Open Forum

The callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.

Questions Covered:

• I was hoping to get some clarification of these verses: 1 John 2:27 and 1 John 5:13.
• At work I was approached by someone who does not believe in free will. I don’t think I did a good job at explaining free will to this person. Can you help me with a better explanation?
• If a Catholic couple is getting married in the Church but plan to attend and raise children in the Methodist Church, is that allowed?
• Do you have any opinion that there does not seem to be any consensus among theologians as to the original translation of “he or she will crush his head”?
• I would like to ask about the conditions for salvation, specifically in relation to the requirement to be Catholic. Pope Pius IX said it’s either that or invincible ignorance.
• I am not Catholic, I am a Baptist. I am a Jesus loving, church-going, God-fearing man, I believe in transubstantiation, but cannot receive the Eucharist.  Do I not have the life of Christ in me?
• I’d like to ask about Catholic parishes charging for a couple to be married in the church. Sometimes it is an exorbitant amount and this does not seem right. Why charge so much?