Catholic Answers Live

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we explore faith-based approaches to addiction and healing with Scott Weeman, founder of, Catholics in Recovery. Listeners ask how to find Catholic support groups, whether addiction to spending money can destroy relationships, and if those with mental health diagnoses like schizoaffective disorder can benefit from Catholic recovery programs. We also discuss the role of the sacraments in healing, how to balance recovery with public speaking, and how to reach a college-age son struggling with marijuana use. Discover real-life stories of healing and how Catholics in Recovery supports those battling addiction through Catholic teaching and community. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 09:06 – I’ve been battling many addictions for decades. I’ve been desperate to find a Catholic support group. I’m in a group that is celebrating pride month so it’s not really for me. How can I get plugged in to Catholic in Recovery? 15:51 – Do you see a problem in addiction to spending money? In my opinion an addiction to money ruined my first marriage. 21:20 – I had traumas in relationships at age 17. Now I’m 64 and I’ve been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. I’m being treated but not sure it’s enough. Could Catholic in Recovery have something for me? 29:04 – I came back to the Church last December and I’ve been in AA for years. This is the first time I’ve heard of Catholic in Recovery. Can you tell me more about it? 37:02 – How does someone get involved in Catholic in Recovery? I’ve been sober for a year and God has healed me so much through the sacraments. 43:26 – How do you manage your recovery and public speaking? I know that one of the AA principles is not speaking on behalf of AA. I’ve done public speaking and I’ve also crashed horribly in addiction. 51:29 – My son is into smoking marijuana. He gets very angry and will not listen. Any advice on how we try to reach him? He is a junior in college and lives with us.

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Joe Heschmeyer discusses a wide range of questions on Catholic doctrine and apologetics. Topics include: when salvation occurs in the case of baptism of desire, the difference between sacrifices due to God and those made for others, and how to respond to Protestants who claim unity isn’t needed if we all share the fruits of the Spirit. Joe also addresses how to explain the word “Catholic” in the Apostles’ Creed to non-Catholics, whether Muslims worship the same God as Christians, biblical evidence for Mary’s perpetual virginity, and how to counter gnostic-sounding claims about sin being “in the body.” Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 08:58 – In the case of baptism of desire, when is the person saved? 17:57 – What type of sacrifice is due to God alone? As opposed to the type of sacrifices we make for others. 29:02 – If Protestants have fruits of the Spirit, some see that as a deterrent to unity (why seek unity when we all have fruits of the Spirit). How do we respond to that? 34:21 – My parents are Presbyterian. They see the word “Catholic” in the apostles’ creed and say that since Catholic means universal it’s simply referring to all the churches. How do we respond to that? 38:25 – The CCC says Muslims worship the same God as Abraham. How do we understand that since Muslims don’t think they worship the same God as us? 44:12 – Where in the Bible can we find Mary’s perpetual virginity? 51:25 – My friend thinks that sin is “in” the body. So when we die we don’t have sin because we don’t have our body. To me that sounds like gnosticism, but he doesn’t think it is. How can I respond to him?

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Karlo Broussard answers the questions: Why must Mary have been Immaculately Conceived—couldn’t Jesus have been born of a sinner? How does addiction affect the conditions for mortal sin? Karlo discusses  the Church’s teaching on free will, grave matter, and culpability. He also addresses the claim of annihilationism—does the Bible really support eternal punishment in hell? Plus, is it accurate to call non-Catholics “Christians,” or should we still use the term “heretics”? Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 12:08 – Why do we say that Mary “must have” been Immaculately conceived? It seems like Jesus could have been born from someone even if they had original sin. 17:00 – How do the three conditions for mortal sin relate to the area of addiction? Can the consent of the will be lessened by an addiction? 29:47 – What is real factual evidence that annihilationism is false, and wrong to believe? 39:23 – I struggle with calling non-Catholics Christians. It doesn’t seem to fit with the old style of calling them heretics. 47:12 – My protestant friend has trouble with the idea of praying to the dead. When did the practice begin? And is it in the New Testament? 51:37 – Where in the Bible does it teach against contraception?

