Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Jenna Marie Cooper: Precious Blood can be brought to sick

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Question corner Q: I used to volunteer to bring holy Communion to the sick in nursing homes and hospice, and I always wondered: Why can’t we bring the Precious Blood to those who are very ill or at the point of death and can no longer eat any solid food? I asked several priests about […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: Orthodox sacraments are generally off-limits

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Question corner Q: There’s a really beautiful Eastern Orthodox church in my neighborhood. Every time I pass by it, I always wonder, is this one of the churches that Catholics can attend? (Ohio) A: I think you might be confusing the Orthodox with Eastern Catholics. While the Orthodox have valid sacraments and very similar doctrinal […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: The nuances of parish membership

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Question corner Q: Recently, I heard a priest speak on the importance of supporting your “territorial parish,” which he made sound like whatever parish happened to be in your neighborhood. But I have been an active member of a different parish for years, and I don’t understand the need to support a parish I didn’t […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: Jewish marriages are valid in Catholic Church’s eyes

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Question corner Q: In a recent article, you quoted the Code of Canon Law for what constitutes a valid nonsacramental marriage. I’m not sure if you know this, but the Jewish marriage document — the ketubah — is essentially a prenuptial agreement that outlines the protections the spouses are to receive should either one initiate […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: Debunking claims of made-up Gospels

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Question corner Q: Some of my non-Catholic friends say that most of the Gospel is made up, as the earliest records show Jesus survived the crucifixion, married Mary Magdalene and moved away, leaving his disciples to carry on their new religious movement. They say the church was well aware of all of this, but covered […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: ‘Easter duty’ no longer formal mandate

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Question corner Q: What exactly are my Easter duties? My grandparents sometimes talk about “the Easter duty,” but I’m not sure if this was just a pre-Vatican II thing, or something I still need to worry about. (United Kingdom) A: In broad terms, “the Easter duty” usually refers to a fully initiated Catholic’s obligation to […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: We need reconciliation for post-baptismal sins

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Question corner Q: How could Jesus’ death “cleanse us from our sins” and “assure our entrance into heaven”? If that is the case, why do we need confession? A: First of all, since it pertains to some of the deepest mysteries of our faith, I think the exact “mechanics” of how Jesus’ passion and death […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: Many saints suffered at church leaders’ hands

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Question corner Q: Are there any saints who had a difficult relationship with the church? (New York) A: The answer to this question would depend on exactly what you mean by “a difficult relationship” or even the term “the church.” But the short answer is that yes, there have been many canonized saints who were […]

Jenna Marie Cooper: Defining the types and severity of sins

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Question corner Q: At a recent Mass, the priest talked about “mortal sin,” about which I’d previously heard, but then he mentioned “venial sins” and “temporal sins,” and even “sins of omission.” I’m not familiar with these, especially the last one. How can a person commit a sin without doing anything? A: Every sin represents […]