Questions Covered:

05:58 – I visited Vatican City last summer and was shocked at the amount of treasure, art, and also general booty from extinct civilizations that was there.  How did the Papacy obtain all of this and why do they still possess it?

13:30 – What semester-long classes/programs would you recommend for Catholic high schoolers that are similar to RCIA that recap their faith, strengthen it, reinforce it, and so on?  In other words, anything that recaps their faith that is online that will also help them grow in their love for God.

16:19 – I was asked by my atheist son, “If God, beyond a shadow of a doubt, asked you to kill me, would you?” I confirmed that it was “beyond a shadow of a doubt” and then responded “Yes.” I place God’s  will above all else. My atheist husband then turned on me and insisted that that was unacceptable. I feel as though I was just duped by a straw man argument. I’m so upset I don’t want to even be around them and just feel like grieving that they both so badly misunderstand. Help?

29:21 – I’m currently a Baptist Christian but I’m having a hard time choosing between Baptist (Protestant) Christian and Catholic Christian. The reason I’m Baptist is because I believe that we are all guilty sinners who deserve hell and only Jesus Christ paying for our sins is what saves us and I don’t think you can ever lose your salvation. …. after learning some church history and getting a good amount of my questions answered I’m starting to lean more towards Catholicism. But I will always believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and his sacrifice is enough and we can’t work for our salvation. I believe we will be rewarded in heaven for our good works but I don’t think the good works are what save us. Does the Catholic Church believe we Christians are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ paying for our sins?

37:25 – Our 30-year-old son has left the faith and is living with his girlfriend. Is it a sin to allow them to stay in the same room in our home? My spiritual director has told me that it would be a serious sin for me, as the spiritual leader of my family, to allow this to happen. I have lovingly discussed this with my son and told him that he and his girlfriend are always welcome in our home but must sleep in separate rooms. This did not go well and our son has refused to come to our home in the future. I made it clear how much I love and care about him. We still communicate, but he claims that he and his girlfriend are upset and hurt over this. Even though my wife agreed to my following my conscious regarding this issue, she doesn’t see things in the same way as me and this has created tension between me and my wife. She feels that this decision has negatively impacted our relationship with him. Most of our other 5 adult children also disagree with my actions. I pray and sacrifice daily for my son’s conversion as well as that of his girlfriend, who is unbaptized and was raised without any faith. I also pray for my wife, marriage, and family. I don’t know what else I can do. It is just a terrible place to be in. I think that it might be helpful for my wife if you could provide me with some specific references to the Catholic faith referring to this type of situation. Thanks for your assistance. God Bless you and your ministry.

46:14 – If you get the Last Rites from a Catholic priest, do you automatically go to Heaven? Also, is it true you can get the Last Rites from anyone?

50:48 – I am concerned about my parents. They were raised Catholic but chose to go with non-denominational Christianity. I do not know their reasons for leaving the Catholic faith. My inquiry is if my parents, both of them or one of them, desired to return to the Catholic faith then what would they have to do?

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