Ask Father Mike
When a loved one’s death tests our faith
I have been having a really hard time trusting God lately. Ever since a family member died, I keep blaming God and finding it difficult to keep my faith. Do you have any thoughts on what I can do?
‘Test of Three’ can help us eliminate gossip
Q. I know that you have commented on gossip in the past, but I sometimes struggle with practical ways to determine whether I should share information. Do you have any advice?
Is envy a big deal?
Q. I’ve been told that I have a streak of envy in me, but I don’t even know what that means. Besides, there are so many worse sins than envy, so why should I even care?
What does it mean for me to share my faith?
I wrote last month to someone who had asked about how to best direct a friend to a good parish that will connect him with people who will help him come to know God and be able to better follow Christ.
When sharing the faith, don’t just rely on the ‘three Ps’
I have a co-worker with whom I get along very well who has taken a deeper interest in Catholicism. How do I best direct him to a parish that will make him feel welcome and engage him in a personal way?
When long liturgies keep family from attending Mass
Q. My family refuses to go to Mass because there are too many “extras” (like baptisms), too much singing and too many announcements. Why can’t we have a “low Mass” without all of that stuff? Isn’t the Church supposed to adapt and keep up with all the people?
How can I pray better instead of just rambling?
Q. I know that prayer needs to be a part of my life, but I never know what to say. I find myself either daydreaming or just rambling to God. How can I pray better?
Renouncing, not just confessing, our sins
Q. I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been praying and I’ve been to confession (repeatedly), but I seem to commit the same sins. Even worse, I know that Jesus promised that we would receive a closeness to God when we call out for him, but I haven’t experienced that.
Integrity needed more than ‘authenticity’
Q: I value authenticity and loathe hypocrisy, and I want to simply be true to myself. How can I do that if I constantly am told what to believe and how to behave by the Church?
Mom should know her place in son’s marital challenges
Q. My son and his wife have been married nine years and have four children. His wife homeschools their children and wants three more kids, but my son is exhausted when he gets home, and his wife expects him to “take over” while she “takes a break.” She says that the Church demands that they have more children. I would support my son if this was all too much and he asked for a divorce.
Availability an essential key to discipleship
Q. I really want God to be able to use me, but I don’t know how to go about it. I mean, I want to be a disciple of Jesus and not simply a “nice person who goes to church.” But I don’t know how to make a difference.
Duties to family members include love, but with wisdom
Q. There is a family member who keeps intruding in my life. I want to love this person well, and I don’t want to go against God’s teaching about the duty we owe to family, but this person’s constant interruptions and negative attitude are affecting my family and me. What can I do?
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