Catholic Answers Live

Karlo Broussard, a Catholic apologist and author, explores how faith confronts tragedy, including the death of Father Sánchez Molinari. He tackles the Trinity’s logical coherence and its relationship to Old Testament monotheism. The conversation also examines worthy reception of the Eucharist, Jesus-only baptism, sacred images, and the role of reason in Catholic theology.

Karlo Broussard, a Catholic apologist and author, explores what salvation requires. He discusses faith, grace, baptism, works, and the Catholic view of eternal salvation. He also tackles the apparent tension between Paul and Aquinas on human goodness, and examines James’s teaching that works perfect saving faith.

A candid discussion of Catholic teaching on marriage, sexuality, chastity, and family life. It explores why the Church distinguishes friendship from marriage, how scandals affect moral authority, and the relationship between civil law and natural marriage. The conversation also addresses dignity, compassion, confession, and responding charitably to same-sex couples and parenthood.

Patrick Novecosky, Catholic writer and author of books on John Paul II and Mother Teresa, responds to attacks on Mother Teresa’s mission and legacy. He explores her care for the suffering, controversial donations, and the popemobile story. The conversation also examines John Paul II’s Luminous Mysteries, ministry to people with AIDS, administrative failures, personalism, and his spiritual friendship with Mother Teresa.

“Who should read about Catholic marriage and prayer?” Understanding the resources available for modern Catholic marriage can be crucial, especially when navigating disputes and the complexities of communication with your spouse. Additionally, questions arise about the efficacy of prayer and whether the reality of hell should be used in evangelization efforts. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:49 – Who would you recommend reading on successful modern Catholic marriage? What is the proper way to handle disputes or disagreements? Secular marriage advice is pretty awful. Are you supposed to just suffer and pray? Isn’t it lying to just bear all things without saying anything to your spouse when you are hurt or repeatedly upset about things? That is the advice I get from my priest: to pray and bear all things. But who can bottle things up over and over? I make it about three to four weeks and then crack. 19:30 – Jimmy, this is a bigger question, I suppose, but I have been thinking about the efficacy of prayer. Not that praying doesn’t matter, but asking for things to happen in prayer seems complex: “Why isn’t my prayer answered?” “Thank God, my prayer was answered.” “Pray harder.” “She’s a saintly person, and God listens to her prayers.” I think that, in the big picture, God isn’t cashing checks or picking winners and losers like that. To me, prayer is more about us and our relationship with God and less about winning or losing some spiritual game. I’m interested in your thoughts. 30:26 – Should Catholics try to use the reality of hell to get people to convert to the faith? I heard a traditional priest advocating that we should, but it seems ineffective and even counterproductive to me. 36:28 – This is probably stupid, but how do I know I’m supposed to join the religious life? What are the steps to join? This is driving me crazy. 42:55 – Why do so many people say “grevious” (GREE-vee-ous) instead of “grievous” (GREE-vus) during the general confession at Mass?

“How do I heal from trauma?” Healing from psychological wounds can be challenging, especially when support is limited. This episode addresses how to navigate this journey with God’s help, while also discussing when to seek spiritual direction and the role of spiritual directors. Additionally, the conversation touches on the interpretation of Jesus’ “whatever” question in Matthew and the distinctions between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:19 – If I’m trying to heal from trauma and psychological wounds (with no access to therapy, no friends, and only God to help), how do I go about it? How do I make sure I don’t dig myself in deeper, for example by misunderstanding a teaching because of that trauma? In any case, it makes it hard to see things clearly. Slightly related: When, if ever, should one meet with a spiritual director? Who benefits from a spiritual director? Who are spiritual directors (for example, a layperson, a priest, a nun)? 15:50 – How should Catholics treat the “whatever” question? In Matthew 16:19 Jesus says whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. There are no apparent terms, conditions, or limitations on what this “whatever” is in the surrounding text. If you look at Matthew 18:18, it’s pretty clear Jesus is talking specifically about sin, but in addition to being its own can of worms, that leaves out important things like ritual and sacramental practices, church disciplines, governance, canon, etc. And if you look at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts, the Church makes some pretty big changes when it comes to not applying Old Testament practices to Gentiles. So this suggests “whatever” goes beyond what is and isn’t a sin. 39:41 – Well, since you asked: Although I’m aware you’ve touched on this point before, a major question I often hear, particularly from young men, is why Catholicism over Eastern Orthodoxy? I’m aware of many young people who want a liturgical Christian life but are straddling the fence between East and West. I would like to hear a cogent argument, freshly given, about the need for the papacy and the magisterium, in a way that young Americans can grasp. 48:50 – In his recent encyclical, Pope Leo made a brief reference to just war theory being outdated. Can you elaborate on what he meant by that and what he’d replace it with?

Karlo Broussard, a Catholic apologist and author, tackles challenging questions about Catholic belief. He explores atonement, indulgences, demonic power, and why Catholic priests are male. The conversation also examines the Rosary, Eucharistic miracles, Christ’s appearances after the Resurrection, and how faith relates to Scripture, tradition, and reason.

Karlo Broussard, a Catholic apologist and author, responds to a pastor’s viral decision to have children smash Marian statues. He explores religious images, praying to saints without idolatry, the unusual display of relics, and whether separating saints’ body parts is respectful. He also tackles science and religion, Eucharistic misconceptions, and the limits of papal infallibility.

Joe Heschmeyer, Catholic apologist and author of The Early Church Was the Catholic Church, explores Christian feasts, alleged pagan origins, and why Sunday replaced the Saturday Sabbath. He examines the unique role of the Apostles, apostolic succession, missionary traditions about Peter, John, Thomas, and others, plus early writings on Mary, her Assumption, and Rome’s authority.

Joe Heschmeyer, a Catholic apologist and author, explores Christianity’s earliest writings, including the Didache, First Clement, and Ignatius’s letters. He examines whether the Church Fathers taught sola scriptura, early Christian views on violence and capital punishment, and evidence for praying to saints. He also recommends accessible readings and discusses the early Church’s identity as “The Way.”