Snippet from the Show
“Cardinal Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedict XVI) proposes that women who want to stay at home should be able to stay at home, and women to want to work outside of the home, should be able to work outside of the home.”

Get the shownotes at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“When you pray with someone, it’s not about the level of revelation that you have, it’s about when you finish, does that person feel like they’ve been kissed by Jesus.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:39)

Listener Feedback (4:08)

Kevin’s Story (7:22)

Praying for a Sign (26:44)
Hi Father Josh, I really love your Podcast. Thanks so much for helping me grow in my faith. I was raised in a Christian home but never attended Catholic school. I became Catholic as an adult. I still feel like I have so much to learn. ( I just graduated from a medical residency, so I struggle with finding time and constantly working on balance) I was wondering when you pray is it ok to ask for a sign from God? Or like say “Lord show me this sign, so I know this is what your leading me to do?” Is it wrong to pray for a sign? I never really have done this before but I have been so busy. I just said it in a prayer real quick.

I met this really cool guy on a plane and felt an instant connection to him. We kept in contact just as friends because we both been in the Navy. Later I found out he was raised Catholic. I felt like it was a sign from God that he might be the spouse I have been praying for. I kind of brushed it off and just focused on my life/residency saying God if it is really you please let him win this really hard fitness award out of like 45 people. I didn't tell him what I prayed for and like one day he just texts me a picture his award. He has a girlfriend now and I am nervous and I want to tell him how I feel now before he is married....or forever hold my peace” I know that he can always say “No”. I guess I am just trying to understand are these signs from God? I honestly am a pretty scientific and logical person so I really don't know what to make of it and to understand better Catholic teaching.
-Bridget

Building a Relationship with the Holy Spirit (32:51)
How do you “have a relationship” with the Holy Spirit? He seems like an idea.. not a person. I’ve been told to have faith and ask Him to come, but I’m sort of weary of doing that anymore because when I put my faith or expectation in God to show up to the other side of my prayer, I get let down. If I keep doing that, I’m scared I will lose my faith all together.
-Kathryn

Resources

• Fr. Josh Johnson - Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“Don’t let the enemy speak lies and tempt you with discouragement. Whenever you feel those temptations, quote Scripture and say ‘Get behind me Satan.’”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:41)
Fr. Josh shares a story about how Chris Benzinger (the husband of Michelle, host of the Abiding Together podcast) leans into prayer.

Listener Feedback (7:26)

Talking to Your Family About Discernment (10:02)
Hi Fr. Josh, I’m a 20 year old cradle Catholic and about to be a junior in college. I’ve recently felt a pull to discern religious life, and I’m currently working on finding a spiritual director. Is this something I should be telling my family and friends at this point? My family is Catholic but we never really talk about our faith, unfortunately. I have one sister who shares zeal with me, and we have talked about this a lot. But I don’t know how - or even if it’s appropriate to - “break the news” in a sense to my parents and other siblings. It seems sketchy to me to not tell them about a huge leap of faith I’m embarking upon, but at the same time, I’m worried they won’t understand OR that if I decide not to enter then I’ll have worried them over nothing. I also feel this way about one of my very best friends who describes herself as a disaffiliated Catholic. I know that she would legitimately be mad at me if she knew I was thinking about doing this. I’m just not sure how to go about this and any advice you have on the topic would be so helpful, thank you so much.
-A Discerning Friend

Selfishness (15:02)
Hey Fr. Josh. My boyfriend and I are both in our mid 20s. Before this relationship, my spiritual life was going very well and at some point I was discerning religious life. He was not the cause of my spiritual downfall; he’s actually the one that takes me to confession and adoration now. But, there have been plenty of recent types where my relationship with God has been nonexistent. I feel like I haven’t and can’t go back to the place I was before spirituality, even in the slightest.

Also, I have always been very independent and ended up building barriers in my relationship, which ended up hurting my boyfriend emotionally many times. Although I’ve improved in many ways, he still says that he feels I don’t care about his feelings sometimes. There are times where he tells me how he feels and I just don’t know what to do with that information. He describes me as selfish, which is not a lie, because I always think about myself first, where he’s very selfless and always puts me first. I wanted to know what you think I could do to become a better girlfriend, how I can improve in my spiritual life, and how we can improve in our spiritual lives together (which I think is something we’re missing).
-Someone Who is Trying to Become a Better Person

Daily Mass (22:07)
Dear Fr. Josh, I discovered your podcast only two weeks ago and thought, "What have I been missing for the past year?" As a high school theology teacher in my 20s, I am excited about the ways you have already influenced my own spiritual life, and am even more energized about the ways you can transform my students' lives. Your method of evangelization is what many iGenners and millennials need to return to the Church. Keep it up.

My question is about daily Mass and personal prayer time. I struggle with knowing how to balance these two things in my life. On really busy days during the school year, is it better to prioritize Mass or personal prayer time? It seems to me that since we are receiving Jesus at Mass, then Mass should always take priority over personal prayer time. But I have also heard that personal prayer time each day outside of Mass should be the priority, and that if we only have time for one, we should choose personal prayer over Mass. On the other hand, during my free days during the summer, should I be attending Mass everyday since I can? I generally attend at least two days a week, but struggle with guilt on the days when I do not go. Some days I decide it would be less convenient since I want to sleep or avoid traffic, but these seem like bad excuses for not going to Mass every day. If I truly believe Jesus is present at Mass, shouldn't I be craving to receive Him each day? Sometimes I feel like a hypocrite since I tell my students of the blessing of daily Mass, but still only attend two out of five days a week even when my schedule would allow for me to go all five days. Am I being too scrupulous in my thinking or is it really the sin of sloth keeping me from attending Mass each day?
-Anonymous

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended in his show? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed by Fr. Josh
• The Temperament God Gave You
• Which of the Four Personalities are You? YouTube Series
• The Five Love Languages

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“As people were actively attacking Jesus on the cross—mocking him, cursing him, spitting on him—he said, ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ He still felt hurt, betrayed, abandoned, and rejected, but he chose to turn that into intercession.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:36)
Fr. Josh discovered this song: Spirit Lead Me by Influence Music & Michael Ketterer!

Listener Feedback (3:52)

Forgiving Deep Wounds Caused by Family (10:49)
Hello Fr. Josh. Thank you, first of all, for all you do. I stumbled upon your podcast and it is helping me examine things in myself that I otherwise wouldn’t have. It’s from this self reflection that this question came forth. I am struggling to forgive my family for their treatment of me, my new husband, and our new baby daughter. I was married previously to a man who abused me for five years, to the point that I had our priest telling me I was unsafe and giving me the resources to leave. My family, however, refuses to accept that I was right on leaving because I “shamed the family” by getting divorced. They still talk to and invite my ex husband to family functions on a regular basis. Nearly a year after the divorce and subsequent annulment, I met a wonderful man. He accepted my two previous children as his own and has been so patient with me. He is a Christ loving man who has shown me what love in a sacramental marriage should be. I had tolerated their behavior regarding me and my husband, but now their behavior affects my children. I had our daughter at 24 weeks gestation. Thanks be to God, she is now nine months old and doing very well all things considered. I have a large family. Aside from my parents and maternal grandparents, everyone in my family has refused to acknowledge her, much less meet her. We spent 143 days in the NICU and needed the support of family desperately. My family has refused. My husbands family has done everything humanly possible, with my mother in law staying with us for all but a month of our NICU stay to help with the older two children. They (the older children) have been asking why the family that used to be so present is ignoring us. I know an apology will likely never occur, so I am struggling how to forgive my family. How do I forgive when offenses have been so deeply felt?
-Anonymous Mother

