In the know with Father Joe
How can I help...?
Effective, prayerful ways to help struggling couples and priests who always seem harried.
Will we become angels when we go to heaven?
This is such an important issue for all of us – death affects all of us indirect...
How can I ‘do’ Lent better?
Dear Fr. Joe: Every year, Lent happens and I start off really hoping to mak...
How do I talk to my kids about sin when they disagree with a lot of the Church’s teaching?
Dear Father Joe: My kids don’t always agree with the Church on some moral i...
I feel so distracted at Mass
Dear Father Joe: Sometimes, there are so many distractions at Mass that I can’t ...
When we see design, we assume a designer
Q: Some of my Protestant friends insist the Genesis account is to be taken liter...
Why is it still Easter?
The Easter season gives us time to ponder and celebrate following Jesus to heaven
Should we baptize our grandchildren in the kitchen sink?
Dear Fr. Joe: My wife wants to baptize our grandkids in the kitchen sink. I thin...
What does it really mean to be blessed?
Dear Father Joe:
After a disaster, I hear people who were saved talking about...
Is religion really the cause of all the world’s problems?
It’s great to get an opportunity to answer this question. It pops up a lot in va...
Apologetics or Apologizing?
Dear Fr. Joe: Whenever I hear people talking about apologetics, I get confused. ...
Did we do the wrong thing by cremating my dad?
Thanks for asking this – I have had a lot of people ask about this so I am going...
How can I invite my family and friends back to church?
What a great question – it can be such a difficult thing to invite someone into ...
Why is there so much violence in the world?
I write this article with a heavy heart.
We live in violent times. Some will ...
Do I really have to talk about Jesus?
To be a good Christian witness, is it enough to be a good person – or do I have to talk about Jesus?
Priest, pastor, nun, brother: How are these roles different?
These questions sure made me do some research! It’s funny, but I found that ther...
What's the point of small faith-sharing groups?
All over the country, a movement is really taking shape in the form of small fai...
How can I be a better Catholic?
Dear Fr. Joe: I came into the Church last year, and I really want to be the best...
What are our obligations to Planet Earth?
We begin by looking at animals and how our faith teaches us to treat them.
In...
Why should I go to Holy Week services?
I’m glad you asked that question: I know that, at first glance, the Holy Week sc...
Should we send our kids to Catholic School?
Someone told me that, as Catholics, we are supposed to send our kids to Catholic...
Are Catholic superstitions OK?
Dear Father Joe: Is it OK to pray for Notre Dame to win their football games? Af...
Are there sins my pastor can't forgive?
Dear Father Joe: I read that, as part of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis is ...
A vocabulary lesson for Mass
GREETINGS IN CHRIST! This article is going to be a little different. The last fe...
Do I have to believe everything the Pope says about the environment?
Q: Dear Father Joe: The pope’s new encyclical on the environment contains assert...