Catholic Answers Live

Protestants often receive both bread and wine, so why don’t all Catholics? Tim Staples explains this and more, including annulment cases, attending Lutheran Confirmations, and whether Jesus referred to all the apostles as the “rock” of the Church. Questions Covered:  05:10 – To defend our position, is it possible to say that Jesus could have looked at ALL the apostles when he says “upon this rock I will build my church”?  16:03 – Why can’t Catholics receive both species of the Eucharist?  It seems Protestants receive both.  24:56 – How legitimate is it for me to attend a Lutheran Confirmation for family members?  34:59 – Is a spouse dealing with alcohol, drug abuse, or adultery a case for an annulment?  45:09 – Kent Hovind says there’s a flood story in every culture; why do we only hear of the story of Noah?  54:00 – Why aren’t Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Holy Days of Obligation? 

Can we know for certain that souls exist? Trent Horn explores this fundamental question and more, including the meaning of the filioque, the fate of aborted babies, and how the Council of Trent would respond to Protestant objections. Questions Covered: 04:41 – What does the filioque really mean?  14:21 – Regarding your video on Evangelicals and Trump, could you clarify the argument you used?  19:10 – How do we know or is there any proof that we have a soul?  29:20 – How would Trent respond to the Protestant claim “He died once and for all” in Hebrews?  41:30 – Where do aborted babies go after death? 

If you were baptized in a Protestant church, do you need to be re-baptized after becoming Catholic? Jimmy Akin explains Church teaching and answers more questions on the Great Apostasy, Torah observance, and whether being late to Mass is a sin. Questions Covered:  01:55 – A Jewish friend said that everything went wrong after the Apostles. Was that the Great Apostasy? How should I respond?  07:21 – How is sedevacantism, the SSPX, and the Fatima Secret related to Malachi Martin?  14:22 – I heard once that the unforgivable sin is becoming an atheist. What is the Catholic stance on this?  20:42 – What is the relationship between the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Church? Is it okay to celebrate deceased parents and loved ones and say they are together in heaven?  28:50 – If I was baptized in a Protestant church and then converted to Catholicism, is my baptism valid?  31:19 – How do I reach my brother who has recently converted to Torah observance?  38:23 – My LDS friends would say “know them by their fruits” as a reason to convert to Mormonism; how do I respond to that?  46:45 – Is it a sin to be late to Mass?  49:58 – How do I respond to the claim “Jesus’ crucifixion paid all debts, including temporal ones”? 

Engaging in debates can be challenging, especially when opponents use unfair tactics. Joe Heschmeyer shares his approach to ethical debate and answers more questions on Purgatory, Catholic traditions, and even motorcycle club members joining the Church. Questions Covered:  14:00 – Where can I find the original source of the phrase “Source and summit of the Christian life”? It seems that Catechism is quoting something.  16:39 – What can be said of the Baby Boomer Catholics that is good? It seems there’s a lot of dislike of them due to circumstances.  22:25 – Considering your recent debate, how do you prepare to engage with someone who may use “unethical debate tactics”?  29:42 – I have ashes of a loved one (Catholic, family non-practicing) given to me. Is it okay to have these ashes?  41:59 – Are people in Purgatory conscious of the fact that they are in Purgatory?  44:20 – Were the Apostles saved at Pentecost? If not, is there a Catholic position on when the Apostles were saved?  49:22 – Can a member of a 1% Motorcycle Club join the Catholic Church?  51:48 – In response to a previous caller, I want to note that the Baby Boomers are the ones who show up to Mass and are offering Masses up for the younger generation. 

Does Matthew 1:25 contradict the belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity? Karlo Broussard unpacks this theological question and answers more “why” questions on penance, fasting, and why the New Testament wasn’t written like the Ten Commandments. Questions Covered: 03:58 – Why do we do penance to satisfy the temporal debt of our venial and mortal sins rather than indulgences?  10:28 – Why is Catechism vague about what “an act of charity” is that works towards sanctification? Why don’t they have a concrete list?  15:02 – Why are there so many rules or regulations in Catholicism when in the New Testament, Paul discourages making it hard to be a believer?  31:18 – What am I to do if I am not given penance?  35:14 – Why do we only fast during Lent and not all the time?  44:13 – Why did God not write out the New Testament in the same way the Commandments were?  48:43 – It seems that Mary and Joseph didn’t have relations until AFTER they had Jesus. Why do we call Mary ever-virgin? 

Why does the Church take fasting so seriously, and how do we know if something is a grave matter? Dr. Karlo Broussard answers this and more, including First Communion rules, missing Mass, and salvation outside the Church. Questions Covered:  03:55 – Why is breaking the fast on a Friday considered a grave matter? How do we know if something is a grave matter?  12:42 – Why do I have to be in second grade to receive my First Communion (I’m currently in first grade)?  17:30 – Why does the Church dogmatize beliefs that are not pertinent to salvation (Immaculate Conception)?  32:24 – Why is missing Church (Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation) considered a mortal sin?  40:52 – Why do we believe that Jesus had one criminal crucified on his right and one on his left versus more criminals?  45:15 – Why is Catholicism the true faith (quick response to someone who doesn’t know anything about Catholicism)?  49:59 – Why does the Church say people outside the church can be saved? 