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Karlo Broussard tackles tough questions from converts and curious Protestants. Can Protestants receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit if they haven’t received the sacrament of Confirmation? What does the Church teach about Mary as Queen of Heaven—and is it essential to salvation? Karlo also responds to the common claim that the intercession of saints was borrowed from Greco-Roman paganism. Finally, are indulgences still a part of Catholic practice today, or are they just a relic of the past? Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 15:40 – In my OCIA class they told me that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are received at Confirmation. If that is true, then it would follow that no Protestants receive gifts of the Holy Spirit. But that doesn’t seem right. 34:00 – I’m a recent convert and I struggle with Mary being queen of heaven. It just doesn’t seem relevant to my salvation. 37:12 – My Protestant friend says the idea of intercession of saints was influenced by Greco-roman pagan ideas. How can I answer him? 45:48 – Are indulgences still a Catholic practice?

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, guest Jason Evert discusses healing after past relationships, struggling with chastity, lust in marriage, and talking to family about same-sex issues. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 14:23 – Any advice for someone who is living a chaste life but still has attachments from previous relationships before conversion? 22:48 – At what point do you tell your significant other that you struggle with chastity? 33:44 – Can a married couple lust for each other? 41:50 – I have four granddaughters that are now young women. One of them has a girlfriend. I think I’m the only person in her life telling her this is wrong. She is open to talking to me about it. What can I tell her, or what information can I send her? 50:36 – How does one clear one’s mind from impure images seen in the past?

Can your temperament shape your spiritual life? In this episode we explore how natural disposition, trauma, and personality types affect prayer, change over time, and whether they’re at odds with providence. Also—can you be a composite temperament?   Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 16:56 – Would my temperament have effect on my trouble with keeping focus on prayer life 30:34 – Can we have a composite of our temperaments? 42:33 – Can your temperament change during the course of your life? 49:40 – How do we square the idea of a temperament being “happy-go-lucky” with providence, when as Catholics we do not believe in luck? 52:37 – Is it possible to have early childhood trauma that shapes and forms your temperament?

In a captivating discussion, Jimmy Akin, a prominent Catholic apologist, dives into intriguing theological questions. He explains why Jesus didn't write a Gospel Himself, shedding light on oral tradition and the transmission of truth in the Church. The conversation takes a whimsical turn as they ponder if intelligent aliens could enjoy eternal life and discuss the memory of dogs and their past traumas. Akin also delves into alternate universes and examines the magical elements found in fantasy literature compared to real-world beliefs.

Jimmy Akin, a Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers and the mind behind Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World, dives into intriguing topics ranging from time loops to moral implications of actions in cinema. He tackles a hypothetical question: if someone is trapped in a time loop and sins, do those sins carry weight once they break free? The discussion also explores the theological dilemmas presented in favorite tales like The Lord of the Rings and the concept of doppelgangers in metaphysics, blending humor with deep insights.

Tim Staples, a convert to Catholicism and author of *Behold Your Mother*, dives into intriguing theological discussions. He examines whether anyone recognized Jesus as the child who awed the elders in the Temple once He began His ministry. The conversation also touches on complex themes like the Incarnation, Mary's role as the new Eve, and the significance of receiving Communion under both species. With engaging insights and questions from listeners, the exploration offers deep reflections on faith and the understanding of Jesus' dual nature.

William Albrecht, an international speaker and founder of Patristic Pillars, dives deep into the theological rift between Orthodox and Catholic beliefs. He unpacks concepts of divinization and how each tradition views grace and union with God’s uncreated energies. Albrecht also addresses priestly celibacy, discussing its historical roots and importance in ministry. Key questions from listeners about intercession of saints and youth involvement in church groups further enrich the conversation, offering fresh insights into Catholic doctrines.