Ask Catholics

Ask Catholics

By Let's TalkSociety & CultureReligion & SpiritualityChristianityEducationSelf-ImprovementPhilosophy
Download on the App Store

Ask Catholics episodes

  • 🏆 “Apostolic Participation Trophy”
    📜 — If Sola Scriptura was THE plan from the beginning… why did most of the Apostles never write anything?
    That’s the joke.
    But also… kind of the question.
    This new Peter’s Barque track leans hard into the absurdity:
    🎶 Andrew evangelized nations… but apparently forgot to leave notes.
    🎶 Bartholomew got flayed alive for Christ… but didn’t “submit paperwork.”
    🎶 Luke and Mark weren’t Apostles.
    🎶 Nobody’s even fully sure who wrote Hebrews.
    🎶 And somehow we’re told Christianity was always supposed to function as “Scripture alone.”
    The song isn’t attacking Scripture.
    Far from it.
    It’s poking fun at the strange historical reality that:
    the same Christians who say “the Bible alone” still have to inherit the canon itself from the Church that preserved, recognized, copied, preached, and defended it.
    Because before Christianity was a paperback…
    it was preached.
    It was taught.
    It was sacramental.
    It was apostolic.
    It was a Church.
    And that’s exactly the tension this song plays with — through dry humor, punchy ska energy, and one very awkward participation trophy.
    🎶 “Apostolic Participation Trophy” — a track for converts, cradle Catholics, theology nerds, Church history geeks, and anybody who has ever wondered why Simon the Zealot apparently forgot to turn in his assignment.
    #Catholic #CatholicFaith #SolaScriptura #ChurchHistory #BibleStudy #CatholicMusic #PetersBarque #Theology #ChristianHistory #ApostolicChurch #ChristianMusic #Catechesis #Apologetics #Bible #NewTestament #Christianity #JesusChrist #CatholicTruth #ChurchFathers #Hebrews
    The music is digital. The art is AI. The arguments, sarcasm, and late-night theological spirals are extremely human.
    🌐 https://petersbarquemusic.com
    𝕏 https://x.com/petersbarque
    📺 https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque
    📸 https://instagram.com/petersbarque
    🎵 https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8
    🍎 https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433
    ☕ https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    6 min
  • A lot of people have asked how they can support Peter’s Barque...
    A lot of people have asked how they can support Peter’s Barque.
    The best answer is still simple:
    Share the songs.
    Send them to friends.
    Use them in OCIA, youth ministry, Bible studies, classrooms, and comment sections when the same old anti-Catholic canards show up again.
    That helps more than you know.
    But I also wanted to share one other thing.
    Peter’s Barque is new for me — but digital marketing is not. I’ve been helping businesses grow online for almost 20 years, and that work is part of what allows me to keep building this catechetical music project.
    So if you own or run a local business — dentist, contractor, roofer, plumber, restaurant, coffee shop, law firm, therapy office, jewelry store, or any brick-and-mortar business that needs more people finding you on Google — I’d love to talk.
    One of my platforms, https://HabaneroSocial.com, helps local businesses improve their Google Business Profile visibility so more people find them in search and maps.
    No pressure. No obligation.
    But if you’re part of the Peter’s Barque community and you book a call, mention “Peter’s Barque” and I’ll give you a special lifetime discount if it makes sense for us to work together.
    Thanks again for the incredible support. I never expected this project to grow the way it has, but I’m grateful — and I’d be honored to work with some of you.
    God bless.
    #Catholic #CatholicMusic #PetersBarque #CatholicBusiness #CatholicEntrepreneur #LocalBusiness #GoogleBusinessProfile #CatholicFaith

