Articles by Father Rocky Hoffman
Fulfilling your Sunday Mass obligation in China
Dec 13, 2011 / 00:00 amMy question concerns travel to China. What is the best way to meet the Sunday obligation to attend Mass? Any visible churches are part of the Catholic Patriotic Association controlled by China and not in communion with Rome. Should we skip Mass altogether? Should we attend the services available but not receive Communion? I'm assuming Communion at these churches would not be valid. I know some bishops and priests in the Patriotic Association have secretly reconciled with Rome, but we would have no way of knowing who that would be. Also, it would be difficult and foolish to try to find Mass at an underground church. We never miss Mass when we travel but I'm not sure what the best course of action would be in this case. Any guidance you could give would be helpful.
Another time, another place
Dec 6, 2011 / 00:00 amAt our local parish, a deacon's homily was a eulogy for one of his friends. It seems a eulogy to praise people at Sunday Masses when we are there to worship God is a clear violation of rubrics. Am I wrong in being scandalized by his actions?
Sexual abuse of mentally disabled siblings
Nov 29, 2011 / 00:00 amI have a question that is very troubling. One of my friends was a teacher who taught disabled children for two years. She related a case to me of a mentally handicapped girl who was impregnated by her brother. The baby was born so disabled that it had to be institutionalized. My friend said that the babies from such pregnancies are normally born that way. I’m sure there must be many others out there who are faced with this dilemma. She seemed to feel it would be better that the girl be surgically treated to prevent such a pregnancy. I find this very troubling because I am completely pro-life. I’m sure there are many other cases where girls are taken advantage of and mothers are faced with this dilemma. I would appreciate if you could discover the Church's stand on this.
Priest, prophet, king
Nov 22, 2011 / 00:00 amWhere does “priest, prophet and king” appear in the Bible? Are we as good Catholics considered priest, prophet and king?
Infertility as a reason for adoption
Nov 15, 2011 / 00:00 amI was wondering how and under what circumstances the Church approves of adoption, in light of the Church's teaching that in vitro and in utero fertilization are wrong, and also that, as I understand it, a marriage is not advisable if one of the would-be spouses were infertile?
Mentioning prayer intentions at Mass
Nov 8, 2011 / 00:00 amIn our parish, the priest doesn’t pray for the people who are sick. We have a prayer chain and once in a while the priest will mention to pray for the people whose names are in the book. Again they said that took attention away from Christ in the Mass. The priest doesn’t even name the person who the Mass is for. I always thought that was why we had the Mass for them.
Incense the tabernacle?
Oct 25, 2011 / 00:00 amAt a recent Mass I participated in, the altar, priest, crucifix, the offering on the altar and the people were incensed except for the Tabernacle. Every priest I asked gave me a different answer. I find it difficult to believe that the holiest object in the church is not incensed. I would like your answer to this question.
Marriage of a non-practicing Catholic outside of the Church
Oct 18, 2011 / 00:00 amMy nephew is marrying outside the church; although baptized, he hasn't been to church in years. Should his Catholic relatives attend? Of course it would cause bad feelings if we don't.
The ABC’s and D’s of indulgences
Oct 11, 2011 / 00:00 amDoes anyone remember the A-B-C-D indulgences that could be placed on rosaries when they were blessed? This dates back to the fifties and I haven't heard of them since. A, B, C, D stood for: Apostolic, Benedictine, Carmelite and Dominican I believe. Would love it if this practice was reinstated.
Rubrics for the care of sacred linens and sacred vessels
Oct 4, 2011 / 00:00 amWhat is the proper procedure for washing the towel, the purificator and other linens and vessels used in the Mass? Thank you for your help.
No need for two weddings
Sep 27, 2011 / 00:00 amMy fiancé and I would like to have two Catholic weddings. You see, we are college students applying for graduate school, and we will be more eligible for the loans we need if we're married by February 2010. Since we're getting married anyway, it seems that we should be married by a point which will secure our future financially. We'll have completed pre-cana by the time we are married, but the date of the wedding is rather time sensitive and would need to be done by Feb. 1.
Verses for the Agnus Dei?
Sep 20, 2011 / 00:00 amI have a question about music in the Mass. Are we supposed to sing “verses” for the Agnus Dei rather than to repeat Lamb of God three times, or are both forms correct?
Eucharistic protocols
Sep 13, 2011 / 00:00 amIn a local Catholic church that I occasionally attend with a dear friend of mine, the tabernacle is not located in the sanctuary, or even in the main church. The tabernacle is located in the chapel. Although the chapel is under the same roof as the main church, the two are separated by the parish hall.
Protocol for extraordinary ministers
Sep 6, 2011 / 00:00 amI have a question about Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion coming up on the altar before receiving Communion. “Legal” or not?
Signs of mortality
Aug 30, 2011 / 00:00 amCould please tell me the significance of the skull that appears at the base of some religious statues?
Making sense of the Memorial Acclamation
Aug 23, 2011 / 00:00 amWhat does “proclaim Your death” mean, exactly? It sounds almost celebratory. Does it truly mean, “we remember Your death?” If so, ought not it be more clear - we “commemorate” or the priest re-enacts the death? This recitation has only recently begun to disturb me, as I attempt to ponder seriously everything the members of the congregation recite.
American flag in the sanctuary
Aug 16, 2011 / 00:00 amWe have had the American Flag at the side of the sanctuary for years and years and now our new pastor has decided he doesn't want it there, only for national holidays. He really did not give us a very good reason for the change other than saying the flag is not liturgically correct. Is this something new?
Helping an atheist make sense of the Bible
Aug 9, 2011 / 00:00 amHow can I answer the statement below that an atheist sent me?
Third Orders
Aug 2, 2011 / 00:00 amWhat exactly is a Third Order, and what must a person do to become a member of one?