Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

Fr. Josh helps you navigate the tricky times in life when our Catholic Faith doesn’t give you an easy, “fill-in-the blank” answer.

About the show

Ask Fr. Josh is the podcast where I hear you out and do my best to help you navigate the tricky times in life when our Catholic Faith doesn’t give you an easy “fill-in-the blank” answer. On this show, we’ll listen to one another, problem solve together, and ultimately entrust everything to our Lord. If this is your first time tuning in, here’s how the show goes: Each episode, I'll address three to four of your questions. I’ll cover everything from Catholic teaching to moral dilemmas to relationship advice. I'm not perfect, and I can’t guarantee that my advice is going to make things easy, but I'll do my best to share what I've learned during my time as a priest, pastor, and friend.

Send me your questions at ascensionpress.com/askfatherjosh

Episodes

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    Scrupulosity, Bad Confession Experiences, and Young People Leaving the Church

    July 16th, 2019  |  32 mins 45 secs
    bad confession, bad priests, catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholicism, church, leaving the church, priest, scrupulosity

    Fr. Josh answers questions about whether bad confession experiences are valid, how to avoid scrupulosity (obsession with avoiding sin), and how to invite people back to the Church. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Praying to the Saints, the Communion Fast, and Confession “Hopping”

    July 9th, 2019  |  33 mins 11 secs
    apologetics, catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholic prayer, catholic questions, catholicism, communion, confession, eucharist, fr. josh, priest, reconciliation, saint, saints

    Fr. Josh answers questions about why praying to the saints is different from worshiping them, how to remind people about the fast before receiving Communion, and whether it’s OK to go to a different parish for confession (so you don’t have to go to your pastor).

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    Traditional Latin Mass, Witchcraft, and Mystic Visions

    July 2nd, 2019  |  30 mins 36 secs
    catholic, catholic answers, catholic liturgy, catholic mass, different saints, funny priest, latin mass, liturgy, mass, mystic visions, occult, priest, saints, tradition, traditional latin mass, witchcraft

    Fr. Josh answers questions about why some Catholics seem to think traditional Latin Mass is better than the Norvus Ordo, whether witchcraft is demonic or fake, and why only some saints have mystic visions. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    All About Alcohol: Drunkenness, Underage Drinking, and Whisky for Teething Babies

    June 25th, 2019  |  32 mins 59 secs
    alcohol, catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholic podcast, catholic priest, catholics and alcohol, drinking, drinking responsibly, drunk, fr. josh, mortal sin, sin, underage drinking

    Fr. Josh answers questions all about drinking alcohol including: Do I need to go to confession after drinking? Is it OK to drink underage? What if I get drunk without intending to? Is that old wives tale of rubbing whiskey on a teething baby’s gums safe?

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    Same-Sex Love, Boycotting Netflix, Leaving the Priesthood

    June 18th, 2019  |  40 mins 37 secs
    catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholicism, conscientious consumer, health and homosexuality, homosexual catholics, leaving the priesthood, priest, priesthood, same-sex relationships

    DISCLAIMER: Fr. Josh dives deep into details about the first question on same-sex love. Especially for parents listening with children in the car, please discern whether or not your child is ready to hear about the specifics of homosexual intercourse.
    Fr. Josh answers questions about why the Catholic Church cannot support same-sex relationships, how to be a conscientious consumer without being overly scrupulous, and what happens to priests who leave the priesthood.
    If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    TV Mass, Cafeteria Catholics, and Finding Happiness When Depressed

    June 11th, 2019  |  40 mins 48 secs
    abuse, apologetics, cafeteria catholic, catholic, catholic teaching, depressed, depression, evangelization, healing from abuse, healing from trauma, jesus, missing mass, tv mass

    Fr. Josh answers questions about if watching Mass on television fulfills our Sunday obligation, how to find happiness when depressed from past trauma, and how to talk with “cafeteria Catholics” who pick and choose which parts of the Faith to follow.