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    7 min
  • 🍞🍷🩸 “Ancient Scandal (Transubstantiation)” — The Eucharist Was Always Scandalous
    🍞🍷🩸 “Ancient Scandal (Transubstantiation)” — The Eucharist Was Always Scandalous
    Yesterday was the Feast of Corpus Christi — the celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ.
    Which makes this a fitting week to release a song about one of the strangest accusations ever leveled against Christians:
    Cannibalism.
    That sounds absurd to modern ears… until you realize why the accusation existed in the first place.
    Christians spoke about eating the Body of Christ and drinking His Blood so literally that pagan Rome misunderstood them. And notably — the early Church didn’t respond by saying:
    “Oh no, you misunderstood. It’s only symbolic.”
    Instead, Christians clarified how it was true.
    Not crude cannibalism.
    Not dead flesh on a plate.
    But the living Christ, truly present under the appearances of bread and wine.
    That mystery eventually came to be called transubstantiation:
    the accidents remain, but the substance changes.
    And honestly? The Incarnation already prepared us for this.
    Jesus looked ordinary too.
    No Roman soldier looking at Christ would have seen “divinity particles” floating around Him. The God who hid Himself in human flesh still hides Himself under ordinary appearances.
    That’s what this song is about.
    🎶 “Ancient Scandal (Transubstantiation)” — a song about John 6, the Real Presence, the accusations against the early Church, and the strange, beautiful scandal at the center of the Eucharist.
    #Catholic #CorpusChristi #Eucharist #RealPresence #Transubstantiation #CatholicMusic #PetersBarque #John6 #AncientScandal
    Peter’s Barque is a catechetical musical project by Justin West. He’s a catechist, not a musician. The music and art are created largely through digital tools — but the words, theology, heart, and occasional sarcasm are still very human.
    Website: https://petersbarquemusic.com
    X: https://x.com/petersbarque
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/petersbarque
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/petersbarque
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8
    Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433
    Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-7821522

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    7 min
  • 🕯️⚖️☀️ "I WANT TO WANT" — When Your Heart Chooses the Lesser Light
    🕯️⚖️☀️ "I WANT TO WANT" — When Your Heart Chooses the Lesser Light
    Saint Augustine didn’t deny the good.
    He knew it.
    He respected it.
    He just prayed:
    “Give me chastity… but not yet.”
    That’s not ancient history.
    That’s Tuesday.
    We don’t usually choose evil because it’s evil.
    We choose real goods—comfort, pleasure, distraction—
    just not in their proper place.
    The smaller light.
    The nearer thing.
    The easier yes.
    And over time,
    we stop noticing what we’re missing.
    The deeper problem?
    Sometimes we don’t even want the greater good.
    So the most honest prayer isn’t:
    “Lord, I’ve got this.”
    It’s:
    “Lord… I want to want what You want.”
    That’s not weakness.
    That’s the beginning of conversion.
    Even Saint Andrew Wouters—
    a man who knew his own failures—
    stood firm when it mattered most:
    “A fornicator I always was…
    a heretic I will never be.”
    Not perfect.
    But faithful.
    🎶 "I WANT TO WANT" — a track for anyone who knows the good… but keeps reaching for something less.
    #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #Theology #Augustine #RestlessHeart #Grace #Conversion
    ---
    Peter’s Barque is a catechetical music project by Justin West. The music is created using digital tools, and the art is AI-assisted—but the message, theology, and intent are entirely human.
    ---
    FOLLOW PETER’S BARQUE
    https://petersbarquemusic.com
    https://x.com/petersbarque
    https://instagram.com/petersbarque
    https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque
    https://facebook.com/petersbarque
    https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque
    https://rumble.com/c/c-7821522
    ---
    LISTEN
    https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8
    ---
    SUPPORT
    https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min
  • 🔥✨ “We Didn’t Invent This” — Simple… and Somehow More Than One? An Explanation of the Trinity
    🔥✨ “We Didn’t Invent This” — Simple… and Somehow More Than One?
    Last week we talked about divine simplicity—God isn’t made of parts, not divided, not composed.
    This week we run into what *sounds* like a contradiction:
    One God…
    and yet Father, Son, and Spirit.
    If your idea of God fits neatly inside your own mind… that should raise a red flag.
    A lot of people reject the Trinity because it “doesn’t make sense.”
    But notice what they’re assuming: that the source of all being, outside space and time, should think and exist *the way you do.*
    Scripture doesn’t let you do that.
    You get one God.
    You also get the Father called God.
    You get Jesus called God.
    You get the Spirit acting and speaking as God.
    So what do you do with that?
    You don’t flatten it.
    You don’t ignore parts.
    You don’t invent something new.
    You receive what’s there.
    Not three gods.
    Not one person wearing masks.
    One God. Three Persons.
    Not divided substance. One Godhead.
    It’s not irrational.
    It’s not less than reason.
    It’s *more* than you expected.
    And yeah—
    it doesn’t fit in your head.
    That’s kind of the point.
    🕊️ Trinity Sunday is this coming Sunday.
    🎶 “We Didn’t Invent This” — a track for converts, skeptics, Scripture nerds, and anyone who’s wrestled with how God can be both perfectly one and yet not solitary.
    #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #Theology #Trinity #DivineSimplicity #Christianity #Apologetics
    ⚠️ Peter’s Barque is a catechetical music project by Justin West. The music is created using digital tools, and AI is used for the artwork—while the writing, theology, and message are fully his.
    🔗 https://petersbarquemusic.com
    📺 https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque
    🎥 https://rumble.com/c/c-7821522
    🐦 https://x.com/petersbarque
    📸 https://instagram.com/petersbarque
    🎵 https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque
    📘 https://facebook.com/petersbarque

