Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is there a literal hell?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: What is the Catholic view on whether there is an actual, literal hell? A lot of people, including some who are Catholics, while they believe in an actual, literal heaven, say that hell is simply death. (Indiana) A: Catholic theology holds that there is an actual, literal hell. The Catechism of the […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Why no mention of male virginity? Plus: Are Wiccans misunderstood?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: We Catholics honor many female saints for their outstanding lives of service and virginity. Why do we never mention St. Joseph’s virginity or the virginity of some of our wonderful male saints? (City and state withheld) A: I think the main reason is that women religious generally refer to their vow of […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is it confession or reconciliation? Did the Virgin Mary have other kids?

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QUESTION CORNER Q While I know that only confession will reconcile me with God, I am confused about the terminology used in my parish. (We are a rural parish and have very few opportunities for confession, but there is always the chance to make a private appointment for confession.) Any scheduled confessions are now announced […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Husband not able to receive ‘last rites.’ Plus: What justifies Natural Family Planning?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: My husband died suddenly and did not receive the last rites of the Catholic Church. We had just come back from Mass and Communion about three hours earlier. I am very upset that he was not able to receive the last rites, and this has been very difficult on me. I would […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday? Do Catholics believe in the Rapture?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: Why do some religions say that the Sabbath day is Saturday while others — including Catholics — say it’s on Sunday? (Eldon, Missouri) A: No, Catholics do not say that the Sabbath is on Sunday. The Sabbath is on Saturday, as it was in the Old Testament when God rested from all […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: May I get a tattoo?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I am thinking of getting a tattoo on my arm of my late daughter’s handwriting. Is there anything in Catholic teaching against this? (I want to do this for my 75th birthday which is coming up soon.) (Louisville, Kentucky) A: There is nothing in Catholic teaching that prohibits getting a tattoo. Some […]

Ask Father Kenneth Doyle: About those disruptions in church. Plus, relics in altars

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QUESTION CORNER Recently I responded in this column to a question about disruptions at Mass. The letter writer said that a parishioner had been creating a scene regularly in church — throwing her arms toward the sky, shouting out in a loud voice and walking up to the altar before anyone is invited to. The […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Did God ‘require’ sacrifice of Jesus? Plus: What to do about a regularly disruptive adult at Mass?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I wonder about Jesus being a “sacrifice” for the expiation of sins. Why did God the Father “require” that Christ be a “sacrifice” for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind? (Louisville, Kentucky) A: I don’t believe that God the Father “required” that Jesus die such a gruesome death to redeem us […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Baptism for a child of non-Catholics? What if I forgot to fast before Mass?

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Question corner Q: A friend of mine asked me recently to find out if the parish I was raised in would baptize her new baby. My friend is not a Catholic, so I was surprised that she asked me this. The priest at my parish said that he could not baptize the baby because the […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: May I buy a used chalice? Can you use cremains as fertilizer?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: As a Catholic, I like to decorate my home with religious art that helps draw my heart and mind to God. At times, I am able to find vintage religious pieces on online auction websites that I can’t find elsewhere. I noticed recently that some online resellers have items like used chalices […]