Of course, once I was in line, I was all in. I found myself realizing what a blessing it was that the parking lot was packed and that the line was long.

Q: The priest of my parish says it’s not appropriate to hold hands or lift your hands up during the Our Father at Mass. Is this true? And if so, why do so many people continue to do it?

There are many chicken noodle soup recipes that are absolutely delicious. This one is a favorite because it’s tasty—but it’s also easy and quick.

We can find God in the peaceful quiet of the world. But he also invites us to connect with him even in the busyness of our day.

“What virtues do you think Sheen is an example of?” That question was put to me by a fellow sister who was preparing her classroom for the beginning of the school year. Here in Peoria, Illinois, we are already several weeks into the school year. But in other parts of the country, students and teachers just had their first days of class this week. This sister was preparing a bulletin board about saints and virtues.

Q: As a parish priest, I found your recent article on the Church’s teaching on Freemasonry interesting, and I have a follow-up question: How can one deal pastorally with parishioners who are quick to suspect people of being Freemasons? I can think of one or two parishioners who are convinced the Vatican is infiltrated by Freemasons, and anybody in Church life they in any way disagree with must be a Freemason. They can be frustrating, as it’s hard to argue with them without them turning around and saying that you must be a Freemason! (Ireland)

We bring our children to Mass. We slide into the front row in hopes it will bring our children closer to God. We pray for them every day. We ask God to help us be everything they need us to be. And they do find their way.

Mary knows the breadth of joy and she knows the depth of sorrow. She understands how to accompany us through life’s joys and sorrows.

It is understandable that so many attributed the words to Steinem, who died Sept. 2 at age 92; not only did she gleefully repeat them, her own rhetoric echoed or expanded on the sentiments as she became the face of second wave feminism for six decades.

Q: I’m a Catholic working at a funeral home and assisting at many Catholic funerals. I’m not always in the church for the entirety of Mass. I’m sometimes out during the Gospel and homily or after Communion since I’m helping with the arrangements. Since it’s not fulfilling my Sunday obligation, is it still OK for me to receive Communion to offer up for the deceased if I’m not there for the entire Mass? (Illinois)