Catholic Answers Focus

Questions Covered:

08:06 – How much weight do regional councils hold, especially when looking back at history? 

16:30 – If St Peter was martyred, how was he supposed to have laid hands on Pope Linus? 

24:00 – How do we reconcile 1 John “Whoever denies Jesus denies the Father” with claims that Jews and Muslims worship the same God in Nostra Aetate? 

37:03 – I recently had a lot of spiritual healings through Reiki done and I want to start developing my relationship with Jesus further. How do I deepen this relationship? 

48:55 – In the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena, there’s a line in the prayer that says that Mary is our Salvation. How do I explain this? 

53:13 – What does the following phrase mean: God from God, light from light, True God from True God? 

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Questions Covered:

13:53 – I’ve noticed in my parish that they removed all images of a crucified Christ. Is this a common practice around this time of year?

17:19 – What is the difference between the particular judgment and the general judgment?

20:43 – Is being a homosexual a sin or is it just the action that is sin?

36:06 – Is it ok to say “bless you” back to a priest? Is that a quick prayer?

38:38 – What are your thoughts on the claim that Jesus started small churches and not a big universal church? I’m being told that all I need to do is believe in Jesus.

45:29 – What does the white collar mean?

49:08 – I’ve heard people say we should unite our sufferings to Christ for the redemption of others. What does that mean?

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Ever wished for a killer proof to convince all of Twitter that God exists? Logan Gage, head of the philosophy department at Franciscan University, says there is actually a better strategy. Maybe just point to the variety of evidence, and help others to see it.

Cy Kellett:

I know you want it, but you don’t need that one killer argument to prove God’s existence. Dr. Logan Gage is next.

Cy Kellett:

Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host, and especially in this, it used to b...

Questions Covered:

04:01 – What does it mean that Mary is the spouse of the Holy Spirit? 

07:43 – Why would a Catholic use faith as a pathway to truth? 

14:23 – Is it morally permissible for someone with anxiety to take prescribed Xanax? 

18:32 – Are lay people worthy to handle and distribute communion? Are we worthy to receive communion on the hand and why did it historically change? 

22:42 – I just saw a video of protesters at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. The men defending the Church said “your body is mine” to the protesters. Have you seen this? What are your thoughts? 

28:35 – Do you have advice on how to handle a 12-year-old girl who has become antagonistic towards God? 

30:54 – Why are some African saints portrayed as white in icons and other sacred art? 

35:31 – Rising from the dead is a scientific impossibility. Are we really supposed to believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead? 

41:53 – I used to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in the 80’s but I have not done it in years. What would I have to do to be certified again? 

44:09 – Could you explain indulgences? How do they work? 

49:23 – Who makes the call on excommunication? On what level does that responsibility lie on? Is it priests, bishops, the pope? 

50:50 – How was time kept in Jesus’ time? 

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Questions Covered:

03:38 – Are the Jewish-Christian lead tablets forgeries? 

06:38 – Can a trans-man marry a trans-woman in the Catholic faith? 

11:27 – It seems like a lot of the popes in history have been mean and evil? How does the Church respond? Was Martin Luther correct in trying to go against those things? 

18:28 – How does the Church respond to a politician who supports abortion and receives communion? 

28:11 – Being that there’s bishops in Germany advocating for a change in the catechism regarding the LGBT community, what are the disciplinary measures that the other bishops can place on them? 

32:46 – I was accused of being a cannibal because of the Eucharist. How do I respond? 

40:58 – Is it accurate to say that God’s ordaining will is will in himself? Is this will unrelated to his creation while his permissive will is in relation to his creation? 

43:27 – How can I bring up a conversation about faith with my boyfriend? 

48:15 – If both parties in a marriage have to freely enter into it, then, historically, how were arranged marriages valid? 

52:17 – I’ve heard that you’re not supposed to judge someone’s soul, but can you help find it in the Catechism? 

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Questions Covered:

03:45 – My priest tends to make jokes to families during Baptism, is this proper? 

08:00 – Does the Spirit of Truth from John Chapter 16 apply to every believer or just the magisterium? 

12:40 – Does a Catholic in a civil marriage who is married to a non-Catholic need to get an annulment? 

17:45 – Did Jesus wash the feet of Judas on Holy Thursday? 

22:20 – When praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet how can I say I offer the body, blood, soul, and divinity? 

29:30 – When they divided Jesus’s clothing, they were also called priestly garments. Do we know the ancient name or today’s equivalent name of the garments? 

32:15 – Where in the bible do we get the criteria for proper marriage or an annulment?  

36:10 – Is it appropriate to ask a priest for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick before an open-heart surgery? 

44:05 – How can I tell my adult children about getting an annulment? 

52:10 – What is the best way to offer Mass for souls in Purgatory? 

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Questions Covered:

09:30 – How do you respond to the argument that banning abortions will actually make them increase?

15:00 – Is forcing someone to continue a pregnancy conceived in rape a continuation of the original crime?

20:35 – When I change someone’s mind on abortion, how do I keep them from going back to being pro-choice?

23:30 – What should we say about women who are in tough pregnancies due to poverty or abusive partners?

28:45 – How do you respond to the claim that children born from unwanted pregnancies would become criminals?

32:15 – Is abortion ever medically necessary? Are cases like ectopic pregnancies real?

36:50 – When abortion rates started decreasing, did adoption rates start increasing?

43:00 – If one day we could fully grow a fetus outside of the womb, what would be the Catholic position on that?

50:15 – Is there a moral difference between a two-year-old and an unborn child? I don’t know if the Church teaches that.

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Questions Covered:

48:21 – I’m so glad you guys finally said this out loud! We don’t need to poke the bear! 

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Questions Covered:

08:30 – Roe V. Wade document Leak

47:33 – I’ve been in the prolife movement since 1985. You’re right, most people in the movement are religious and those that are not, burn out quickly. Stigmatizing abortion helped to keep it in the spotlight. It showed what it really is.

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Questions Covered:

09:48 – How do I explain to my Catholic friends that when we pray to Mary, we are not taking glory away from God? 

15:35 – I’m not Catholic but I’m trying to find in the bible that you will be blessed more if you give more. Where can I find that? 

20:45 – Would it be reasonable for the Church to assert a lawsuit for plagiarism against those who teach heresy? 

32:24 – Why does Mary have her own power?  Why does she ask for shrines in her name? 

41:45 – Is it ok to receive communion on one knee? 

48:17 – After I apply a plenary indulgence to a departed soul, do I no longer have to pray for them? 

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