Praying for the Souls in Purgatory (21:14)
Hi Father Josh! I'm trying to figure out the right way to pray for souls in purgatory. Since I can't know (unless one of them is beatified) whether my family members who have died are in heaven, I don't know who exactly to pray for. But it feels exclusive just to pray "for my family in purgatory." It feels like if I'm being that general, I should just pray "for all souls in purgatory." But if I don't call them out by name, does it count or count less? Thanks for your help, Father, and all the good work you do!
-Tamar

Tired of Praying (28:20)
Hello Father Josh, I listen to your podcast a lot, and I really like it. Thank you for the work you do. I am a junior in college, just striving to live out the Catholic faith. Earlier this year (January) I listened to a ton of talks on Mary, the power of the Rosary and all of that. I was strongly convicted to pray the Rosary more often. I made a decision to pray the Rosary everyday. I had made decisions like this in the past with reading my Bible, and other forms of prayers but after a month, that all disappeared into thin air. However, with the Rosary I have been pretty much consistent in praying it. So here’s the issue. Father Josh, honestly, on some days I am just exhausted, and really just don’t feel like praying the Rosary or any prayer in general. Although I still pray it, I often rush through it, or my mind wanders off occasionally, or I doze off in between. Frankly, sometimes I just pray it to keep my streak. I tell myself I have come too far to give up now. I don’t want to waste my time (or Jesus’s or Mary’s time). I feel like if it has become a game to me, or just really mechanical then I should stop. Still, I like to believe I receive some graces when I strive through it, even when I don’t feel like it or when I’m just doing it to fulfill all righteousness. I’m scared that if I stop now, I’m never going to have the courage to take up any other challenge to strengthen my prayer life. I may just give up this whole prayer thing in general, because Father, I’m legit tired, confused and need some advice. Thank you.
-Legit Tired

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended in his show? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Fr. Josh Johnson - Broken and Blessed book
• iBrevery app
• Fr. Josh’s Night Prayer on YouTube
• Strive 21: Freedom from Porn
• Prayer to Our Lady of the Smile
• Chaplet of the Holy Souls
• Divine Mercy Chaplet
• Rosary for Holy Souls

Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“God, help me to see myself the way you see me. God, help me to love myself the way that you love me. God, help me to forgive myself the way that you forgive me.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:03)
Fr. Josh is writing another book! Stay tuned for more details :)

Listener Feedback (4:53)
Prayer from Thomas Merton: "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Baptisms with Same-Sex Parents (9:59)
I love your podcast! I look forward to listening every week. I've always been very fond of how you truly try to respond with the love of Christ while still remaining aware of your broken human nature. I pray for you, my man. (Pray for me too!) On to my question, this last Sunday my parish held a baptism for a child of a same-sex couple. While on the one hand, obviously it's not the child's fault that their parents are living in a sinful relationship, and they deserve the sacrament just as much as any other child. But, I do really wonder how our response as a community should be. Certainly these men should be allowed in our church and should be welcome to listen to the liturgy of the word so they may be touched by Jesus, but they partook of the Eucharist. How do I respond like Jesus here? I want to love them as Christ loves them, but what does that look like? I'm really struggling with how to process this and could really use some guidance.
-Daniel

Helping Family Understand Church Teachings (22:14)
First, I heard you speak in Houston at Cafe Catholica, and I have to thank you because you spoke about focusing on God's mercy when it comes to our vices, rather than focusing on our anxiety and why we're not conquering our sins. I've been seriously struggling with my anxiety about that recently, and you help reorient my attention to the Lord, rather than being distracted by Satan. Second: My husband is a Catholic convert; he converted right before we got married. He comes from a completely nonreligious family. I'm not sure what, if anything, they believe. So my husband struggles with some of the Church teachings because it is so far from what he experienced for most of his life. He struggles, in particular, with Jesus' presence in the Eucharist and the teachings on sexuality (every sexual act must be unitive and procreative). He also doesn't understand the big deal about skipping Mass occasionally. So I guess my question is two parts. One, how do I encourage my husband to embrace Church teachings without lecturing him and making him feel inadequate? And two, how can I encourage my husband's family to be open to the Lord, also without lecturing them?
-Anonymous

Overwhelming Guilt (27:50)
Father Josh, Thank you so much for your podcast. I’m enjoying listening frequently. I’m new to the faith and currently in RCIA and will be baptized this Easter vigil. I’m really new to any faith. I was an atheist since around the age the of 13. Unfortunately I let people turn me off to faith including my own father who claimed to be a man of faith but had no love for me. After God blessed me with my daughter 4 years ago I felt a love that I knew had to come from somewhere greater than myself. I began to study different religions and found myself coming to Catholicism through reason and now by faith. My family and I have been going to Mass for almost two years and thanks be to God I’ll able to receive the Eucharist this Easter along with my wife. Often times I have an overwhelming feeling of guilt for decisions I made as a nonbeliever and for denying God for so long. I know that God has forgiven me but how do I manage this guilt? Thank you for your advice, I appreciate it and your ministry is in my prayers. God Bless.
-Todd

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended in his show? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Fr. Josh's book - Broken and Blessed
• The Heart of Perfection: How the Saints Taught Me to Trade My Dream of Perfect for God's by Colleen Carroll Campbell
• I Will Follow video

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“God can use our prayers to transcend time: past, present, and future.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (0:56)
Fr. Josh shares an amazing revelation about Moses and the face of God!

Listener Feedback (4:17)

Prayer Transcending Time (8:22)
Fr. Josh, Hello and thank-you for your consideration of my question! I am wondering about the possibility for our prayers to transcend time. I have read about consoling the heart of Jesus, that even though He is now in heaven, I can comfort Him in His passion and death. I have also heard that God is present to me now as a 37 year old woman, just as He is present to me as a little girl. I am wondering if it is possible, through prayer, for us to bring consolation to ordinary people who have lived before us, or who will live in the future. I realize we are born into a time in history for a reason, and the present moment is a gift to us. But, as an example, if I hear about the atrocities of the holocaust and I pray for those who suffered in concentration camps, is it possible that my intercession now could have caused a consolation for someone who lived in a camp? Or, as another example, could a blessing I receive tomorrow be the result of a prayer made by my great, great grandchild decades from now? I'm sure it is good to pray and intercede for others, dead or living, whenever we feel inspired to. I'm just practically wondering if God can use those prayers to affect any time He chooses.
-Julia

Married Priests (14:44)
Father Josh, Thank you for your podcast. I enjoy learning more about the Catholic Faith through your energetic and thoughtful style. I am confused on how men who were previously married, have had children and are divorced can then become a priest. I have heard the term “alluded” used, but cannot find a Catholic meaning for this term. Can you help explain how these men fit into the rules for becoming priests and if alluded is a Catholic process I should have known about? Thank you and please continue your wonderful podcast. God Bless.
-Gary

Checking Someone Out (20:11)
Hi Fr. Josh, I'm a 16 year old guy. And I sometimes find myself checking girls out. I've been wondering recently whether it's wrong to do so. Is it okay to check people out? I think it depends on how often you do it and whether you're taking advantage of that person or genuinely admiring beauty. I'd really love to know your stance on the matter. And if I shouldn't be doing it, what are some ways to stop myself from my natural tendencies? I love your podcast, keep up the amazing work! Thank you for any help you can provide.
-Dom

Universal Call to Holiness
Share this podcast with a friend and potentially be the reason they deepen their relationship with God!

