Catholic Answers Live

If sin is forgiven, why does temporal punishment still exist? We explore scriptural and early Church support for this Catholic teaching and also touch on the rapture, eternal punishment, and how Protestants can begin attending a faithful Catholic parish. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 04:55 – What’s the basis for temporal punishment for sin? Where is it in the New Testament or Church Fathers? 14:04 – I’m getting confirmed this Saturday. Is the rapture a protestant invention? 19:15 – Why on the 2nd day of creation does God not say, “it was good”? 29:16 – I’m Protestant and I’m ready to start going to a Catholic Church. How do I go about finding a good faithful church? 41:44 – How can we have such confidence in faith as the Church defines it? 49:42 – Eternal punishment troubles me. How do we harmonize God being all good and loving when he created people knowing they will suffer forever?

The Apostles’ Creed says Jesus “descended into hell,” but where is that in Scripture? We explore the biblical foundation for this teaching and also cover Marian dogmas, priestly celibacy, and how to explain Catholic beliefs to Protestant friends. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 11:11 – My protestant friend is going through OCIA and has been struggling with the concept of praying to the dead. How can I help? 17:44 – Where in the bible does it say that Jesus descended into hell? 22:25 – I have an issue with Marian dogmas and the idea of her co-redemptrix. 29:21 – I would like to get a better understanding of Mary’s place. Perpetual virginity and the assumption. 40:36 – Why did Jesus say that nothing can be revealed to Peter in Matthew 16 but Nathaniel does know who Jesus is Jn 1:49? 46:10 – What’s the teaching on priestly celibacy? 51:37 – Can you clarify Vatican 2’s statement that the Old Testament is not defunct. What does that mean?

Many Muslims argue that the Bible can’t be trusted because it was corrupted. We explore effective Catholic responses to this common objection, along with tips for respectful dialogue, Islam’s historical roots, and Muslim views on divine inspiration. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 22:34 – Muslims tend to be aggressive when debating or discussing faith. Should we match their approach? 24:05 – How does the general Muslim take it when you start to question Mohammed or Allah? 35:07 – Is Islam basically an amalgamation of Arianism, selective Jewish theology and Arab pagan religion? 44:39 – What religion did Arabs believe before Islam? 46:35 – How do you refute Muslims when they claim that our bible can’t be trusted because it was corrupted? 52:22 – How do we respond when they claim that Mohammed was inspired to write the Quran by the Angel Gabriel?

Jesus performed countless miracles and changed lives—but where were those people when He was suffering? We explore this thought-provoking question and what it reveals about human nature, gratitude, and the loneliness of the Cross. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 42:42 – Where were the followers, especially those who received the miracles? 44:37 – If Jesus knew he was God and was going to heaven, why was he so distressed in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Protestants often point to Matthew 6:7-11 to argue against repeated prayers—so how can Catholics reconcile this with prayers like the Rosary or the Our Father? Jimmy Akin explores this concern along with Catholic teaching on saints, Mary’s spiritual motherhood, and mixed-faith marriages. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 02:18 – How can we reconcile Jesus saying that the Sabbath was made for man and the punishment of death for not recognizing the sabbath in the Old Testament? 10:21 – How can I defend the Church that was Instituted by Jesus Christ, especially on the topic of saints and Mary? 13:47 – Is St. Boniface VIII Unam Sanctam Papal bull statement infallible? If not, is there any dispute? 18:05 – How do we know that Mary’s motherhood expands to the rest of us in the wake of Mary being given over to John at the foot of the cross? 28:45 – I’m Protestant. How do Catholics reconcile Mt 6:7-11 and the repetitious prayers specifically the Our Father? 35:01 – How do we respond to Orthodox rejection of the Filioque? 39:45 – Would it be scandalous for me to attend the ordination of a married couple as priests in the Episcopalian church? 49:35 – What advice would you offer me as someone who is in a mixed faith marriage?

The Church teaches that baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime sacrament—but what are the consequences of being re-baptized? We break down the theological and spiritual implications, and also explore topics like Peter’s crucifixion, the authority of the Church Fathers, and what makes a sin truly mortal. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 04:25 – How is Onan responsible for a sin that wasn’t given until Deuteronomy? 11:53 – How could have Mary said no if God had the plan since the beginning of time? 16:23 – Which Gospel passages on John are indicative of him filling in the gaps on Luke? 20:50 – Where does the Church get the belief that Peter was crucified upside down? 23:16 – How do you get Protestants to stop dismissing the Church Fathers? 28:45 – How do we know that Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp were disciples of John the Apostle? 32:50 – Why are Ed and Lorraine Warren problematic since they were Catholic? 39:44 – What are the consequences of being re-baptized? 43:40 – If Jews get a new temple they would begin animal sacrifices, but Christ was the final sacrifice. Is this why God has allowed enemies to control the temple mount? 48:05 – What exactly constitutes full consent of the will in regard to mortal sin?

Does changing the words during the consecration make the Eucharist invalid? We dive into what the Church teaches about the essential form of the sacrament and also address confession practices, Orthodox weddings in Catholic churches, and bridging the gap with Protestants on faith and works. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 08:00 – Adams providential testimony. 28:47 – I go to confession every month and I was told that I shouldn’t give a number of times I commit a sin. Is this ok to omit? 32:48 – Can an Orthodox wedding ceremony happen inside of a Catholic Church? Can My husband attend the wedding? 35:32 – If using the wrong words during baptism, it makes it invalid. Would the same logic apply to the Eucharist and the words of consecration? 40:18 – How do I bridge the gap with my Protestant friends? Why are Protestants so hung up on salvation by faith alone? What is the downside of works?

