Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Father Kenneth Doyle: Signs at Christ’s death convincing? Is the King James Bible accepted by Catholics?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: At the precise time that Jesus died, the sanctuary curtain was torn in half, darkness and earthquakes occurred and many were converted to Christianity because they felt this was proof that Jesus was the Son of God. So why didn’t the Jewish faith gradually disappear? (South Glens Falls, New York) A: Mark’s […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is the death penalty admissible? When should seminarians wear the Roman collar?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: My home state recently made national news with the decision to go forward with the executions of several inmates on death row. As a Catholic, I do not understand the idea of returning death for death, and I see executions as being more about revenge than any kind of justice. Surely life […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Where is the proof of purgatory? Did Mary die and if so where?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I was raised to be a devout Catholic and have a great interest in works of theology, such as those by Thomas Aquinas. But my mother, who is also a Catholic, doesn’t believe in purgatory. She thinks that God loves us so much that there wouldn’t be a reason for purgatory. Is […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: How many Masses can a priest celebrate?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: During the current pandemic, given the limitation on attendance imposed by civil authorities, we are planning to hold simultaneous Masses in our church and parish hall. We anticipate having to hold a total of 11 weekend Masses, but there are only two priests assigned to our parish, with another one coming to […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is there sex in heaven? How do I receive forgiveness?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: It seems odd that genital intercourse is automatically excluded in theological views of heaven — since Christian hope envisions the fulfillment of all things and, therefore, the redemption of our bodies. If God’s love redeems all things, then shouldn’t it redeem sexual life? Do you personally believe that there will be sexual […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Was author of ‘Hail, Holy Queen’ troubled? Did God create COVID-19?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: The prayer “Hail, Holy Queen” has three phrases in it that trouble me. They are: “to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve”; “mourning and weeping in this valley of tears”; and “after this, our exile.” The author of this prayer makes life on earth appear to be a punishment. […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: May we pray to Mother Angelica? Are there sins only the pope can pardon?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I have always had great admiration for Mother Angelica. Would it be wrong of me to talk to her and ask her prayers if she has not yet been declared “blessed” by the church? (Phoenix) A: Mother Angelica died in 2016 at the age of 92. In 1981, she founded the Eternal […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: May we question the pope’s China policy? Is it too late to pray?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I was surprised to read in the Catholic press an article criticizing Pope Francis’ agreement to allow the Communist government to nominate candidates for bishops in China. So my question is this: Are those under the pope’s authority allowed to question publicly such an arrangement made by the Holy Father? (Newark, Ohio) […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Sacrament by intention (during the coronavirus) and genuflecting or bowing

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I am a recent (fervent) convert to the Catholic Church. I am also a registered nurse and have held many patients as they passed on to eternity. I am concerned over the issue of priests being “barred” from hospitals during the current coronavirus epidemic; I have heard many Catholics bemoan the fact […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: When Gospel accounts conflict, Politics from the pulpit

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QUESTION CORNER Q: In the Gospel for the feast of the Epiphany, Matthew indicates that the Magi visited with King Herod in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ birth and that apparently very soon after their visit, the Holy Family fled to Egypt to avoid the wrath of Herod and stayed there until Herod had […]