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended in his show? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Fr. Josh Johnson - Broken and Blessed book
• Unabridged Christianity - Fr. Mario Romario
• Rome Sweet Rome - Dr. Scott Hahn
• Consoling the Heart of Jesus by Fr. Michael Gaitley
• 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley
• 33 Days to Merciful Love by Fr. Michael Gaitley

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“The second Peter took his eyes off of God, and fixed his eyes on the storm, he began to sink. The same thing happens to us.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:11)
Fr. Josh shares a story about the lay vocation to become a saint!

Listener Feedback (6:15)

Bad Confession Experiences (7:47)
Dear Father Josh, Thank you so much for your ministry. I have enjoyed listening to your podcast and I can tell that you truly take all of our listeners’ questions to prayer seriously and answer them thoughtfully and prayerfully. My question is about what to do when you have a bad confession experience. I’m a lifelong Catholic and I truly believe that the sacrament of reconciliation is a sacrament of healing. I have experienced this love and healing many times over the years, so I believe in its power. I try to attend regularly. My younger brother has autism and had a very negative confession experience many years ago when he was in high school. My dad took him to confession and suggested to my brother that he let the priest know in advance about his autism to help give the priest context. When my brother entered the confessional and started off his confession by saying, “I have autism,” the priest told him that autism is a sin. He didn’t tell our family this happened until much later and he hasn’t been to confession since. This truly hurt my brother’s faith, understandably.

I myself had a negative confession experience when I was in college. I was really struggling and hurting and was truly sorry for the sins I confessed and the priest told me, “I am absolutely appalled by what you have told me.” This had never ever happened to me and I was confused. When I asked for absolution, he scoffed and said, “I suppose!” I was worried that my confession wasn’t actually absolved, so I re-confessed everything to my regular priest and told him what happened. The difference between the two priests was like night and day even though the sins were the same. My regular priest told me that if I ever was made to feel uncomfortable like that again, I had permission to stand up and leave.

I’m sure that everyone has bad experiences like these... I know sometimes people won’t visit certain priests for confession. I understand that a priest during confession is in persona Christi, but how am I supposed to feel when my brother, or a friend, or myself, have a negative experience with a priest who truly isn’t acting as Christ during confession? I have had nothing but positive experiences with the sacrament since that one bad time during college, but it’s always in the back of my mind. All it takes for some people is one negative experience to make them doubt the Church and the healing power of reconciliation. How can a priest truly be in persona Christi if they’re saying hurtful things? Is it ever okay to leave a confessional in an instance like this and can a negative confession experience be invalid?
-Amy

Scrupulosity (17:19)
Hello Father Josh, I would like to start this email by thanking you for your podcast. It has been extremely helpful to me in understanding the teachings of the Church and applying them to real situations that I face. Your friendly attitude and ability to explain doctrine in an accessible way is refreshing, and I thank God for the gift he has given the Church in you.

I am 25 years old and a cradle Catholic. I attended Catholic school up to 9th grade, although I fell away from practicing the faith in college. One of the main reasons for this was I didn't understand the Church's teachings on subjects like same-sex relationships and contraception, and saw them as out-of-touch and prejudiced. About two months ago I had an experience that brought me back to the Church, and I decided to start intentionally living my faith. This lead me to do research on the Church and its teachings, and I realized I was ignorant of many things, such as the precept of fasting from meat on all Fridays (I have never heard the precepts mentioned in school or church).

What I realized through my research is that my conception of the Church was very different from the reality of it, and the reality is scary. I used to think that Hell was reserved for the worst of humanity, but Jesus himself says in the Gospel of Matthew that “broad” is the road to destruction and “only a few” find the gate of life. This passage in particular absolutely destroyed me. It seems that most of the world is destined for Hell instead of Heaven. Most of this Gospel is Jesus talking about Hell and the many things you can do that will send you there. After finishing the Gospel of Matthew I have been too scared to read the rest of the New Testament.

I follow the Ten Commandments as best I can, and go to Confession regularly. I attend Mass on Sundays and try to go at least one other day a week. I cracked down on things in my life that were near occasions of sin. I pray daily, including a daily Rosary (praise the Lord for that prayer, and for the wonderful gift of our mother Mary). I fast once a week. I give money during the collection at Mass and donate to charitable organizations, and try to give money or buy food for the homeless when I encounter them.

Despite doing these things I am still scared of God’s wrath and going to Hell. I feel like almost everything I do is a sin, even down to buying non-essential items like a roll of film for my camera. This fear is affecting my ability to get through the day and enjoy life, even good things like spending time with my friends. I also work in an industry that is very anti-Christian, and my coworkers are all pro-abortion, pro gay-marriage, etc. I have one friend that is a practicing Catholic, but he lives far away and I only see him in person every couple months.

Returning to my faith helped me with some of the struggles I was facing, but it has also brought a host of new struggles I was not ready for. I desperately want to live a good Catholic life and be with our Lord in heaven, but I feel lost and am scared of ending up in Hell. I have been stuck in this mindset for weeks and don’t know how to get out of it. Any advice or words of encouragement you can give would be greatly appreciated.
-Steven

Young People Leaving the Church (27:09)
Hello Father! My name is Liam and I have been listening to your podcasts for a while now and they are GREAT! I wanted to start off with a thank you because you have truly changed my life and, from what I can tell, you've done the same from many others. My question is about the future of Catholicism. Catholics I know, my friends, even my brothers seem to be slowly departing from the church. I understand that not everyone stays Catholic when they're older because they somehow don't believe in God or don't care enough to go to Mass, pray, or even acknowledge God. But, my generation seems to have fully departed from the faith for some reason. I don't know if it's just me that's seeing this issue but only very few people I know plan on staying members of the church after we graduate high school. This worries me for the future. What will the Church look like if this continues and how can I help bring these people back into the church without pushing them even farther away?

-Liam

Universal Call to Holiness
Share this podcast with a friend and potentially be the reason they deepen their relationship with God!

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Fr. Josh Johnson - Broken and Blessed book
• Gabrielle Bossis - He and I book
• Matt Maher - Lord I Need You song
• Hillsong United - Oceans song
• Will Reagan - Break Every Chain song

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“The word ‘pray’ actually means ‘to ask’. It’s become synonymous with ‘worship’ but that’s not what it means.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:46)
One of Fr. Josh’s parishioners recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! As he was leaving the hospital the women’s youngest son ran up to Fr. Josh thinking he was Jesus.

Listener Feedback (6:51)

Praying to the Saints (11:57)
Fr. Josh, I absolutely love your podcast and haven't missed an episode! I am a cradle Catholic and your podcast, in addition to a few other awesome Catholic podcasts, have helped me to grow in my Faith and my love for Jesus more than I ever thought possible. My husband of 11 years joined the Church at the Easter Vigil in 2018. During RCIA classes, he learned a lot more than what I could have ever begun to tell him about; that being said, he still has a hangup with how we pray to Mary and to the Saints for their intercession for us. During our nightly prayer time, I've attempted to be more intentional with praying to saints for their intercession and have been trying to learn more about various saints. One night, I specifically prayed for our Blessed Mother to help us to parent more like her and to be patient like she was in raising Jesus. After we finished, he said that he wasn't sure it was right that I asked Mary for help. I tried to explain that Mary can only help us through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and not of her own power. I think it was just the language I used during prayer that caused him to hesitate, so my questions are below:

1. Is there a 'correct' way to pray to Mary or the Saints in such a way that it doesn't seem like we are worshiping them or asking them directly for their help through their own power?

