Catholic Answers Live

#11998 Christmas Questions (Encore) - Jimmy Akin

#11997 The Baby Jesus (Encore) - Fr. Hugh Barbour, O. Praem.

In this encore episode, we recall our conversation with our then-chaplain, Fr. Hugh Barbour, O. Praem, on the baby Jesus.

#11993 What Was the Star of Bethlehem? (CA Focus Encore) - Jimmy Akin

EWTN has preempted us for special Christmas programming today, so instead of a live show, we are playing an episode of the Catholic Answers Focus podcast from December 29, 2021.  

#11992 Why Don’t You Think Catholicism Makes Sense? - Karlo Broussard

Questions covered: 02:53 – Why is there no uniformity in the Church. Some of the differing practices of parishes seem to contradict each other? 14:20 – I don’t understand why the Church split up. 20:52 – I don’t understand the biblical basis for the Immaculate Conception. 30:12 – Why do Catholics use repetitive prayer? I don’t understand why you should say more than one at a time. 41:58 – Why should I believe in Catholicism? I am an atheist....

#11991 Why Don’t You Think Catholicism Makes Sense? - Karlo Broussard

Questions covered: 04:24 -Why does Catholic Answers urge Catholics to “invoke” the saints rather than “pray to” them? 13:23 – What does it mean for the church to be the Body of Christ? 18:14 – My Protestant friends don’t seem to understand that the early Church taught the existence of Purgatory. 22:25 – Can you explain the nuances in the relationship between scripture and tradition? 29:00 – How come there isn’t any evangelization within the flock itself? Catholicism seems...

#11990 AMA: Extraterrestrial Life, Baptizing Children, and St. Augustine on the Papacy - Jimmy Akin

Questions covered: 01:46 – What is the latest work of the Church regarding extraterrestrial life, and would such life be demonic? 07:05 – How do I keep the guilt from the past from interfering with relationships prior to my conversion? 16:57 – Are prayers valid for those not in the state of grace? 23:03 – Some of my extended family has still not baptized their 5-year-old daughter. How can I charitably approach this? 33:26 – In Joseph’s dream, how did he know the ang...

#11989 AMA: Defining Life, Baptism of Jesus, Polygamy in the Bible, and John 6:66 - Jimmy Akin

Questions covered: 05:07 – How do we define life and consciousness such that we can apply these terms to God but not inanimate objects? 13:38 – Why did Mary and Zechariah give similar responses to Gabriel? 15:47 – In Genesis 25:23, why didn’t Rebecca share with Isaac so that he could bless Jacob over Esau? 19:00 – Why did Jesus need to be baptized? Wasn’t he sinless? 23:03 – Why is the Protestant service not a valid mass? 25:02 – Can you offer previously said ...

#11988 Faith and Movies - Andrew Petiprin

Topics Covered: 02:51 Is It’s a Wonderful Life communist (continued from first hour) 16:00 – Heretic 22:00 – Perfect Day 31:46 – The Beast 43:10 – Mission Impossible

#11987 Faith and Movies - Andrew Petiprin

Topics Covered: 02:00 – Overview of movies in 2024 12:22 – Wicked 29:50 – Netflix’s Mary 49:15 – Is It’s a Wonderful Life communist?

#11986 AMA: Lourdes and the Immaculate Conception, Transubstantiation, and Evangelizing as a Catholic Grandparent - Joe Heschmeyer

Questions covered: 13:25 – Can I use the apparition at Lourdes as support for the Catholic Church and the Immaculate Conception? 21:05 – Is Transubstantiation a logical contradiction? 34:38 – What is humans’ relationship with archangels? 38:28 – As a Catholic, what is my responsibility as a grandparent? 48:40 – How can someone with autism evangelize to my peers; how can I emulate the life of St. Francis?...

#11985 AMA: Jesus as Messiah, Church Authority, and Myths About Christmas - Joe Heschmeyer

Questions Covered: 06:08 – Was Jesus’ claim to be Messiah considered blasphemous by the Jews? 14:20 – How do I get my Protestant friend to accept the authority of the Church? 23:05 – What does the “work of mercy” entail for the fulfillment of the plenary indulgence for the Jubilee? 37:00 – Jesus was historically born in the summer, not the winter. So, Christmas cannot be about his birth! 39:27 – My Protestant friend claims that Catholics have changed the Our F...

