The second volume of Fr John Flader’s column Question Time was launched at the Catholic Adult Education Centre, Lidcombe, last week, reports The Catholic Weekly.
The book comprises another 150 questions and answers on the Catholic faith, from how a Synod of Bishops differs from an Ecumenical Council, to the Church’s stance on condoms, to whether watching Mass on television fulfills your obligation to attend (it doesn’t).
In launching the book, journalist Mike Willesee said: “This is not just about questions and answers, this is a book you can read. “It’s a fantastic book, it follows perfectly on from the first Question Time, and I thoroughly recommend it.”
Fr Flader said the book will be “very useful to many people”, especially priests, who are often asked the same questions. “People sometimes ask me if I’m running out of questions after eight years of doing this,” he said.
“That means not only is Question Time 2 out but I’ve already written more than half of Question Time 3.
“The answer is, no, I’m not running out of questions; they’re coming in faster than I can answer them.”
Fr John receives letters and emails full of questions, but is also asked questions when he meets people face-to-face.
Question Time is an important opportunity to share the beauty of the Catholic Church, he said.
“I do it because I think it is a way of helping many people to appreciate the riches of the Catholic faith.
“And if I can reach over 10,000 people … then that is time well spent, to not only introduce people to the faith but to convince people of its truth and of its beauty, and of its relevance to them.
“[That] is, in a sense, the background of these columns; it’s not only to give facts but to encourage people to accept that this is truth, and something that they should be happy to learn more about.”
FULL STORY Book no 3 looms as the questions continue (Catholic Weekly)