunday?” A. In the old Church liturgical calendar — still observed in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass...

Q. Was there really a St. Valentine? Why is St. Valentine’s Day associated with romance? A. Yes, there really was a St. Valentine — in...

Q. How did the custom of popes choosing new names arise? A. First some background: The earliest popes did not choose a different name...

Q. What is the Didache? A. Several books were highly regarded in parts of the early Church — so much so that some local churches read...