Can you recommend a book about Catholicism? No, other than the Bible. [more inside]
posted by teragram on Oct 18, 2009 - 31 answers

Infant son's getting baptized, and our sister-in-law feels she should be allowed to invite several friends of hers who're not of our faith and not acquainted with either us or the baby. I think she's out of line. O wise Hivemind, which of us is right? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 17, 2009 - 65 answers

What is the Corpus Christi altar ornament in this picture called, and where can I find a stand-alone high res version? I think it sounds something like "monster", but Google isn't giving me anything. I need an answer in the next couple of hours.
posted by rollick on Jun 13, 2009 - 3 answers

I want to learn about the Catholic social justice movement. What are some good books or other sources? [more inside]
posted by naoko on Jun 5, 2009 - 19 answers

Two questions about the necessity of self-deception. (1)I recall that Jesuits believe that you can build faith by engaging in external acts; what is the source of this? (2)Also, are there any famous philosophers that maintain that while certain propositions are not true, it is imperative to act as though they were? [more inside]
posted by yesno on Dec 5, 2007 - 19 answers

Is there a specific name for the Catholic candles you can get at Mexican grocery stores? The ones in glass jars with pictures of saints, Marias, or Jesus? And can anyone tell me more about them, such as how they fit into Catholicism or their cultural resonances? I'm curious about them, and I've found remarkably little info on the internet-- which leads me to wonder if I'm not using the right search term, or if (egads!) there actually is not a website out there with information.
posted by bookish on Sep 5, 2007 - 27 answers

How do we go about choosing a priest for a catholic wedding when I am lapsed and he is atheist? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 13, 2007 - 34 answers

Take this lyric and David Allen Coe it. [more inside]
posted by jason's_planet on Jan 27, 2007 - 6 answers

I used to be a devoted catholic. I quit the church years ago, but still miss the spirituality. Buddhism should fit me, but I feel like such a poser. [more inside]
posted by davar on Nov 25, 2006 - 36 answers

A friend of mine, who writes for Ministry and Liturgy magazine, has a question about a prayer attributed to St. Teresa. [more inside]
posted by UKnowForKids on May 15, 2005 - 4 answers

What with the Archbishop of Canterbury on the point of being vanquished by plain old Doubt (not that it was much of a contest in Rowan Williams's case) I was reminded of a drama I once read as a book and later saw as a TV screenplay. An abbot of a particular monastery has secretly lost his faith, and so does not wish to lead the brothers in prayer; he always gets someone else to do this, to avoid a personal spiritual crisis caused by having to pray publicly to, as he sees it, nothing. The Catholic hierarchy of that future time, unbeknownst to him, has become entirely atheist. An agent of the curia is sent to force the abbot to the point of a self-destroying confrontation with his unbelief. The agent achieves this by manipulating him into a situation where he can't avoid being the one to lead the assembled brothers in a public prayer.

Can anyone tell me what this thing is that I remember? Title and author are entirely gone. Thanks!
posted by jfuller on Jan 6, 2005 - 4 answers