Dear Father

To sign or be marked by the cross originates in the Old Testament. In the Book of Ezekiel, the Babylonians threaten to conquer the city of Jerusalem. This is symbolized in Ezekiel's vision by six armed men approaching the city from the north. While they approached, a man with a writing case came and stood in the temple. God instructs this man to go throughout the city and mark those who have persevered in their faith with the sign of the Tav. At the time, this would look closer to an "X," but its more ancient form was closer to the "T," which looks like a cross.

To what extent may Catholics be fans of a sport where violence is part of the competition? 

This question comes at an interesting time in the sports world.

To answer this, we first must ask 'What is a superstition?'

Superstitions presuppose a supernatural world that interacts with our world. These interactions cause both positive and negative effects on our life. Moreover, through superstitions, we can in some way control these interactions to make them work more favorably for us.

Is it OK to leave Mass immediately after receiving Communion? 

The word that stands out to me the most in this question is the word "OK." This word means that what's being proposed is satisfactory, and thus the question asked is: Is it a satisfactory practice to leave Mass immediately after receiving Communion?

Both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed share the quality of being a creed of the Church. The word creed comes from the Latin word credo, meaning "I believe." The meaning of this word reflects the purpose of these statements: They are structured and succinct ways of expressing the beliefs of the faith.

In the first centuries of Christianity, the clergy wore the same clothing as other people. It wasn't until around the sixth century that, as society changed to embrace more extravagant styles, clergy remained with more muted, conservative colors and styles of dress. This split of styles would be the first clerical dress the clergy wore.