Insofar as some Anglicans might indeed see themselves as “ministers” rather than sacramental “priests,” in a certain sense we might even “agree” with them about a female archbishop of Canterbury, since the Catholic Church has always acknowledged that women are capable of non-sacramental teaching and leadership.

Some might point out the pastoral benefits of an all-boys altar server team in promoting priestly vocations, while others might appreciate how allowing female altar servers emphasizes our common baptismal priesthood.

It’s useful to observe that the Church presumes that one seeking an indulgence will already be in a state of grace, meaning free from unconfessed mortal sin.

Beyond the Gospel accounts, Mary’s perpetual virginity is something that has been continuously affirmed though our sacred tradition.

Jan. 1 is not a holy day of obligation because of the civil new year, but because it is the feast of Mary, the Mother of God.

The martyrs always bear witness to the truth in the most convincing way of all, by dying for what they believed and staking their life on the reality of heaven.

While we should not expect to see women literally ordained alongside male diaconate candidates, the question of deaconesses in general is a complex and multifaceted one with many positive implications.

The church does not have any explicit rule about when the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” can be sung. In principle, it’s perfectly allowed to sing this throughout Advent. However, I think I can guess why your choir director wants to hold off on using this hymn until later in the season.

Catholics aren’t required to “give anything up” for Advent. And even while the practice of taking on an additional, personal Lenten penance is a well-established and praiseworthy custom, Catholics technically aren’t required to do anything extra for Lent beyond the usual fasting and abstinence from meat (see Canon 1251 of the Code of Canon Law).

A Catholic who stubbornly refused to accept the church’s teaching in “Mater Populi Fidelis” and continued to refer to Mary as “co-redemptrix” out of a willful disregard for the pope’s authority likely would be sinning.