Catholic Answers Focus

Are you a simulation created by some dude on his computer in his basement? In fact, couldn’t our whole universe be a simulated universe? Patrick Flynn, Catholic philosopher and host of The Pat Flynn Show and Philosophy for the People tackles the growing consensus among the smart people that we might be living in a simulation.

Cy Kellett:

Could we really be living in a simulation? Pat Flynn is next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. This week, we welcome a new affiliate,...

Questions Covered:

02:15 – I want to get a better understanding of past, future, present justifications? How is this possible? 

17:12 – Is there a specific way the Church lets people know which devotions count towards an indulgence? Can Indulgence affect us now and not just purgatory? 

29:19 – The two beasts in Rev. 13, what do they symbolize? 

31:35 – Rev. 5:8. I was doing a bible study with protestant friends, and they said that the “prayers to saints” is talking about us on earth. How would you refute that? 

41:40 – I had a Lutheran pastor say that we are born as saints. It sounds very Calvanist to me. How can I respond to this claim? 

50:11 – I have a friend who claims to be Christian, she asked me if people who commit suicide go to hell. How do I respond to her? 

…

Questions Covered:

06:20 – What is the proper interpretation of Sirach 1:4, specifically the word “create?” – Sirach 1:4 – “Wisdom was created before all things, and prudent understanding from eternity.” 

17:20 – How can I prove the existence of the Catholic Church using scripture and Christian history? 

28:39 – What has your medical experience taught you in your faith life? 

42:18 – Can a Catholic accept the phrase, “The bible contains all things necessary for salvation?” 

50:45 – I’ve considered joining the Church and I’ve decided to come into the Church this Easter vigil! 

…

Questions Covered: 

37:59 – I’ve had 60 years of a good marriage and I’ve seen a lot of marriages fail because the man was addicted to porn. 

51:00 – Life on the Rock interviewed a woman who wrote a book about women struggling with porn too. 

…

Questions Covered

24:28 – How do we encourage young couples to engage in doing the stations? 

32:48 – I’m a new Catholic, I didn’t know the stations were supposed to be done yearly, when was this established? 

51:16 – People’s reservations with the Hail Mary, It occurred to me that the Hail Mary is biblical! 

…

In recent years, people have been discussing the legitimacy of Pope Francis’s papacy. Patrick Coffin, former host of Catholic Answers Live, released a video presenting an argument that suggests Pope Francis is an antipope. Cy sits down with Joe Heschmeyer to evaluate Patrick’s main points.

Cy Kellett:

Is it possible that Pope Francis is not the pope? Joe Heschmeyer 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. Little bit of a special episode this time. Joe ...

Topics Covered:

38:37 – Pope Francis recently said that it’s dangerous to replace kids with pets. I think it is offensive to God to call pets children. 

48:55 – Comment on the babysitter: It’s common practice! This is crazy 

…

Topics Covered:

1:00 A Discussion in response to Patrick Coffin’s recent video on Pope Francis being an Anti-Pope 

24:21 – Should we look at the papacy in a different light? Mainly since Pope Francis is from Latin America and it’s changing the mindset of the papacy being Euro-centric. 

42:55 – I feel like you’re dancing around the topic. The Pope appointed a pro-abortion person to a committee in the Church.  You can’t deny that he’s been doing some questionable things. 

49:29 – What is the definition of an antipope? How can we know who would qualify as an antipope? 

52:52 – I don’t think the pope is perfect and I feel like you guys think he is. I love the Latin Mass and I feel like he’s trying to take it away from me. 

…

Questions Covered:

06:34 – My son said that John the evangelist, the gospel writer and the apostle were all the same person but I’ve also heard that they are different people? Which is it? 

20:23 – Is it a sin to go shopping on Sunday? 

29:00 – Does God allow our dead loved ones to come help us during our lives? 

34:44 – One of my friends gave another friend a mean note. What do I and my friend do with the friend who wrote the mean note? 

39:16 – How many wives and kids did Solomon have? And was he considered a good dad? 

42:35 – Could you expand on how it is our Faith that allows us to believe in the real presence in the Eucharist? 

47:41 – How thoroughly do you check books before approving them in at Ignatius Press? 

52:10 – How does one know the difference between venial and mortal sin. How do you determine when something crosses the line into grave matter? 

…

Questions Covered:

03:47 – Did Jesus and John the Baptist know each other as children? 

08:00 – Is there connection between ASMR and hypnosis and is it wrong to listen or follow this as a Catholic? 

15:23 – I told my kids over Christmas that I’m becoming Catholic, and it didn’t go well. How do I proceed with telling other friends and my church? 

18:35 – Does the Church have a preferred view of the individuating factor of the human person. Material or spirit? 

22:08 – Should swearing on the bible in courtrooms be made optional for non-believers? 

28:16 – I’m a protestant, in my philosophy class we are discussing the question of evil. If Good is all knowing, good, ect, and was able to remain Mary sinless, why didn’t He do that for the rest of us? 

35:51 – I would like to hear your cosmic prayer. I want to write it down. 

39:28 – You were discussing hypnosis, in line with that, is yoga a religion? 

41:05 – What’s the difference between soul and spirit? 

46:42 – Was the early Church the same Church as the one in the dark ages that sent people to the stake? 

51:58 – I was told that one day we will be reunited with our bodies, will we still be able to do earthly activities? 

…