2. How can we properly explain that when we pray to Mary and the Saints that we are NOT worshiping them? We believe that they are the living Body of Christ in Heaven and they can pray for us and help us just as a member of the living Body of Christ here on earth can, right? Why is this so hard for non-Catholics to understand?

Thanks so much, and may God continue to bless you as you walk with so many of us while we deepen our Faith.
-Tammy

The Communion Fast (22:33)
Hi Fr. Josh! I have a tricky question for you regarding the hour fast before Holy Communion. It surprises me how many people of all ages do not know about this fast. I do understand that this is a fast before Communion and not the start of Mass, but there have been numerous times when friends, acquaintances, and various adults have been eating something or drinking coffee in that "grey area time" (where depending on the Mass length you may not meet the fast) or even a few minutes before Mass. I don't think God is "counting down the minutes" till you have met the hour fast, but I also believe that as Catholics we shouldn't want to cut it close just to eat food. We should be honoring this fast in devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. There have been a few instances where a friend has been about to eat something and out of charity I reminded them about the fast. But I am confused as to when it is right for me to do so and when I should just hold my tongue? Because if these people truly did not know about the fast, it would be good if I told them, but I also don't want to commit a sin by not speaking up when I have the opportunity to kindly remind them about the fast.
-Jane

Confession “Hopping” (26:59)
Thank you so much for your podcast! It has been so helpful for me. I'm not really sure how to phrase this question, but it's something I've been thinking about lately so here goes.. I am quite involved in my parish now so my parish priests have gotten to know me a lot better than they used to. I have kinda been avoiding going to confession recently because the priests know me personally now, I'm no longer 'anonymous' as such. I would rather go to confession at a different parish (there are others close by) to do a good confession with a priest I don't know. Is this ok or should I just try and 'get over' this fear/embarrassment. I know it's a pride thing on my part, and they would just be happy that I go to receive the sacrament! Anyway I'm wondering what advice you may have on this? How do you do a good confession with a priest you work closely with?? Is it ok to avoid confession at your local parish and go to a different parish? Do you have any advice on how you've managed this in your own life?
-Anonymous

Universal Call
Share this podcast with a friend and potentially be the reason they deepen their relationship with God!

Resources
See more resources at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“Just because a priest celebrates one of the liturgies sloppily doesn’t mean that liturgy is bad [traditional Latin Mass or Norvus Ordo]. It means that priest needs to be reformed.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (2:08)
Fr. Josh recalls the very first Catholic book he ever read outside of the Bible: The Mystical City of God by Venerable Mary Agreda. Read it. It will rock your world!!

Listener Feedback (5:59)

Witchcraft (8:29)
Hello Father Josh, Could you please explain what the Church teaches on witchcraft and tarot cards and all that creepy stuff. I know it’s something we as Catholics shouldn’t be part of in general. However, I want to understand the Church’s reasoning behind this. Do we believe witchcraft is not real and it’s all fake? Or do we believe it’s the devil working in this world and that’s why we stay away? Do we believe tarot cards really reveal the future or do we believe it’s all fake or do we believe it’s real but it’s evil? Lol it gets pretty confusing. I mean I know we are not supposed to be superstitious... whatever that means... but being from Africa, I’ve seen some really crazy things happen in this life, that can low-key only be explained through witchcraft (which a lot of people still practice). Anyway, I just want to know what to think about all this and I trust the Church to guide me. Thank you Father Josh! I’ll be praying for you! And pray for me too!
-Ozigbo

Mystic Visions (17:04)
Father, I’m reading the meditations of Christ and each day there is a new meditation about a saint. I’m reading all these saints and their experiences with miraculous appearances of Jesus or Mary or another holy figure and they instantly feel that change of heart and have immense faith. My question is, if we are all called to be saints how come some people have those miraculous visions and others don’t? Because you do need a miracle to become a saint, right? So it seems like Gods’ choosing specific people?
-Andrew

Traditional Latin Mass (22:15)
Hi Fr. Josh, My parish priest has always made his opinion known on the Latin Mass following, like they are cultish, think they are better than people who follow the New Order Mass, etc. At first I wasn't sure what to think, but after some personal experience I'm a bit worried. It seems like Latin Mass followers go around saying that they are basically better than us: they refuse Communion if it’s not administered by the priests, say that the Novus Ordo celebrations of the Mass aren't valid, and even say that women should only wear dresses and are meant to stay at home to raise children. I get the feeling that they "groom" or "brainwash" people into following this extreme and fanatical form of Catholicism.

What are your thoughts on this extreme Catholicism following? A google search leads to Novus Ordo Watch, Ad Orientum Masses--how the New Order Mass isn't really worship and isn't really Catholicism, etc., and I am so confused. There is so much division in our world--and now I come across this? I love being Catholic, but just feel that this is so wrong. We are all Catholics in the same universal Church, aren't we? Fr. Josh I'm sorry this isn't very articulate, but what are your thoughts? Thank you so much for your time!!
-Maria

Universal Call to Holiness (29:40)

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Click here to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson
• The Mystical City of God by Venerable Mary Agreda

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“Scripture gives witness to the fact that drinking can be a good thing, but getting drunk is not a good thing.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:35)
Fr. Josh flew up to Ascension for a filming of a new product! Stay tuned for more information! He was also able to visit with FOCUS and attended a Steubenville South Youth Conference where fifteen years ago Fr. Josh had his conversion.

Listener Feedback (5:44)

Drunkenness (8:08)
What is the actual Catholic definition of being drunk? How do I know when I have passed the point of drinking too much? When would I need to go to Confession after drinking?
-Brad

Underage Drinking (16:34)
Whats up Fr. Josh!? I've been so blessed by your podcasts. Please know I've been praying for you. I have a question about underage drinking...I'm 19 and my older brother is 25. He lets me drink when I'm hanging out at his place with all his friends. But I know it’s still against the law. I'm not purposefully getting drunk...I mean we mostly sit and talk about life, our relationships, and sometimes even theology and how to become better men. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it OK for me to keep drinking with them?
-Gregory C

Accidentally Getting Drunk (23:10)
So I'm a mom of three and I never have the chance to go out with my girlfriends. Last weekend my two best friends and I were able to go out on a Friday night (thanks to our amazing husbands) and got a few drinks. Well........I must be from the stone ages (or maybe I just forgot to eat after feeding my kids ), but after my first drink I ordered what I thought would be a lighter mixed drink (just enough to keep loosening up you know?) but I ended up ordering something really strong and got drunk. My friends drove me home and my husband was really understanding, but I feel really guilty. Is that a mortal sin? Or because I didn't mean for that to happen could it be more of a venial sin?
-Cassandra

Whisky for Teething Children (29:46)
Can I rub whisky on my toddler's gums to help him with teething? I'm running out of ideas, HELP!!

