Jenna Marie Cooper

Q: I know officially the Catholic Church is against the death penalty, but what about Genesis 9:6?

A: It looks like there are two dimensions to your question: the Church’s teaching on the death penalty, and how we are to read the Old Testament as Catholics.

Could you clarify the Church’s current stance on Freemasonry? Some seem to think that these days it’s “no different than belonging to Rotary” or any other service club. The local church has parishioners that belong to the local Masonic lodge.

How does this work if the Church considers Catholic weddings to be valid even without a civil marriage ceremony?

The nondenominational church near my house offers praise and worship nights with music. I’ve been interested in attending, not because I want to convert, but because I like that style of music and any opportunity to join in prayer with others. Would it be wrong for a Catholic to attend this event?

Why is it that when the SSPX says Mass, it’s only illicit, but now going to confession with them would be not only illicit but also invalid?

I used to be supportive of the SSPX and have regularly attended Mass at their chapels at different points in my life. How do I know if I’m excommunicated now?

The short answer is that your priest isn’t offering Mass for the people of the parish because he personally wanted to or because he thought it was a good idea (although he probably is happy to do this and praying for the people of the parish is indeed a good idea)! Rather, he was offering this specific Mass intention because the Church’s canon law specifically requires him to do so.

“Non-Catholic wedding” is a very broad term that can refer to a number of scenarios. In some of these scenarios, there is no reason why a Catholic, even a Catholic priest or deacon, should feel the need to decline an invitation to attend as a guest. But other “non-Catholic weddings” would be more of a concern.