With Jesus being perfect, did His guardian angel have an easy assignment, or was there more to it? Jimmy Akin explores this curious question and tackles more topics, including the nature of Hell, the resurrection of the body, and what would happen if Rome became uninhabitable. Questions Covered: 01:08 – I’ve heard some folks claim that Hell is where God isn’t present, but isn’t that impossible if God is omnipresent?  10:42 – Did Jesus’s guardian angel have the easiest job?  16:03 – I have a question on resurrection and whether resurrection requires our bodies to be the same as our earthly bodies. I recently finished a fictional story (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run) where the characters receive powers from having some interaction with the Body of Christ. The story takes place on an alternate earth though the story of Christ is mostly the same save for the fact that He resurrected but that His corpse remains. This is very likely that because the author is Japanese he does not know the specifics of Christian theology. This made me wonder if the resurrection of the body requires the same earthly body that died. Or could God possibly create a new body for us our heavenly bodies?  22:08 – My daughter wants to know: what would happen if you dropped a skyscraper-size piece of tungsten onto a nuclear armory (where they are stored), would all the bombs go off? How big a fallout would it be? And would it be a deterrent for nuclear weapons?  36:30 – Assuming that Nephilim is literally the result of human women somehow mating with fallen angels, what sort of nature would they have? Could they be baptized?  42:27 – Is there a scientific reason behind automatic writing? What might be happening outside of supernatural causes and assuming no mental health issues as well?  52:34 – Where would the Pope go if Rome was nuked with a nuclear bomb designed for maximal radiation damage over an area? The Vatican is largely intact but is rendered unlivable for millennia due to fallout. Would the church make a new St. Peter’s Basilica? Would the bones of the martyrs in the city of Rome be relocated if the area around the reliquaries is too radioactive to enter?   

If Christ took on flesh in multiple alien worlds, would He have more than one glorified body? Would He sit on multiple thrones? Jimmy Akin explores this fascinating theological question and answers more on baptism, the death penalty, and even the mystery behind his own accent change! Questions Covered: 02:34 – I have a weird question for Jimmy. What happened to Jimmy between episode 314 and 315? The YouTube video on “The Soul of Frankenstein’s Monster” is an audio only version with no camera; Ominous to say the least. In episode 316, we once again see Jimmy, but now he dawns a white cowboy hat. There was mention of a move back to the Ozarks and this is where my questions emerge. There is a distinct change in Jimmy’s pronunciation of words, especially with words ending in “ing”. Jimmy now pronounces words with “ing” with a more redacted “in”. Was Jimmy abducted? Are the Borg involved? Has there been an assimilation? Has Jimmy employed A.I. in his likeness and asked the program to represent him in a more western fashion? Does the hat have influence over Jimmy’s dictation? Is there somethin’ in the water in Arkansas? Does Jimmy have an identical twin who has taken over? I mean no offense by my question Jimmy. The change in dictation was very noticeable and weighs on my mind when I listen to episodes now. Settle the matter and remove the perplexation! God bless and thank you for the entertainment and enlightenment.  06:44 – If the Son incarnated on multiple alien worlds and ascended to the right hand of the Father from each, would he have more than one body in Heaven? If so, would He have multiple thrones?  13:30 – Hello Mr. Akin + Cy Cellet My question is… How would you go about Baptizing “The White Witch” from the book “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S Lewis set in Narnia? Big fan of the work you do! Also, how would you go about Baptizing “The Wicked Witch” In “the wizard of Oz ” given her “allergic” reaction to water. Big fan of you guys; keep up the great work.  16:13 – I understand the church teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible. My understanding is that this is because modern society has the means and resources to process dangerous criminals without the death penalty (correct me if I’m wrong). My question: let’s say that a group of humans were surviving on an island cut off from the world and they established a primitive society with their laws to help them survive. In this situation, they wouldn’t have the means and resources that modern society has to deal with dangerous criminals. Could they morally administer the death penalty in certain circumstances, or would they have to follow the current teachings of the magisterium? What ethical considerations would they have to take into account if they were to administer the death penalty?  21:35 – Do criminals with psychopathic disorders have free will?  If their free will is compromised by their psychopathy, does that mean that they are not fully accountable, even if their crimes are heinous? Also, what’s up with the Holy House of Loreto?  Is it legit?  30:21 – If Adam did not eat the fruit, what would it mean for the fall and original sin if only one parent ate the fruit?  33:51 – Genetic enhancements on human embryos are clearly immoral because it kills them, but would it be permissible to modify your own germinal tissue (which produces gametes) to not transmit flawed genes to your offspring?  38:33 – Do ghosts watch zombies walk around and scream at their bodies for doing dumb things like fall in a manhole or walk into a glass door?  44:57 – If a priest goes to a bakery and consecrates all the bread, would those bread now become the body and blood of Jesus?  47:00 – Will our resurrected bodies wear clothes?  51:00 – If two people were

Why does God let us go through pain, like breakups, when it feels pointless? Jimmy Akin explores this tough question and answers more on Sunday obligations, Church hierarchy, and Catholic history. Questions Covered: 02:52 – What would obligations for Sunday Mass be if you were in a Ground Hog’s Day scenario? 08:38 – Do we jump around with the readings at Mass? 14:13 – How do I know the difference between a bishop, an archbishop, and a cardinal? 20:39 – When did Jesus mean by “taking up your cross” when he wasn’t crucified yet? Also, I’m writing a Catholic history book in Spanish; do I need an imprimatur? 36:10 – Why does God give us suffering when it feels like there’s no purpose? For example, a break-up. 45:50 – Why does St. Irenaeus say that the Church was founded and organized in Rome by Peter and Paul? 49:15 – What are the rules for working on Sunday?

Jimmy Akin, a senior apologist and author known for his insights on Catholicism, discusses intriguing topics in a lively Q&A session. He tackles the morality of life extension technologies and the nuances of biblical interpretation, including the meaning of 'meek.' Akin clarifies the roles of cardinals and bishops after retirement and distinguishes between Freemasonry and the Knights of Columbus, addressing concerns around Catholic involvement in secret societies. His blend of theology and humor makes for an engaging exploration of faith and ethics.