    If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    What Does Hell Look Like, Was Peter the First Pope, and a Follow Up to Spiritual Intimacy

    June 4th, 2019  |  35 mins 19 secs
    bible, catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholic theology, catholicism, dante's inferno, funny priest, hell, holiness, pope, priest, saints, spiritual intimacy, st. peter, theology, walk towards eternity

    Today Fr. Josh dives into some theology today as he answers questions about whether hell looks like Dante’s Inferno, why Peter was the first pope, and what kinds of spiritual intimacy are prudent before marriage. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Original Sin, Explicit Music, State of Life Vocations, and Can Priests and Women Be Friends

    May 28th, 2019  |  45 mins 39 secs
    baptism, called to marriage, catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholicism, fr josh, friendship, funny priest, marriage, original sin, priests, questions about catholics, sacraments, sin, soul mate, vocation

    Today Fr. Josh answers questions about how we become stained by original sin, listening to music with explicit lyrics, if feeling called to marriage means you will find a spouse, and if a friendship between a priest and a woman is appropriate. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Be My Guest: Dr. Mario Sacasa on Love as a Sincere Gift of Self

    May 21st, 2019  |  55 mins 58 secs
    catholic answers, catholic relationships, dr. mario sacasa, gift of self, mario sacasa, marriage counseling, nfp, pornography, relationship advice, sex, theology of the body

    DISCLAIMER: Today Fr. Josh and Dr. Mario Sacasa answer questions about sexual baggage, feeling guilty about NFP, the morality of pleasure outside the marital act, and dealing with a partner who watches porn. You may want to listen first and discern whether or not it is the right time for your child(ren) to listen. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Praying the Paul VI Rosary: The Glorious Mysteries

    May 14th, 2019  |  30 mins 17 secs
    catholic, catholic answers, catholic prayer, glorious mysteries, lectio divina rosary, mary, mother of god, our lady, paul vi rosary, praying with scripture, rosary

    Today Fr. Josh talks about how Mary invites us again and again to pray the Rosary and then prays the Glorious Mysteries of the Paul VI Rosary (because it’s Easter). Grab your Rosary and pray along!

    If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Chapel Veils, Free Will, and Methods for Preventing Pregnancy

    May 7th, 2019  |  39 mins 53 secs
    catholic, catholic answers, catholic church, catholic priest, catholicism, chapel veil, fr. josh, fr. josh johnson, free will, freedom, god, mass, nfp, pregnancy, questions about catholicism, veiling, veils, why is contraception wrong

    Today Fr. Josh answers questions about women wearing chapel veils at Mass, what to do with our God-given freedom, and whether certain methods for preventing pregnancy are permissible during times of fertility.

    If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Hypostatic Union, Annulled Marriages, and Asking a Girl on a Date

    April 30th, 2019  |  26 mins 55 secs
    annulled marriages, annulment, asking someone out, catholic, catholic answers, catholic couples, catholic dating advice, catholic stuff you should know, child jesus, dating advice, fr. josh, glory story, god as man, hypostatic union, marriage annulment, sin, trinity

    Today Fr. Josh answers questions about how Jesus knew he was God as a child, whether an annulled marriage means the couple was living in a state of sin, and how to ask a girl on a date. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Happy Easter from Fr. Josh!

    April 23rd, 2019  |  1 min 14 secs
    catholic, easter, easter 2019, easter blessing, easter season, happy easter, joy, rejoice, resurrection, spring

    Happy Easter! This week we celebrate a new season in the Church, one of renewal and joy. Fr. Josh will be back next week with more questions and answers, but this week we celebrate the resurrection of Christ! God bless you and your families as we rejoice in this festive season!

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    Holy Week, Aliens, and Righteous Anger

    April 16th, 2019  |  38 mins 45 secs
    aliens, anger, catholic, catholicism, christian, easter, easter 2019, holy week, holy week 2019, jesus, jesus christ, prayer, prayers for easter, priest, questions about catholicism, righteous anger, souls

    Today Fr. Josh answers questions about when anger can be considered righteous, how to enter into Holy Week, and speculating about whether or not aliens could have souls. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    Nuns Without Habits, Explaining Past Mistakes to Children, and Fr. Josh’s Conversion

    April 9th, 2019  |  36 mins 24 secs
    ask fr. josh, catholic, catholic answers, children, conversion, explaining your past, fr. josh, nuns, nuns without habits, parenting, raising kids

    Today Fr. Josh answers questions about how to explain past mistakes to your children, how to react to nuns who don’t wear habits, and his own conversion story. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

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    The Devil, Life After Rape, and Giving Communion to Unbelievers

    April 2nd, 2019  |  36 mins 1 sec
    catholic, catholic church, church, communion, crucifixion, death, devil, eucharistic minister, fallen angels, fr. josh, god, holy communion, host, jesus, mass, mortal sin, passion, prayer, priest, rape, sexual assault, sin, suffering, trauma

    Fr. Josh answers questions about why God created the devil, distributing Communion to people in a state of mortal sin, and how to return to God after a traumatic assault. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at [email protected]. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode.