Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast) - All about Being Pro Life: Abortion after Rape, Excommunicating Politicians, and Single Motherhood

All about Being Pro Life: Abortion after Rape, Excommunicating Politicians, and Single Motherhood

01/21/20 • 36 min

Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)

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 my life and helped me grow in my faith, so thank you!

My question is, with new abortion laws being made, particularly making abortion illegal for women who have been raped, how do we react to such situations with grace? I’m honestly torn on how to feel about this issue because as a woman, I couldn’t imagine being raped and then having to bear that child. I feel women may view having to give birth as a punishment, instead of a good thing. I was wondering what your views on this very sensitive issue are?

Thank you for your time!

Brianna

Excommunication of Pro-Choice Politicians (19:40)
First, I just wanted to thank you for the work you are doing with your podcast. So many times it has felt like you have been talking directly to me. I am so thankful for all you are doing and for your YES to be a priest and help so many strive to become saints. Your podcast has been such an instrumental part of my faith development especially through this past year when I first fell in love with the Lord and my Catholic Faith.

My question for you deals with excommunication, especially in regards to public officials who claim to be Catholic yet condone and encourage grave evils like abortion. I am a high school teacher at a Catholic high school in Michigan and I am getting a lot of questions from my students as to why an official like Andrew Cuomo is not being excommunicated from the Church after he championed a law like the “Reproductive Health” Act. For as much as I love the discussion and time to discuss the evils of abortion this topic brings, I find myself unable to articulate what the actual teaching on excommunication is or how to appropriately respond to the question a student posed, “How can the church excommunicate someone when we are told that there is nothing God cannot and does not long to forgive. Isn’t excommunicating someone a human judging another and condemning them to Hell?” I understand excommunication is supposed to be used as a call to repentance, but I do not think my explanation to my student was anywhere near adequate for a complete understanding and I didn’t want to fall into a trap of letting my anger over the evil of the law get in the way of the truth of the church’s teaching. Any guidance you could provide would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you so much for your time. I’m really working being more committed to praying intentionally everyday and keeping you and all of our amazing priests in my prayers has been such a great motivator. It’s a work in progress but please know I’m trying. Thanks again!

Anonymous

**How to Talk About My Mistakes to My Daughter When She’s Older (29:57)
**Hey Father Josh!

I love listening to your podcast! Your answers are always so helpful and have gotten me back in touch with my faith on a daily basis. Love listening while I’m doing chores around the house or in the car! My question has to do with children born outside of marriage. I became pregnant with my daughter when I was 19 (outside of marriage). It was a moment of weakness for me, and one that I have been to confession for and am still forgiving myself for. When I found out, there was never a question of “What am I going to do?” I knew I was having my baby and abortion was never a thought in my mind. I knew it would be hard, but I come from a long line of strong women and I can do all things through Christ. I wanted to get your opinion on how to address this topic when my daughter is older. I’m raising her Catholic but I don’t ever want her to think that she was a mistake. I also don’t want to be a hypocrite when teaching my daughter about our faith and its views on sexual relationships.

Peace and love always,

Mahkayla

Resources:
Preorder Pocket Guide to Adoration by Fr. Josh Johnson
Email your questions and feedback to Fr. Josh at [email protected]
Text “askfrjosh” to 33-777 to subscribe for the chance to win a free copy of Fr. Josh’s new book!
Excommunication and the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions by Dr. Peters
Check out the Ascension Press Youtube channel
Broken and Blessed by Fr. Josh Johnson

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Glory Story (2:39)
Feedback (6:16)

Thank you for your time!

Brianna

Anonymous

**How to Talk About My Mistakes to My Daughter When She’s Older (29:57)
**Hey Father Josh!

Peace and love always,

Mahkayla

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Previous Episode

All About Living a Chaste Life (Even after Lost Virginity)

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 the infinite ache that exists in your heart—only the infinite God can quench that thirst.

**My Son Might Be Gay
**Father Josh,
We love our son unconditionally. The struggle is not our love for our son but the struggle he will have. We suspect that he is gay. He has not told us, but we don’t want to confront him, but do not want him to feel he has to hide. We raised him Catholic and know he has an incredible love of people and is so kind. My fear is the teaching of the church will push him away from it.
He deserves to be loved and have a family. Besides loving him how can we help him and walk with him?
He is a good beautiful man.
Thank you

**Are there any Catholic African American speakers who speak about Chastity?
**I want my grandchildren to see people who look like them speak about the call to chastity. Do you have any recommendations?

**Which John Wrote the Book of Revelation?
**Dear Father Josh, Which John wrote the Book of Revelation? John the Baptist, John the apostle? My brother and I were discussing and weren't sure if the Catholic Church specifically states which John wrote it. Thank you for all you do to spread the Good News!! Your choice to do so is a blessing! Thank you, Anonymous.

**
Can I be a religious sister if I lost my virginity? **
Fr. Josh!!! First things first I wish I could've run into you at SLS because I wanted to personally thank you for all of the things that you do for your podcast and all the things it’s done for me. It is crazy how God uses you, like literally whenever I get a question in my head about our faith, usually the next episode is the answer, or the person is going through the same thing as me, like the scrupulosity episode. You’re so cool dawg!! Anyway, my question involves religious life. Personally I feel that God has sent me an invitation to be a sister since I was 6, but I have never really accepted the call until now at 22. However in college I made bad decisions involving the use of drugs and alcohol, but my biggest regret of all was a relationship where I gave away my virginity. Although for the past 2.5 years I restored my faith in Jesus Christ and completely changed my life—surrendering it to him, I still find myself in the heap of regret, and somehow it will prevent me from entering into religious life. I feel like giving away my virginity prevents Christ from entering into divine intimacy with me fully. I feel as if my chances of being a sister are almost gone, if that makes sense? I am still discerning married life as well, but this invitation draws me more than ever before. I just have so much fear that my mistakes messed up everything. Anyway, GO TIGERS AND YOU ARE SUCH AN AMAZING LIGHT!! Keep singing!!
-Hannah

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Next Episode

All About the Priesthood: Women Priests, Married Priests, and Flawed Priests

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 Peter. Mary Magdalene showed up to the foot of the Cross. Guess who wasn’t at the foot of the Cross—Peter, Thomas, Matthew. Many of these women were far holier than the first priests. However, in God’s will, he chose men to be the matter for the sacrament of priesthood.

SHOWNOTES
Glory Story (3:05)

Women Priests (7:49)

Hi Father,

I know you mentioned before you wanted to do a themed show. So I recently heard you speak on church tradition, and the difference between big “T” and little “t” tradition which I’m sure you would elaborate on, maybe even sing about. I wanted to suggest that as a possible theme for the show. I had a specific question pertaining to this topic, and was hoping you’d speak on this: are male only priests a little “t” tradition or a big “T” tradition? I’ve recently been challenged on the church’s position on men as priests and found myself stuck when trying to engage in dialogue on the matter. I’m somewhat familiar with the theology on this but any clarification and insight would be fantastic. Thank you for all you do as a servant and radical disciple of our Lord, for your continued “yes” in answering the call, and example of servant leadership. You are constantly in our prayers.

– Shanna

Married Priests (21:02)

Father Josh,

Yesterday my family and I had an interesting debate over Sunday dinner on our faith and the Catholic religion. To give context, my father is a 7th Day Adventist and my mother is Catholic, which provided an interesting decision for my parents to decide which religion my sister and I would grow up with. Ultimately, my parents decided to raise us in the Catholic Church. My sister and I went to Catholic school all of our lives and have been committed to the principles of our faith through our adult lives. In recent years, our faith has been challenged with exposure to other religions through friends and even through our father’s side of the family. We will be asked questions about traditions within the Catholic faith and we would not have the proper response other than, “this is just the way we’ve done it for years.” Of course this is mainly our fault for not asking these questions about various traditions, but in many instances we feel that some of the traditions within the Catholic religion are lost in translation by being passed from generation to generation without explanation. This has a compounding effect in generations like the true knowledge or intent of many Catholic traditions. Our discussion became further involved when my father brought up an article entitled, “Catholic bishops approve proposal allowing some married men to be ordained priests in the Amazon.” In my opinion, it is well known for the intent and reason that a priest should not be married but this has always been a determining factor for young men that seek the priesthood. There are only a select few that have the gift and dedication such as you to connect with this church family in an effective way, and willing to dedicate the rest of his life to the Lord. I’ve only had the privilege to experience a priest through one possibly two of my church communities in my life. I think that one of the reasons is this tradition. Curious to hear your thoughts and if this is approved, what would be the potential impact for the greater Catholic community?

Keep up the good work, love listening to your podcast. I’m a Houston native, Lafayette raised, and work overseas. Hearing your cultural references and coffee in the morning brings a smile to my face when hearing the show.

– Bryan

Flawed Priests (32:20)

How do you see Christ in your priest when his actions and words don’t seem to match up with Jesus? I’m continuously praying the Litany of Humility, and maybe God is trying to make me live that through the actions of the priest, but how do I get past his humanity and see Christ in him?

– Bridget

Resources:

Email your questions and feedback to Fr. Josh at [email protected]
Text “askfrjosh” to 33-777 to subscribe for the chance to win a free copy of Fr. Josh’s new book!

Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)