Father Josh answers questions about how to talk about corruption in the Church’s history, whether the saints know our thoughts, and whether Mary knew that Jesus was God.

**Glory Story (2:05)

Feedback (3:59)

In one of your podcasts, you said that the Devil does not know our thoughts. Do the saints know our thoughts? I have always prayed silently to them.

Thank you.

Corrupt Church History (11:22)

Thank you for your ministry. You're my commute buddy on the way to teach grade eight American History in a public school ... Given that the Catholic Church was the only game in town for 1500+ years if you loved Jesus, we've been talking a bit about the role it played in history.

I was well formed by my experience in RCIA ... so I am able to answer student questions about the Church teachings. I had a good humanities education, so I can also answer about other faiths and protestantism in general enough ways.

Here's my question⁠—how do I address some of the awful things that happened in Church history? Like how the Church treated scientists during the Age of Reason, or the selling of indulgences during the Crusades, or Christopher Columbus and other explorers wiping out entire cultures of native people … People then knew that murder was wrong, and that heaven couldn't be accessed through monetary donations to a greedy pope or bishop, and this all still happened.

I've talked about how people generally do the best they can, and how churches are run by perfectly imperfect men who are representatives of their time. [My students] seem to be OK with the answer of imperfect people being in charge ... but their natural conscience is telling them that someone should have tried harder to stop some of these shameful things done in the name of God. I'd love some advice.

Thanks!

-Heatherle

Did Mary Know? (17:49)

You’ve been talking about “Mary Did You Know” for a while now; when are you going to talk about that on the show?

Resources

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)