-Marisa

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

Fr. Josh answers questions about why the Catholic Church cannot support same-sex relationships, how to be a conscientious consumer without being overly scrupulus, and what happens to priests who leave the priesthood.

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“If we stop at the creature, and not the creator, we’ll be left unfulfilled. A sexual relationship [in marriage] is not the end we were created for. It can be a means to an end, which is God, but it can’t be an end in itself. ”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:11)
The past two weeks Fr. Josh’s parish as been holding the Love and Mercy Academy to help their middle schoolers recognizes how much God loves them, the gifts the Church, and the gifts of the Saints. Being a spiritual father is such a gift!

Listener Feedback (5:08)

Same-Sex Love (9:14)
Hey Father, I am Catholic and also I am a gay man. I feel like I agree with most teachings of the church, but this issue is insurmountable for me. I want to fall in love and truly believe that I can have a healthy sexual relationship with a man. Why can't I have this? Also, why does the church insist on using the term "same sex attraction" as opposed to "gay" and "homosexual"?
-Ryan

Boycotting Netflix (22:50)
Hi Father Josh, First, I want to thank you for your podcast! It has been a God-send because it has been helping me navigate evangelizing the Faith. While simultaneously, growing deeper in my relationship with Christ. Plus, it feels like when I listen to your podcast we’re drinking coffee and chatting at Full of Grace Cafe (even though I live in California). Father, you’re such a humble and wise priest. Can I say that? Know that I carry you and all your brother priests in my prayers!

Here is some background first before I ask my question. These questions are based off scrolling through some Catholic accounts on Instagram. These accounts have been basing their posts off information that has been shared on the media about the recent Heartbeat bills in the South. But I can’t help but wrap my head around how DIVIDED the nation feels about LIFE. Praise God these Heartbeat bills are passing! Because it all boils down to LIFE. Now all of these companies, such as Netflix, are saying they’ll leave the state of Georgia because they passed or passing a Heartbeat bill. My question comes from seeing Catholic accounts on Instagram saying that their followers should cancel Netflix because they won’t support Georgia and it’s heartbeat bill. When I asked my Mom, who is Catholic, says it’s okay to enjoy Netflix because we need to enjoy life too. Either way it doesn’t feel right. I just want to be a conscientious consumer of goods while standing firm for what our Church believes in.

Here is the question: If we like goods from certain companies, like Netflix, should we the Faithful stop consuming goods from companies who are Pro-Choice altogether? Or should we stand in solidarity in what we believe in, and quit Netflix? I’m not sure if I make sense. But I hope it’s clear what I am asking. I look forward to hear your answer to this question. Thank you Father!

-Janine

Leaving the Priesthood (33:10)
I know this is a difficult subject to discuss, but I am curious about how the Church manages priests who leave the priesthood, either temporarily or permanently. Are these men still allowed to receive the sacraments if they continue to faithfully practice Catholicism and observe the precepts of the Church? Speaking specifically of the diocesan priesthood, how common is it for a priest to leave the ministry? Personally, I know a handful of men who have left the diocesan priesthood, and it's incredibly sad - and they often leave the Church altogether.
-JP

Universal Call to Holiness (39:08)
What can we all take away from each of these questions?
Same-Sex Love - It is not lifegiving. God wants us to participate in things that bring us health and life.
Boycotting Netflix - Whenever we come together to address social evils, we can see powerful fruits.
Leaving the Priesthood - As the Body of Christ we are called to accompany our brothers and to love them well and to not push them away from the Sacraments if they fall away from their state of life vocations.

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson
• Research on health and same-sex relations from Family Research Council

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“The degree of perfection experienced by those who are saved by the grace of God is proportioned to one’s merits, and the degree of punishment experienced by those who are damned to hell because of their choice is proportioned to each one of their sins.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (2:10)
It is ordination season and a lot of Fr. Josh’s friends are being ordained! Also, as of May 31st Fr. Josh has celebrated five years of being a priest!

Listener Feedback (6:00)

What Does Hell Look Like (10:34)
Hi! I'm Kate! and I have a question about Dante's Inferno. Here's the history in case you did not know. Dante wrote a book in the middle ages called The Divine Comedy. It told us about his journey into heaven and hell. I have always pictured hell as this place full of fire where mad people have nothing to drink and only eat dust and rocks and sit in a cell with laser bars while you sit there and moan because the devil guy keeps poking you with a fork. (learned this info in a dream I had when I was 5 or 6 after I lied to my mom about cookies and dinner.) But Dante says there are different sins, different levels, different punishments. So, my question is: 'DO WE BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HELL LOOKS LIKE?'
-Kate

Was Peter the First Pope (17:33)
Hi Fr. Josh! By the way, I think you’re an amazing, amazing priest. I had a question about St. Peter as the first pope of the Catholic Church. As an on-fire Catholic, I see evidence for why Jesus assigned Peter as the ‘rock’ of the Catholic Church, but how do I answer my sister’s dismissal of this statement when she says that this common Catholic fact “is just a Catholic’s interpretation of the Scripture, since Jesus doesn’t specifically use the word ‘pope’ to describe Peter in the Bible?” Furthermore, how do we know our Church was built on the 100% truths of Jesus Christ, and not just man’s interpretation of how Jesus wanted us to go about religion? Thank you for the help, and know that I’m still praying for you!
-Kennedy

Follow Up to Spiritual Intimacy (28:11)
Dear Fr Josh, I am a priest from Malta (Europe) and I came across your podcast quite by chance, through a young couple that I accompany spiritually. First of all I just want to thank you and encourage you for how beautifully and joyfully you share the Word of God and the Church's teachings with your listeners. The couple I'm journeying with have obtained a lot of strength and encouragement through your words.

I have a question - if I may - about one of your podcasts from February (the Valentine's day episode) because this young couple was a little confused by something you said and they asked me for guidance about it; and I have to admit that after listening to the podcast myself a couple of times, I still couldn't figure out how I could help them. Basically it's where, towards the end of the segment about spiritual intimacy, (around the 19-minute mark in the podcast) you say that there is some spiritual sharing that couples should reserve for engagement and an even deeper spiritual sharing that they should reserve for marriage. Now since I always encourage the couples I journey with to make prayer (together) a firm part of their courtship, I was wondering how you would distinguish one kind of spiritual sharing from the other... For instance, would that include a couple sharing with each other about spiritual consolations they might have received? Would it perhaps include sharing about doubts and spiritual dryness? Might it be a spiritual sharing that includes questions/issues about their sexuality?

So basically my question would be, what, in your mind, is the kind of spiritual sharing (or intimacy; I'm using the two words interchangeably, btw) that would ideally be reserved for a more committed part of their courtship, engagement and marriage? I thank you for your kind attention; And by the way, I read that you are a pastor in Louisiana. In 2000 I spent my gap "pastoral" year (between my philosophy and theology years in Seminary) at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Baton Rouge. Best months of my life; Louisiana still feels like home to me :) May God bless you, protect you, and keep filling you and your ministry with His joy.
-Fr. Brendan

Universal Call to Holiness (33:33)

Let us pray:
God give me the grace to experience the gift of tongues so that I can share that which you want me to share in relationships with people. So that I can share that which you want me to share when it comes to the Scriptures and catechesis with people. So that I share that which you want me to share, and only what you want me to share, when it comes to speaking about matters of salvation. Lord, give me the gift of tongues and give those who will receive my gift of tongues the interpretation of tongues so they hear only that which you want them to hear, which is what is good for them in their walk toward eternity. Amen.