#11984 What’s Your Protestant Challenge? - Karlo Broussard

Questions Covered: 03:33 – How do you answer when protestants say that the stone is Christ not Peter? 07:45 – How do I convincingly argue to my protestant friends why we Catholics confess our sins to priests? 15:05 – I always said that the Church has too much money and is too rich but always asks for money. How should I respond? 24:11 – How do I respond a protestant who says “my Jesus is no longer on the cross” in response to my crucifix? 32:54 – I’m a protest...

#11983 What’s Your Protestant Challenge? - Karlo Broussard

Questions Covered: 06:38 – How do we know that the saints can hear us from a scriptural perspective? 18:00 – I struggle with all the forms that look like worship given to the saints. Things such as incense. What’s the distinction? 30:21 – I’m Orthodox. If the Papacy is so important to salvation, then why didn’t St. Paul wrote about it in Romans? 30:21 – I’m Orthodox. If the Papacy is so important to salvation, then why didn’t St. Paul wrote about it in Romans? 43:13...

#11982 Sola Scriptura Doesn’t Work - Joel S. Peters

Questions Covered: 12:33 – What are we protestants missing out on by having different scripture from you Catholics? 16:55 – Do you happen to know why Act 2:42 is constantly used by nondenominational Christians to claim their denomination is right and Catholicism is wrong? 29:27 – It seems like sola scriptura is a cause for protestants to miss out on purgatory. 32:00 – We protestants in our mind see that only the word of God is important, and Catholics muddy the waters. 36...

#11981 Addiction and Healing - Scott Weeman

Questions Covered: 11:41 – My biggest struggle was discovering that certain vices that I struggled with were sins that people don’t seem to pay a lot of attention to. 16:53 – Is there a lack of attention on the kingdom of heaven during a healing journey? 22:05 – Station of the Cross… My daughter is dating a man who looks like is in the beginning stages of alcoholism. What can we do to help him? 30:38 – How do you beat addiction? 37:27 – I’ve been sober s...

#11980 Ask Me Anything - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 01:30 – One of my family members is now a Sedevacantist and doesn’t recognize JP2. How can I help guide him back? 08:32 – Why does the placement of Maccabees in the bible vary depending on the bible? 15:12 – In Genesis it says God’s presence dwelled in the presence of the garden of Eden and since marriage/sex is the manifestation of our desire to be in union with God, then why did Adam yearn for a partner/Eve? 18:12 – Does the bible mention miscarriages...

#11979 Ask Me Anything - Jimmy Akin

Question Covered: 05:11 – Why do we address the pope as holy father? 07:38 – Is it ok for us to not wear shoes at Church? 14:30 – What does the Catholic faith mean to you? 17:30 – What explains Skinwalker Ranch? Have we ever been visited by extratempestrials? 23:29 – Is listening to music with profanity cooperating with evil? 35:28 – What are your thoughts on wearing veils at mass? 37:03 – My brother is using abortifacient birth control, how can I approa...

#11978 Questions from Non-Catholics - Tim Staples

Questions Covered: 00:58 – How does one keep from worshiping Mary? 08:13 – I don’t believe Juan Diego was a historical person. I see it as problematic that the Church canonized a person who possibly wasn’t real. 17:05 – How can you tell that Guadalupe is not a man-made image? 21:35 – What are your thoughts on evangelical Catholic churches? 29:00 – How does one come back to communion after one loses salvation after being baptized? 46:18 – What oblig...

#11977 Questions from Non-Catholics - Tim Staples

Questions Covered: 11:39 – James 2:18-19. What is the Catholic position on where the quote ends? 20:40 – Could you help me explain the Assumption of Mary to a Protestant? 50:00 – If God ever forgot about you, would you disappear?

#11976 AMA: Mary - William Albrecht

Questions Covered: 06:50 – If Numbers 36 applies to Mary since she’s a perpetual virgin, does this imply she is closely related to her husband? 09:10 – How does one become consecrated to Mary? How does the Church approve of Marian apparition or vision? 16:25 – How do I develop a stronger love and devotion to Mary? 19:50 – If Mary was consecrated, how was she not in the temple and getting married? 24:00 – If Mary was here to glorify her son, how do we make sens...

