Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

What kinds of physical acts are morally acceptable when it comes to sex in marriage? What do you do when one spouse embraces NFP and the other insists on using contraception? How can an engaged couple recover chastity and peace after giving into sexual temptation together?  *Disclaimer: Parents may want to listen to the podcast before sharing with young kids, as we discuss some very mature to...

Father Josh answers questions about fear of the Lord, explaining transubstantiation to children, and whether a grandparent should secretly baptize their unbaptized grandchild. Glory Story (2:49)  Feedback (6:32) Baptizing a Grandchild (11:15) Hi Fr. Josh! Thank you so much for your priesthood and your ministry via this podcast. It has been so encouraging to me and many friends too!  Here...

Fr. Josh answers three questions about the priesthood: Why can’t women be priests? Why can’t priests get married? And how can you look past the human flaws of the priest when he is acting in persona Christi? Snippet from the Show Jesus Christ was radical, he broke many customs. If he had wanted women to be priests, he would have chosen them to be priests … Mary [Mother of God] was far holier than...

In this week’s pro life themed episode, Father Josh addresses questions about abortion after rape, the often-misunderstood Church teaching on excommunication, and a unique challenge of single motherhood. Glory Story (2:39) Feedback (6:16) Rape and Abortion (10:50) My name is Brianna and I live in Kyle, Texas! I absolutely love your podcast and a lot of your episodes have brought so much clarity to...

In today’s episode, Father Josh answers questions about the call and the challenge to pursue a chaste life. He answers a question from a mother who suspects her son is gay, a young woman who wants to enter the religious life but lost her virginity in college, and a listener looking for recommended chastity speakers. **Snippet from the Show **There’s no person in this world that can ever satiate th...

Andy Lesnefsky from Vagabond Ministries joins Father Josh to discuss how to find/build Catholic community, being judged by Catholics for having tattoos, why you shouldn’t worry about fitting a perfect Catholic mold, and how to avoid burnout when you’re always serving others. Today’s podcast was recorded live last week in Phoenix Arizona at the FOCUS Student Leadership SLS conference. Tune in to he...

Happy New Years Y'all! I'm taking one more week off from my regular recording schedule, but tune in next week when we kick off 2020 with the first ever LIVE recording of Ask Father Josh! Sidenote: this week I'm in Phoenix, Arizona for the FOCUS SLS20 conference, so if you're here too, come say hi and see me podcast LIVE on Tuesday at 4:15 at the Media Feed (check the FOCUS app for the location). I...

Father Josh prays for grace and peace to fill your soul as you approach this Christmas season.

In today’s special episode, Sister Miriam James Heidland joins Father Josh to talk favorite childhood Christmas memories, YouTube videos, books, saints, and more. Snippet from the Show Christmas is a tender time that reminds us that we must become like little children to inherit the kingdom of God. Favorite Christmas Memories Fr. Josh—Christmas Eve Mass and then opening a present before bed Sr. Mi...

Father Josh answers questions about how to talk about corruption in the Church’s history, whether the saints know our thoughts, and whether Mary knew that Jesus was God. **Glory Story (2:05) Feedback (3:59) ** Do Saints Know Our Thoughts? (9:04) Dear Fr. Josh, In one of your podcasts, you said that the Devil does not know our thoughts. Do the saints know our thoughts? I have always prayed silently...

Father Josh answers questions about how to live Advent in a meaningful way, whether Catholics should listen to Christmas music during Advent, and what the “Christmas season” is according to the liturgical calendar. Snippet from the Show _For the secular world, Christmas season begins on Black Friday and ends on Christmas day. For Catholics, Christmas season begins on Christmas day and continues un...

Father Josh shares four things he’s grateful for and wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving! He also encourages you to send all your Advent and Christmas related questions to him at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com for a special themed episode in the coming weeks. SHOWNOTES What I’m Grateful For: Sickness: being sick allowed me to draw closer to the Lord and spend more time with him My Brother Priests: they...

Can Catholics support feminism? Why do some people believe women shouldn’t work outside the home? How do the promises of devotional prayers work—can they guarantee salvation? Should we be embracing the current interest in Christianity due to Kanye West and his album, Jesus is King? Fr. Josh answers this and more in today’s episode. Snippet from the Show “Cardinal Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedic...