If the Old Testament was accepted without an infallible Church, why is that needed for the New Testament? We explore this key apologetics question, along with topics like apostolic succession, Catholic-Orthodox unity, and defending the faith online. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 05:25 – If the Old Testament can be known without an infallible authority, then how come we can’t have that for the New Testament? 16:23 – How do you defend the faith against Protestants on social media? Is it better to find common ground or go on striking on what they oppose? 21:29 – If God is immaterial and he created the material world how do you explain the interaction between the material and immaterial substances? 29:00 – What efforts are being done by the Catholic Church to facilitate the union between them and the Orthodox? 35:54 – Regarding the crusades, how do we rationalize and defend the idea that the pope offered forgiveness of sins for those going on a military expedition? 48:32 – How do you defend protestant questions on apostolic succession?

Does free will really exist, and how does Catholicism explain it? We explore the Church’s teaching on human freedom, how to defend it in conversations, and also tackle questions about burial and cremation, suffering, Jesus’ childhood, and even pseudoarchaeology. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 01:21 – Supposing a cannibal eats a Christian, and then the cannibal gets converted, who gets which bits in the resurrection?  12:37 – Is the requirement to receive communion to not be conscious of mortal sin or grave sin? I ask because the official canon law says grave sin, but grave sins can be venial in the case of addiction  14:13 – Could you clarify the Catholic teachings on burial, specifically concerning what is/isn’t permitted, and what is preferred. I’ve been told that cremation isn’t forbidden, but scattering ashes is, due to our desire to respect the body.  20:49 – Can you explain the problem with Islam: Is the word of Allah separate from Allah?  22:41 – What was Jesus’ life like in childhood and adolescence?  24:41 – What is the catholic understanding of free will, and how can we argue for it?  37:00 – What are cardinals and how did that position become established?  41:45 – I know that God brings a greater good from evil He allows and that He helps save our brothers and sisters through OUR efforts but are those the only answers to why God would allow tens of millions of people to starve under Mao and Stalin?  Or why so many people, including children, are trafficked, and satanically ritually abused?  I mean the scale of human pain is mind-blowing.  Is the realization of our impotence in the face of evil and our need to surrender to God for help the point?  48:13 – Recently a real Archaeologist Flint Dibble debated Graham Hancock a pseudo archaeologist. Are you still planning on doing an episode on pseudo archaeology? Would you consider interviewing someone like him for it? There seems to be a war brewing between mainstream archaeology and a few camps of pseudo archaeology online. I have to admit, I was in one of these camps until I watched a good volume of your material.  50:21 – I would like to know if it is true that Our Lady of Fatima told Lucia, that Francesco would pass and his soul would be in purgatory until the end of time. It is hard to believe that a child would have such horrible sins that would keep him there for so long. 

What happens if someone receives a sacrament while pretending to be someone else? We explore a wild baptism scenario involving identical twins and what it means for the validity and liceity of the sacrament. Plus, we tackle guardian angels, Mass in space, miracles, and the mystery of God’s plan. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 02:52 – Considering most of your show is about theology I was wondering if you experience anything more on the personal side.  13:25 – Would it be permissible for a Catholic to believe that God knows all possible multiverses and chose to create the one we are in where we have freewill and God reveals himself and incarnates as Jesus to help us know God, but that the universe basically runs on its own and our choices are our own. Would that be a way to reconcile that God has a plan, but that we also have free will?  18:20 – Why does God allow miracles in some cases but not others, especially in reference to Matthew 18:19 which states, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven”? For example, why does this not apply when groups of people are praying for someone to be healed and they are not.  23:25 – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.”  Did he mean that he, Jesus Christ is the door, or did he mean “the way, the truth, and the life” is the door? Or both?  28:42 – Does Mary have the same kind of guardian angel as we do? Could it possibly be Gabriel? Is there any value in contemplating the guardian angels of others?  34:49 – You mentioned something about shared death experiences (where someone else will be in the room when someone is dying and someone will be in the room who is not dying and they both experience the visions) in one of your videos. Have you come across any contemporary accounts of these that are credible? Asking for my friend who is a grad student in philosophy.  37:46 – I was wondering about Holy Mass and space travel.  if you were traveling near lightspeed, let’s say 99% , You start to experience some heavy time dilation. Specifically at 99% light speed you’re you are experiencing 14% of the time that passes on Earth relative to an observer on Earth. Would your Sunday obligation depend on Earth time or ship time assuming there’s a priest on the ship? I figured it out that there will be about one day for a week so you could do mass everyday, but I was also wondering about calculating the date of Easter while you’re on a relativistic speed journey. Would the priest need to start Mass at the short time that it’s still Easter on Earth?  43:30 – Is it a correct understanding of the teaching of the Catechism of the Council of Trent to say that the expression “God died” is not to be understood literally but rather figuratively (i.e., anthropomorphism and/or synecdoche)?  46:25 – Let’s say there are two identical twin sisters, Kait and Leia. Neither are baptized, but Kait wishes to become baptized. For reasons, Leia does not want her sister to be baptized, and so has her sister kidnapped. Leia pretends to be her sister Kait and receives the sacrament. Question: When the priest says, “I baptize you *Kait in the name….”, how does this affect the validity and liceity of the sacrament? Is Leia actually baptized? What about Kait?