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.

What is the teaching on limbo?

March 24, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Does the Catholic Church have a stance on the academic community replacing A.D. with C.E.? It feels like the academic world is trying to take God out of our lives. (Clover, SC) A: The […]

Is it OK to do yoga?

March 10, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: In a previous column, you wrote that homosexuality is “an act of rebellion against nature and its Creator”, one of only a few sins that “cries to heaven for vengeance.” Then how great a […]

Why St. Jude is the patron of ‘hopeless’ causes

February 24, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Why do we use the term “hopeless” in terms of St. Jude? Suffering is hard enough without adding the negativity of hopelessness. (Aiken, SC) A: In designating St. Jude as the patron of hopeless […]

Praying for the souls of the dead

February 10, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body, so why do we only pray for the “souls” of those who have died? (Aiken, SC) A: This is a great question that highlights […]

Keeping ashes at home

January 23, 2018 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: In a previous column, you said that Catholics can’t scatter the ashes of loved ones because they have to be preserved and shown respect. Is it possible to keep the ashes at home? I […]

Is giving to my parish enough?

December 16, 2017 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: In my parish, we oftentimes have two collections. I give as I’m able, but I also receive numerous solicitations from religious groups. Why do they send these things? Isn’t giving to my parish enough? […]

Should I be a bridesmaid?

December 9, 2017 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: My sister has had a difficult life, especially in the area of love, and she recently asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. But this is her second wedding. She was previously […]

Forgiveness for remarriage?

November 25, 2017 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Why is it that the Church will forgive someone who has had an abortion but will not forgive someone who is divorced and remarried? I think abortion is a horrific act. How can people […]

Prayer before doxology?

November 11, 2017 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: At the end of the Protestant Lord’s Prayer, there’s a doxology. The Catholic tradition has a different prayer before the doxology. What’s the history to this prayer? (Hilton Head, SC) A: The Lord’s Prayer […]

Why can’t we scatter ashes?

October 28, 2017 Father Jeffrey Kirby | The Catholic Miscellany

Q: Why is it that we can’t scatter the ashes of our loved ones but we can cut up and distribute body parts of saints? (Aiken, SC) A: It’s true, at first glance, the two […]