Father Josh answers questions about how to find healing in the midst of anxiety or depression, how to get involved in your parish, and whether or not Catholics can be Freemasons. Snippet from the Show If a Catholic man joins the freemasons, he automatically excommunicates himself from the Catholic Church. SHOWNOTES ** Glory Story (2:13) Listener Feedback (6:30) Anxiety, Depression, and Mental Illn...

Fr. Josh goes in depth on two questions: What principles should Catholics turn to when it comes to voting for a political candidate? And is celebrating Halloween morally acceptable? Snippet from the Show “Why would any follower of Jesus Christ vote for a candidate whose policies are diametrically and directly opposed to the core beliefs we hold sacred as Catholics?” SHOWNOTES Glory Story (2:08) Li...

Father Josh answers questions about wearing rosaries, taize prayer, and spiritual direction. Is it sacrilegious to wear a rosary? Is a rosary without a crucifix still a rosary? Should Catholics engage in Taize prayer, or is Taize prayer a new age practice? Lastly, what’s the difference between spiritual direction and pastoral counseling? Snippet from the Show Spiritual direction is the art of lead...

Fr. Josh answers questions about non-Catholics receiving Communion in the Catholic Church, whether using essential oils is spiritually dangerous, and what St. Paul teaches about salvation and grace. Snippet from the Show “If a person receives Holy Communion and says ‘Amen’ without believing in the True Presence, they act dishonestly.” SHOWNOTES Glory Story (2:13) Listener Feedback (5:37) Holy Comm...

Fr. Josh answers questions about what happens to our guardian angels after we die, whether it’s OK to listen to explicit lyrics if you only pay attention to the music, and how to respond to someone who says all you have to do is love Jesus to get to heaven. Snippet from the Show “We cannot name our guardian angels because we’re implying that we have authority over them, and we don’t.” SHOWNOTES Gl...

Fr. Josh answers questions about what to do when you feel angry at God because of unanswered prayers to alleviate the suffering of a loved one, if cohabitation is a good solution to handle an unexpected pregnancy before marriage, and which translation of the Bible is the best to get started with. Snippet from the Show “The more you perceive your prayer to be unanswered, the more intense your praye...

Fr. Josh answers questions about how to minister to a coworker who looks at horoscopes and practices “white” witchcraft, what’s the deal with ember days (periods of fasting for vocations throughout the year), and why Catholics venerate saint relics and images. Snippet from the Show “Vatican II invites lay people to go out into the work environment (a place where clergy can’t go) and be the image o...

Fr. Josh answers questions about what to do when a consecrated Host is dropped during Communion, if the devil and demons can read our thoughts when we’re tempted, and what to do about a congregation that doesn’t kneel during Mass. Snippet from the Show “Fight the devil the same way Jesus fought the devil. Whenever you recognize some temptation, quote Scripture out loud, and say ‘Get behind me Sata...

Fr. Josh answers questions about what to do when you’re single but feel called to marriage, what to do when you’re discerning marriage but aren’t ready for kids, and what to do when the person you’re dating isn’t Catholic. Get 15% off Jackie and Bobby’s new book, Pray, Decide and Don’t Worry at ascensionpress.com with promo code: DISCERN Snippet from the Show “God loves you. He has a plan for your...

Fr. Josh answers questions about holding hands when we say the Our Father during Mass, what to do about a dry spiritual life, and whether it’s possible to reconcile a love of rap and a religious vocation. Snippet from the Show “Holding hands is not a required posture during Mass. The only thing required in the GIRM is that we’re standing during the Our Father.” SHOWNOTES Glory Story (2:32) Listene...

Fr. Josh addresses questions about the salvation of family members who have committed suicide, what to do if a person is allergic to the Eucharist (Body and Blood), and whether natural family planning is still a good choice for women with health issues that would make pregnancy potentially life-threatening. Snippet from the Show “The Church in her two thousand year history has never condemned a si...

Fr. Josh and Kevin McCall talk about prayer, asking God for signs and how to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. 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...