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Click here to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“We need to have appropriate boundaries to protect our vocation—not just our state of life vocation, but our primary vocation to become saints.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:16)
A glory story of gratitude! Fr. Josh shares some of the beauty and graces he experienced during his silent retreat this past week.

Listener Feedback (4:57)

Original Sin (11:22)
Dear Father Josh, Please help me to understand the concept of original sin. I came to Catholic church as an adult, and I LOVE studying the doctrine and history of the church. However, I don't understand this concept. I agree that God gives us free will, and as human beings we have this built in urge to do bad things. What I don't understand is how a newborn baby can be stained by original sin. How are we marred by original sin due to Adam's sin? I've read the Cathechism's passage on original sin, but I still don't quite get it. Please explain it to me or maybe direct me to a modern explanation.
-Kate

Explicit Music (19:20)
Father Josh, I'm a new listener and I got excited when you sang some songs on your podcast. Looked up "Sorry, Not Sorry" and Ericka, Ericka Jayne on youtube and they were explicit. A little girl in a Lebanese restaurant was grooving to "Sorry, Not Sorry"?! Yikes. And Ericka Jane was straight-up immodest! Is it okay to like this music? 'Cause then I can go back to loving me some Usher and DMX from my day. Gave that stuff up when I reverted.
-Anonymous

State of Life Vocations (27:26)
Hey Father! I have a question somewhere in the following statement... LOL

I was listening to Matt Fradd’s Pints with Aquinas podcast on Vocations and he brought up that there’s a reality that single people may need to begin to embrace in society at this moment in time and that’s the fact that we may not have "someone out there" for us-- essentially, that we just may not get married one day. He referenced pornography addiction as a big cause in this. I definitely agree with him as I am starting to realize at 26 (it really never occurred to me LOL) that I was never promised a husband by God-- but it is really hard to come to terms with this potentiality because I do really feel called to marriage and am working at bettering myself to be able to answer that call if/when it comes. Im still young and I still have time-- but I think its good to realize and pray with these things. BUT I have some questions-- in saying that this is true--are we saying that these people were never called to marriage in the first place? Ie-- could I be wrong about feeling called to marriage? OR are we saying that we could be called to marriage and because of the time/situation/state of society not able to fulfill that call? Its just really sad to think about an entire generation or generations of people who might be willing, capable of, and called to marriage but may never be able to.

All this being said-- I know that marriage is not and END goal of this life. Im slowly wrapping my mind around that and the Lord is moving in big ways to teach me that! I just wished this entire topic was talked about more in the church today and not just amping up marriage/priesthood/religious life like one of the three is guaranteed to us if it isn't. Thanks!
-Hailey

Can Priests and Women be Friends (36:54)
Hola from Central America, love love love your podcast, don't miss one! YOU are a blessing and I have to admit you are one of my spiritual directors.... 😊 I have been struggling with this question for quite some time now... Can a real friendship exist between a priest and a woman (when they click so much in personality)? Where should we draw the line? I have been consulting it and have very different answers.... so I want your input on this....Thank you and God Bless.... Gracias por todo lo que hace, es una gran Bendición para mucha gente en muchos países, no solo USA.
-Anonymous Spiritual Daughter

Universal Points (43:15)
(Please note that these are brief summaries of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast and are intended to help you remember the advice given on the show.)

• Original Sin - It is more of a void and in baptism we receive the gift as a grace from God.
• Explicit Music - Some music will be gifts for us, and other music will not. We need to discern where the voice of God is speaking in the music and where the enemy is creeping in and affecting you negatively
• State of Life Vocations - We are all called to be saints. That is the primary vocation.
• Can Priests and Women be Friends - The Foundation Principle: How does this person bring me closer to Christ? Prioritize the near occasion of grace and avoid the near occasion of sin.

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Check out this episode at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

Today Fr. Josh answers questions about sexual baggage, feeling guilty about NFP, the morality of pleasure outside the marital act, and dealing with a partner who watches porn.

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“If you’re not already putting practices in place to grow in holiness and find freedom, then you’re not going to get married and all of a sudden have everything get better.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:15)
Fr. Josh is celebrating five years of priesthood and spent some time with brother priests to celebrate everyone’s ordination! As they were celebrating, they shared something that pierced Fr. Josh’s heart and almost made him cry.

Listener Feedback (5:52)

Marital Pleasure (10:54)
Other than actual intercourse, is it wrong for married couples to enjoy physical pleasure with each other if they don't intend it to result in intercourse every time?
-Maddie

Sexual History (15:23)
How am I supposed to handle my boyfriend's sexual past, me being a virgin? It feels at times like I've been betrayed even though he didn't know me at the time. I also worry what it would mean for our marriage, not only regarding human insecurities but lost graces. The secular advice is "his past is none of your business" but I feel if we get married it will be my business.
-Confused Girlfriend

Pornogrogaphy in a Relationship (28:58)
How do you deal with porn in a relationship -- by that, I mean, it hurts to get months into a relationship with someone who is quite wonderful, then find out he struggles with a porn problem. But, mortal sins are also not a first date topic. And although I've heard some say you shouldn't date someone who has this problem, I don't find myself able to act on that advice, or even able to find a guy who doesn't struggle with this! On the other hand, it makes a relationship so hard to maintain... when you know your SO is looking at other girls, it makes you feel like your relationship is a lie, or maybe you're not worth very much. It puts distance and mistrust between you, and it doesn't help much to know, logically, that you're valuable, when you feel like you're not. I don't want to tell him never to talk about this with me, because I don't want to pretend it's not happening. But I also don't want to hear about it, because it hurts so much. I don't want to leave because I'll regret it, and as I said... the next guy will probably be dealing with the same thing anyway. I petition St. Jude for intercession because this seems so hopeless. What's a girl -- or guy -- to do?
-Anonymous

Struggles with NFP (40:51)
1.) My husband and I have been married for a little over 8 years and have 4 beautiful children (7, 5 1/2, 3 1/2, and 16 months), plus a couple more babies in Heaven that I miscarried. My struggle comes with practicing NFP. We have always used the Creighton Model, but I'm a yellow stamper (meaning my cycles aren't always as obvious) and I also have a history of low progesterone (hence the miscarriages) and have had to be on progesterone supplements for my last three pregnancies. That being said, I'm terrified of getting pregnant again. Don't get me wrong... I will be elated if I end up pregnant. I really want another baby. But due to several factors including financial restraints, having an extremely small house, and still having low progesterone where I could end up miscarrying again, my husband and I are currently "trying to avoid". I realize we don't need to have a dozen kids to make it into Heaven (though not there's anything wrong with that), but I feel guilty any time my husband and I want to be intimate and I can't tell if I'm fertile or not. Part of me feels like it’s best for us to avoid right now, but then part of me wonders if that's being closed off to God and not welcoming any children He has planned (because obviously His plans are infinitely better than mine). I just feel this huge amount of guilt and frustration either way. We are working with our NFP coordinator to figure out my cycles, but until then, it's a lot of "Well you could've used those days" (which doesn't help us after the fact), or feeling guilty that I am disappointing my husband for having to abstain so much or worried that my attitude is disappointing God. Besides bearing my cross and continuing to meet with my NFP coordinator, do you have any advice?
-Wife and Mother

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus ... who revealed himself again and again to his disciples. Lord you keep coming to the disciples, no matter how many times they hurt you, you pursue them. You are the same Jesus, yesterday, today, and forever, so I know you also pursue me. You are relentless in your pursuit of me. You’re never going to give up on me ... Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (2:48)
Fr. Josh shares about his trip to Canada and the time he spent with the ladies of the Abiding Together podcast. He was a speaker at their Restore the Beauty conference. The feedback he received and the stories shared by you, the Ask Father Josh listeners, meant so much. Thank you.

The Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (8:59)

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“Why do some women wear a veil? When a woman veils herself in the presence of the Eucharistic Lord, it’s a visible reminder of our spousal relationship, the bridal relationship between Christ and the Church.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:26)
Fr. Josh went to visit St. Joseph’s Seminary in Abbey College (where he went to seminary for four years). He spent time with the Lord in the woods and as it started getting darker, he began to hear weird noises.

Listener Feedback (4:48)

Free Will (9:47)
Dear Father Josh, Thanks for your prayerful, joyful advice - it's been very helpful for me. I especially enjoy when you hum and sing songs from random words you read off because if you didn't I probably would - except without sounding as good! I wanted to comment on a previous topic & bring up a new one.

I found myself agreeing with your response about the need to make our churches more "inclusive" not in a cheap way but a meaningful way that opens even wider the gates to holiness! I was thinking about how so many of my married friends were inspired and encouraged by the canonization of saints like St. Gianna Molla and Louis and Zelie (parents of St. Therese). Although the Church teaches that marriage is also a path to holiness, not just celibacy for the Kingdom, it is a whole other level of encouragement and hope when you see brothers and sisters in your state of life joining the cloud of witnesses - it takes away a sneaking (maybe even subconscious lurking doubt) that maybe it's almost impossible. In the same way, although I am Indian, seeing your style which is a different flavor than many other great Catholic speakers made me breathe a little easier and feel relaxed. I hadn't even noticed that I didn't totally identify with the style of many other Catholic speakers because I was busy being edified by their content. I realize that for whatever reason I was somewhat associating being a good Catholic with certain cultural quirks or perhaps doubtful that I can enjoy random stuff like Lauryn Hill. So thank you for being you!

Now for my question. For over a decade of my Christian life I had been trying to focus a lot on building virtues, and trusting in Jesus. Recently, in addition to both of those, through another season of renewal in the Spirit, I am realizing that Jesus also trusts ME! I know this is true not only through my personal prayer but also in that He made me (and all of us) free, the Church affirms this, and Jesus makes it plain in the Scriptures. For me, this new life of freedom has been, to be honest, kind of discombobulating! I am not just called to avoid sin but to be free to co-create with Him. Although this has brought me much joy, I am also realizing I kind of don't even know what to do with this beautiful, true freedom. The poem about the 'Grand Inquisitor' by Dostoevsky has taken on a whole other meaning for me all of a sudden. I noticed that the introduction of your podcast respects your listeners' interior freedom and you seem to have a generous amount yourself so I thought I'll ask you: Could you share some insights on how to welcome our God-given freedom to love, to rejoice and live deeply?
-Simi

Chapel Veils (24:17)
Dear Fr Josh, I have been meaning to send you a message much sooner. I am happy that I finally got around to it now! I am quite new to the church, in fact I will be confirmed next week at the Easter Vigil. I was lucky enough to attend my first Latin Mass in Port Elizabeth in South Africa. I wore my veil to this mass and I absolutely loved the feeling of being hidden and humbled in front of our Lord. Although, last year we travelled to Portugal and I attended a Latin Mass there in Lisbon, but I did not have my veil with me and was dressed quite "sporty". We happened to be just visiting the area, so I could not go home and get my veil or change. I felt out of place amongst all the other women. They were all dressed so modestly and had their heads covered. It was a beautiful sight to see. Ever since I first wore my veil back in South Africa, I have had the urge to keep wearing it. I am not sure if God is calling me to wear my veil to an ordinary mass as we do not have mass in the extraordinary form in Namibia.

But I just can't help but feel that God is God whether it's extraordinary or ordinary mass. I often look at Mary, our Mother and observe how she always wore a veil. She has been a big part in my conversion to Catholicism. Another thought that keeps me awake at night is a quote I read by a devout Catholic man. He said that he was envious of women. For they can humble themselves in public by covering their heads. They can show their reverence for Jesus present in the Eucharist by putting on a veil. Although, most people I have spoken to told me that it is old fashioned and not necessary. Someone mentioned that it would be more distracting in mass for others than anything else. My question is, are they right? As I will be the only person in my town who will be wearing a veil. Thank you Father for taking the time to help me with this. Have a blessed day, father.
-New to the Faith

Methods for Preventing Pregnancy (31:18)
Hey Father Josh, I first off would like to tell you how much I love your podcast, my husband and I listen every week. I love how you keep it real, and how you truly care. You are a blessing , more than you know.

I am writing to you in the hopes that you can explain something to me in a way that I can understand and accept. A bit of back story, I am a cradle Catholic who was away from the church for many years- college through my early 30’s. Getting married and having 3 beautiful children brought me home to Jesus and I am now so excited to reconnect with my faith. I am totally on board with pretty much everything the Church teaches, except one: the Church’s teaching on birth control . Here’s the thing: I do understand why things like the pill, condoms, etc are wrong. My husband and I stopped using any form of artificial birth control about a year ago. I started looking in to NFP, but felt the classes were more geared toward newly married/engaged couples. It was really overwhelming. My husband and I have been married 10 years, and he really doesn’t see why using the withdrawal method is wrong.

Can you please explain to me why that method of family planning is worse than NFP? Both are used to plan/time pregnancies. Both have the possibility of life. I am turning 40 this year (Yikes!) and my husband just turned 50. We are not at a phase in our lives to be having more babies. We want to follow mother church, but the whole process of learning NFP is intimidating. Most of our peers are either on birth control, or have had procedures done such as vasectomies.

Is the withdrawal method really so wrong? I feel we are united, we are connected, and the possibility of life is still here. Please explain this to me in a way I can understand. Thank you so much for all you do, we keep you in our prayers. Peace.
-Anonymous

Universal Points (37:38)
(Please note that these are brief summaries of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast and are intended to help you remember the advice given on the show.)

Today’s ONE Overarching Universal Point: Freedom in Christ brings joy! As long as we follow the commands of the Lord, he wants us to be free, wild, fun, creative, quiet, and to be ourselves. So be free and be the saint that God is calling you to be.

View the shownotes and resources for each episode at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
“Whenever we open up our hands and don’t grasp at our plan, but are open to God’s plan, then we can receive the great gift he has in store for us. The gift he has for other people may not be good for our salvation.”

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:01)
Fr. Josh shares a story about the power of intercessory prayer.

