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:

• 18:40 - My son read that suicide was not considered to be a sin before the 16th century, but rather a “noble option”. Is this true?  
• 27:47 - Are there any papal encyclicals or theological documents that talk about physical beauty?
• 32:38 - Is tattooing your body a mortal sin? How is this practice viewed by the Church?
• 41:05 - People say that when you go through a traumatic event, you need time to grieve and heal. Do Catholics believe Jesus can heal immediately, or that this healing time is necessary?
• 46:23 - Do Jews and Christians have the same God?
• 51:45 - My wife and I have been married for 15 years, but never married in the church. Is this something we can still do?

Resources Mentioned:

• “The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty”  by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
• The Evidential Power of Beauty: Science and Theology Meet by Thomas Dubay