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min
  • 🔥 “BABEL UNDONE (PENTECOST)”
    📜🔥 “BABEL UNDONE (PENTECOST)” NEW BONUS DROP!
    Most people know the story of the Tower of Babel.
    Humanity gathers together.
    One people.
    One language.
    One great project.
    “Let us make a name for ourselves.”
    And then suddenly:
    confusion.
    Division.
    Scattering.
    Languages splitting apart.
    But here’s the strange thing…
    When Pentecost arrives in Acts 2, the Bible suddenly starts obsessing over languages again.
    Parthians.
    Medes.
    Elamites.
    Visitors from Rome.
    People from every nation under heaven.
    And somehow…
    they all hear the Gospel proclaimed in their own tongue.
    That’s not an accident.
    Pentecost isn’t random fire from the sky.
    It’s not just “the Church’s birthday.”
    And it’s not God deleting cultures or making everybody the same.
    It’s the healing of something ancient.
    At Babel, humanity tried to climb upward and seize heaven.
    At Pentecost, heaven comes down instead.
    Not one language replacing all others—
    but many nations, finally united in truth.
    And the fire still hasn’t gone out.
    The same Spirit still turns pride into humility,
    fear into courage,
    division into communion,
    and ordinary people into saints.
    🎶 “BABEL UNDONE (PENTECOST)” — a bonus-drop track for Pentecost week.
    For Scripture nerds, converts, cradle Catholics, history lovers, and anyone who’s never noticed the connection hiding in plain sight.
    Peter’s Barque is a catechetical musical project by Justin West. He’s a catechist, not a musician. The music is created principally through digital means, and the art is AI — but the words, heart, and soul are still him.
    #Catholic #Pentecost #HolySpirit #Acts2 #BibleStudy #CatholicMusic #PetersBarque #Theology #Christianity #CatholicFaith
    🎧 Listen / Follow:
    Website: https://petersbarquemusic.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque
    X: https://x.com/petersbarque
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8
    ☕ Support the project:
    https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min
  • 🧠✨ "Simple (Not Basic)" — God isn’t built… and that changes everything
    Title: 🧠✨ Simple (Not Basic)
    🧠✨ "Simple (Not Basic)" — God isn’t built… and that changes everything
    What if God isn’t just the biggest thing… but not a “thing” at all?
    Most of us—without realizing it—picture God like a super-powered version of us.
    Smarter. Stronger. Eternal.
    But still… built.
    Still something that has attributes.
    Still something that could, at least in theory, be taken apart. 🧩
    That’s the problem.
    Because anything made of parts depends on those parts.
    And anything that depends…
    isn’t the source of everything else.
    Classical Christianity has always said something far more radical:
    God isn’t made of anything.
    Not physical parts.
    Not metaphysical parts.
    Not “power + knowledge + goodness” stacked together.
    He doesn’t have being.
    He is Being.
    That’s what “divine simplicity” means.
    Not that God is easy to understand—
    but that He isn’t assembled.
    No upgrades. ⬆️
    No change. ⏳
    No becoming.
    Because if He could gain something,
    He didn’t already have it.
    And if He didn’t already have it…
    He’s not God.
    Everything else?
    Changes.
    Learns.
    Breaks.
    Improves.
    Everything else receives existence.
    But God?
    God doesn’t receive anything.
    Everything else borrows life—
    He’s the reason anything is. ✨
    And yeah… that raises a question:
    What about Jesus?
    If God doesn’t change…
    what does it mean that “God became man”?
    That’s in the song.
    And next week—we go further.
    The Trinity. 🔺
    🎶 "Simple (Not Basic)" — Part 1
    #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #Theology #DivineSimplicity #Thomism #Philosophy #BibleStudy #CatholicTruth
    https://petersbarquemusic.com
    https://x.com/petersbarque
    https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min
  • A spammer pretended to be my priest...
    I'm the director of OCIA for my parish, and as such my name, email, and phone number appear in the bulletin, which appears online. Quite frequently, some spammer scrapes the information, then spoofs being my priest (who I have known personally for 20+ years)... and sometimes... I string them along...

    Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    6 min

About Ask Catholics

From the publisher's feed

Ask Catholics is a podcast run by a catechist and RCIA director to help people understand and better be able to explain the Catholic faith and to clear up a lot of misconceptions many people have when…