Q. I sometimes have very sexual thoughts about my husband who is not with me. Unfortunately he is in a nursing home, and we cannot be together. Is it a sin for me to have such thoughts about him?
A. Be at peace. It is a blessing, not a sin. It is a sign of the enduring love and intimacy you shared with him in your marriage.
Q. Some priests seem to be old-fashioned, and I wonder if they are pre-Vatican II in some things and not up to today’s Roman Catholic teachings. What do you think?
A. As much as I try to refrain from making judgments, I believe your observation is correct, although I do not think such priests are old-fashioned. Going back to the way things were is the “new fashion” for some. This perspective is appealing, and it is totally understandable, but in the long run I do not believe it has “legs.” The Holy Spirit was hard at work at the Second Vatican Council. The Spirit of God will prevail, even if not on our timetable.