Listener Feedback (3:38)

How did the Child Jesus Know he was God? Or Hypostatic Union (10:36)
Hi Fr. Josh! My name is Noah from Toronto, Canada and I love listening to your podcast! I have a quick question for you. As Jesus was growing up as a child, how did he know that he was the Son of God? I understand he was preaching in the synagogues at a very young age, but how did he truly and faithfully know that he was the anointed Son of God? Also could he have been skeptical or question that he was during his discernment. Thank you so much and may God continue to bless you in your ministry.
-Noah

Annulled Marriages (14:47)
I have gone through annulment proceedings and the annulment was finalized a few years ago. I really don’t know what to think about the time that I lived in what was a now unrecognized/annulled marriage—I discussed it briefly with a canon lawyer during confession BUT was the time in a marriage (that is now annulled) really time living in a state of sin? It seems like it would be but I don’t know how to seek penance on it or if I should because it seems like a confusing question to me. I’m not really sure if I should seek reconciliation for it or if I need to or what…
-Chris

Asking a Girl on a Date (22:19)
Hello Fr. Josh, First of all thanks for your great podcast, I listen to the episodes in the train and it is a wonderful way to start the day! I have a question about dating. There's a girl at my church whom I quite like. She seems very serious in her faith and after talking to her on a few occasions I think she may like me too. Now, I have heard many times that ambiguity isn't a good thing and that the best thing to do is to clearly ask a girl on a date if you're interested in her. I think that's excellent advice and so I was planning to do just that. However, I'm not sure about how well one should know a girl before asking her on a date? Also, I may be wrong but I feel like a date is the way forward because "normal" chat isn't going to help much with getting to know the important things that would tell me whether I can potentially look for a spouse in her. Would you have some advice about how to make normal conversation useful at the "before asking someone on a date" stage? Are there red flags or things to look for, etc.? Looking forward to your answer. Keep up the good work and God bless.
-Anonymous

Universal Points (25:25)
(Please note that these are brief summaries of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast and are intended to help you remember the advice given on the show.)

Hypostatic Union - Yes! Check out the CCC and St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings.
Annulled Marriages - It depends on the circumstances.
Asking a Girl on a Date - Virtue says that the man will take on the risk of being rejected.

Resources
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

• Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson
• I Will Follow Priesthood Video (video at bottom of this page)
• NaPro Technology
• Creighton Model
• Will Regan songs - Climb and Nothing I Hold On To

• CCC 471-475 - Apollinarius of Laodicaea asserted that in Christ the divine Word had replaced the soul or spirit. Against this error the Church confessed that the eternal Son also assumed a rational, human soul.
  This human soul that the Son of God assumed is endowed with a true human knowledge. As such, this knowledge could not in itself be unlimited: it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. This is why the Son of God could, when he became man, "increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man", and would even have to inquire for himself about what one in the human condition can learn only from experience. This corresponded to the reality of his voluntary emptying of himself, taking "the form of a slave".
  But at the same time, this truly human knowledge of God's Son expressed the divine life of his person. "The human nature of God's Son, not by itself but by its union with the Word, knew and showed forth in itself everything that pertains to God." Such is first of all the case with the intimate and immediate knowledge that the Son of God made man has of his Father. The Son in his human knowledge also showed the divine penetration he had into the secret thoughts of human hearts.
  By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to reveal. What he admitted to not knowing in this area, he elsewhere declared himself not sent to reveal.
  Similarly, at the sixth ecumenical council, Constantinople III in 681, the Church confessed that Christ possesses two wills and two natural operations, divine and human. They are not opposed to each other, but cooperate in such a way that the Word made flesh willed humanly in obedience to his Father all that he had decided divinely with the Father and the Holy Spirit for our salvation. Christ's human will "does not resist or oppose but rather submits to his divine and almighty will."

• CCC 478 - Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us: "The Son of God. . . loved me and gave himself for me." He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, "is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that. . . love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings" without exception.

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Snippet from the Show
How can we say “I love you” to a God we cannot see if we don’t show that love to the body of Christ who we can see.

SHOWNOTES

Glory Story (1:21)
Fr. Josh shares how grateful he is to be the pastor who is in relationship with the beautiful body of Christ at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

His second glory story is his new audiobook version of Broken and Blessed.

His third glory story is about a pro-choice woman who went to see the new movie Unplanned and had a transformation of heart.

Listener Feedback (4:35)

Explaining Your Past Mistakes to Your Children (7:49)
Hi Father Josh, Thank you so much for your priesthood and the great work that you are doing with this podcast! Thank you especially for introducing me to the litanies that you have mentioned. They have changed my prayer life!

Here is a short background for my question. My husband and I were both raised Catholic, with a real love of the Lord. But our faith had shallow roots and neither of us were properly catechized. We both fell away from practicing the faith in university, and by the time we met we were “cafeteria Catholics” at best. We were super proud of ourselves for waiting for each other and still being virgins when we met. But we did not wait for marriage, we lived together before we got married, and we contracepted throughout dating and for the first couple of years of our marriage. We both had really powerful conversions about two years ago. Understanding and following church teachings has transformed our marriage and our lives. We now have a beautiful daughter, and we hope and pray for more children. But how am I supposed to teach my daughter what’s right when I didn’t set the example? She will probably see photos of me dressed immodestly. My friends and family will tell stories about me drinking to excess, clubbing, using recreational drugs. And the big one is that she will know that her father and I lived together before we were married. I’m so worried that from her perspective it will seem like we had our fun and then decided to follow church teachings when it was convenient for us. And even if I share with her how deeply wounded I was by living that way, it was an interior suffering and pain that comes from being cut off from God. On the surface, looking at the timeline of my life, it looks like things worked out pretty well. This affects my confidence in my ability to evangelize as well, because I fear that my family and friends see me as a hypocrite. I said I was a Catholic throughout my 20s, while I basically did whatever I wanted. Who am I to try to teach people about Christ and His church and all of the beautiful teachings, now that I claim to be “really” Catholic? This all weighs heavily on my heart, and I appreciate any advice that you can give. God bless you, Father! Know that you are in my prayers regularly.
-A Changed Mother

Fr. Josh’s Story (14:22)
I'm more or less of an agnostic right now. I was wondering why you, in particular, are a Catholic. What gives you the conviction that Catholicism is the 'one true faith'? What, in your eyes, sets Catholicism apart from all the hundreds of religions and spiritual ways of life mankind has practiced and continues to practice today? Thank you so much!
-Dave

Nuns without Habits (22:06)
First of all, I wanted to thank you for your podcast. Your Glory Stories encourage me to recognize Christ's actions in my own life, and every episode brings me nothing but peace and clarity. Thank you so much! I was hoping you could bring a little clarity to a certain aspect of my life. I work for a monastery and I absolutely love my job. The sisters are the most beautiful, happy, holy women I have ever encountered and they inspire me daily to grow closer to Christ. They do so much good for the community as well.

In telling people where I work, I run into a lot of judgment simply because the sisters don't wear habits. I feel like every time I tell people what I do, I have to give this elevator speech about how much I love the sisters and how much good they do - which is usually met with condescension. When I try to engage and talk about their frustrations with the sisters, it all comes down to the habit. I understand the beauty and importance of wearing a habit, I really do. However, I don't think it's bad that these women don't. Am I wrong? It pains me to see all the good the sisters do being overlooked because of what they wear. Thank you, and I will be praying for you! I hope you have a wonderful day!
-Mary Beth

Universal Points (33:50)
(Please note that these are a brief summary of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast and are intended to help you remember the advice given on the show.)

Explaining Past to Your Children - Don’t let your past dictate your future.
Fr. Josh’s Conversion Story - Experience, history, falling in love with Jesus. Why are you a disciple?
Nuns without Habits - We need each other to make it to heaven.

Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Go to ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh to select an episode and view the shownotes.

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)