#11975 Finding Peace in Advent - Gary Zimak

Questions Covered: 15:50 – How does a man separate worry from his duty as a husband and father? 19:40 – What scripture can I meditate on to ease my guilt of leaving a job that is in desperate need? 30:00 – What are your thoughts on Phil. 4:6 saying not to worry. What do you think of false guilt? 36:13 – How can we find peace when our children and grandchildren don’t practice the faith anymore? 42:50 – Had a moment where a work situation stole my joy and peace. Offer...

#11974 Ask Me Anything - Tom Nash

Questions Covered: 09:17 – How did Protestant lose the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception? 16:17 – What is the status of the devotion of Jesus King of all nations? 20:16 – How would you word the Divine Simplicity of God not having a body without it becoming a heretic? 29:38 – What proof do we have that the Catholic church was founded by Christ? 36:30 – Having a hard time understanding why Mary is immaculately conceived but no else? 46:17 – The Pope and Trum...

#11973 Ask Me Anything - Tim Staples

Questions Covered: 04:54 – Why did the Jews of Jesus’s day believe in the power of Satan to drive out demons? 15:20 – How do we evangelize people who are uncomfortable hearing about God? 22:14 – On Christmas Eve the Jubilee begins. If I can’t get to Rome, how can I observe the Jubilee? 48:40 – Did Jesus or the Apostle kneel before statues or pray to Saints?...

#11972 Internet AMA - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 01:15 – Hi Jimmy! What does a real Paranormal investigator do and what methods do they use compared to all “ghost hunter” sensationalist types out there? I’ve had a couple of genuine experiences myself and I don’t fall for the bogus methods (spirit boxes. SLS cameras) out there. I’m Catholic (and certainly don’t think “everything is demons”) and I don’t believe nonsense like tarot or go looking for these encounters. Just cu...

#11971 Internet AMA - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 03:33 – What are your thoughts on determinism and free will, can they be combined? 7:20 – How does God know he’s not a brain in a vat? 08:14 – My 5-year-old asked “Did Jesus’ death on the cross make God the Father sad?” 12:44 – Where does the idea of “the rapture” come from? I’ve heard that it isn’t actually biblical, but pop culture and many Protestants would claim otherwise. 19:30 – I am a later in life convert and I did not baptize my two now y...

#11970 Weird Questions - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 01:50 – Mr. Akin ….I had my future told to me after I had a staring contest with a guy who had the ability to view my future life like watching a video in fast forward….pausing when he saw things he thought important….this is how he explained it to me…He was able to see all the way to my last day….something he said he hadn’t been able to do with others…. not only could he see my life through my eyes …but could also see what...

#11969 Weird Questions - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 02:22 – I heard this as an argument against the body and soul being distinct and advocating strict materialism, i.e. it’s all in the brain: If we consider that memories, emotions, reasoning, consciousness, personality, etc. are distinct from the body in the senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, taste then what accounts for the changes that occur when drinking alcohol or taking drugs for a temporary effect, or the habitual use of psychedelic drugs which cause a permanent ...

#11968 Ask Me Anything - Jimmy Akin

Questions Covered: 02:30 – Why was the early church so divided on things like the dating of Easter? 12:29 – Did Mary have a choice to say no since God had already made her without sin? 17:45 – Did the events of Joshua actually happen? If not, what consequences would that have? 30:20 – How do I defend the Marian Assumption to protestants? 36:17 – How do I remember and internalize epiphanies that I have during prayer? 43:37 – How do last rites and apostolic pard...

#11967 Ask Me Anything - Trent Horn

Questions Covered: 06:08 – How do I defend infant baptism? 13:28 – I’ve heard the Church has banned and burned books. Is this true? What is the Lesser Key of Solomon? 18:49 – What are your thoughts on options for fathers getting to veto abortions of their own children? 28:30 – According to science, a fetus is not alive till it gets the heartbeat. Which means comparing it to an alive grown human is wrong. 30:48 – Why does God tolerate our free will if he knows ...

#11966 Ask Me Anything - Joe Heschmeyer

Questions Covered: 00:30 – What spiritual advice do you have for someone who is discerning Catholicism? 12:49 – Is it disobedient or sinful for us to receive communion kneeling if we’ve been requested to receive standing? 18:06 – If I’m given a heavy penance and can’t complete it before the next mass, can I receive communion? 23:26 – Is my marriage valid since I wasn’t married in the Catholic Church? 29:33 – How do I work in a family who is not Catholic? How d...