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:

• My cousin is an Anglican deacon looking to becoming a priest. He won’t become Catholic because his family is excluded from communion. He does believe in the real presence, which is taught by his church. If he holds this belief, why can’t he receive communion?
• When my son was married, it was at a park. We were told they could not be married by a priest at this location. The bishop’s office told me the reason was that it was a diocesan rule. This seems like a man made rule, and this troubles me since they could not be married by a priest. Can you explain?
• Mass seems more like a ritual and I don’t feel as if I learn anything. Where do you go in the Catholic Church to learn the bible, and not just rituals?
• How can I speak to someone who takes the stance that you should not have a lot of children because of overpopulation and carbon footprint?
• Is the vocation to the priesthood superior to the vocation to marriage?
• Where in the Bible can I find a defense for purgatory?