Articles by Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

About Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Father Jeffrey Kirby is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Lancaster. He holds an M.A. in philosophy from Franciscan University of Steubenville and a doctorate in moral theology from Holy Cross University in Rome. Father Kirby is the author of several books including, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray" (St. Benedict Press, 2014). To learn more about him, please visit frkirby.com or follow him at Twitter/fatherkirby.

Immigration discernment

August 11, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q. I’m very confused over the immigration debate. It seems that some church leaders are upset with our national policies but I don’t understand why. Could you explain this? (Hilton Head, SC) A. The questions surrounding […]

No gum before Communion

July 28, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q. My priest recently reminded us about the fast before Communion. He said that gum is a part of this fast. This just seems extreme to me. What if someone is chewing gum for fresh […]

Last rites vs. anointing of sick

July 13, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Growing up, I always heard of people receiving the “last rites.” How is that different or similar to the anointing of the sick in churches today? (Charlotte, NC) A: The Lord Jesus instituted seven […]

Is a DNR order euthanasia?

July 3, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: In our devotional life for the dead, we pray “eternal rest grant unto them” but we believe in the resurrection of the body and soul. No one gets “eternal rest” do they? Won’t we […]

Can we work on Sundays?

June 16, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: I’ve been trying to avoid any monetarily motivated work on Sunday. Is this a good course of action? What about reading non-religious literature? (Summerville, SC) A: The observance of Sunday is a serious responsibility […]

Abstaining from meat on Fridays

June 2, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Years ago, my oldest daughter was asked, “How many sacraments are there?” and she answered, “Seven for men and six for women.” Shouldn’t that be the official answer? Perhaps Pope Francis will balance the […]

Proof of the afterlife

May 19, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: How do I respond to someone who invited me to join a study group on the biblical evidence for “God the Mother”? Doesn’t Jesus refer to God as “Father”? (Columbia, SC) A: I would […]

Using the term ‘Father’

May 5, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: A while ago, we heard the Gospel at Mass tell us to “call no one your father.” With this teaching, why do we call our priests “Father”? (Bluffton, SC) A: Thank you for your […]

Human narratives in the Bible

April 14, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: I’ve been trying to read the Bible. I started in Genesis but came across the story of the nephilim (Gen 6:1-4), which apparently are the offspring of angels and human women? What is this […]

When can you cease artificial nutrition?

April 5, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: A while ago, I had an elderly family member in the hospital. She was dying and I was encouraged to stop the artificial nutrition and hydration. I agreed with the doctors. We stopped everything and […]