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:

• 02:44 - In the past, the Church has supported the use of the death penalty, but has changed its stance in recent times. Is this an example of the Church’s elastic or subjective moral?  
• 07:26 - In Matthew 23, Jesus says to not call anyone on earth, “father”. Why do we refer to priests as “father”?
• 13:19 - I heard it stated that the Church is against physician-assisted suicide. Is this still true in cases of hospice patients when treatment options have not been successful? How far do you go to try and stay alive?
• 22:54 - How can I answer people who teach reincarnation, state that I should follow all 613 commandments of the Jewish Law in order to be saved, and say that I worship the wrong God?
• 29:13 - How are we going to deal with sexual scandals in the Church? 
• 33:39 - What were the criteria the Church used to canonize the Bible? How do you answer someone who says it doesn’t matter what church you belong to as long as you believe in Jesus?
• 36:55 - How can I approach someone that says she is Catholic, goes to church and receives communion, but she says that “all we put in the universe get back to us” and also she says that ”we are energy” and “we have to think positively so the good energy comes back to us”?
• 42:13 - Given Jesus’ command to eat his body and drink his blood to gain eternal life, how do Protestant’s go about being saved?
• 45:23 - I’ve heard that feast days supersede the Lenten practices. For instance, St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Lenten Friday. My son is attending a birthday party this Friday. Is he allowed to eat meat?
• 48:18 - My parish is going to do an ALPHA program for Lent. We’ve been told it’s been approved by the Pope. Do you know if this is correct and if this is acceptable to participate in?
• 51:19 - Did God create the Holy Spirit or has he always been with God?