Should Catholics raise their hands during the Our Father at Mass? Should you distance yourself from a child who’s lost the faith? How do you love your enemies when they hurt your family?

In this rapid-fire episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim responds to these real and sometimes “spicy” questions with clarity and pastoral wisdom. He explains why the Mass is about unity and obedience, not self-expression, why you can stay close to a loved one without abandoning truth, and why prayer is never a resignation but resistance.

Rooted in Scripture and the lives of the saints, this episode explores how to live your faith in real-world tension, how to hold boundaries, how to defend your family, and still love like Christ.

If you have a question that stirs the pot, send it in and it might be featured next.

Have you ever made a mistake and then started thinking you are the mistake? In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim breaks down the difference between good Catholic guilt and bad Catholic guilt. Good guilt says, “I did something wrong”, like a check-engine light that moves you toward mercy, healing, and confession. Bad guilt says, “I am wrong,” and that’s not guilt anymore, that’s shame. From Adam and Eve hiding in Genesis to the Father who always comes looking for us, this is a reminder that your identity is not your sin. Jesus is always running toward you. You just have to turn around and run back.

If everyone goes to Mass on Ash Wednesday, why isn’t it a holy day of obligation? Ash Wednesday feels like it should be a holy day of obligation. Churches are packed, and everyone comes for ashes. But it isn’t, and the reason is simple: holy days of obligation are feast days. Ash Wednesday (like Good Friday) is a day of fasting, not feasting. In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains how the Church has fast days and feast days and why the Church “obliges” us on days of celebration. Using examples like weddings and the 4th of July, he shows how Catholics worship first and then celebrate, because Jesus has already won.

Could artificial intelligence ever be ordained? Could the Church one day have AI priests? AI can optimize and simulate, but it cannot become flesh, cannot be changed at the level of being, and cannot offer its life in love. Priesthood isn’t about efficiency. It’s about self-gift. In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim tackles a surprisingly serious question about technology, priesthood, and what it really means to act in the person of Christ. While AI can explain theology and imitate language, priesthood is not a function, it’s an incarnation. Priests have bodies. Priests undergo an ontological change. Priests suffer, sacrifice, and lay down their lives. Say a prayer for a priest today, because “This is my body, given up for you” is something only a human person can truly live.

Can someone’s suffering save souls, even if they don’t believe in God?
Is it okay to forgive someone but keep your distance?
And is it wrong to baptize grandchildren without their parents’ consent?

In this Ask A Priest episode, Father Tim answers a series of real, heartfelt questions submitted by viewers. From offering suffering for loved ones, to navigating forgiveness and boundaries, to discerning the right way to care for children’s souls, this rapid-fire conversation blends Church teaching with deep pastoral wisdom.

Nothing is wasted with God.
Forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation.
Zeal for souls must always walk hand-in-hand with truth and charity.

If you’ve ever wrestled with complicated family, faith, or moral questions, this episode is for you.

Can you confess your sins over FaceTime, a phone call, or a text message?

In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains the crucial difference between confessing sins and receiving absolution. While you can tell your sins to anyone, the sacrament of confession requires physical presence because the sacraments are tangible encounters with Jesus Himself.

From Jesus healing with touch, to showing His wounds after the Resurrection, to forgiving sins through the priest. Catholic faith is earthly, physical, and real.

God doesn’t want to stay distant. He wants to be close, really close.

Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins but how do you actually know if you struggle with it? And what does it really look like in everyday life? In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim walks through St. Gregory the Great’s five types of gluttony: the hasty eater, the greedy eater, the overeater, the fastidious (picky) eater, and the sumptuous eater. With honesty, humor, and compassion, he helps us identify where we may struggle, not to accuse, but to grow. Food is good. You are good. Freedom is the goal, learning to say no so we can say yes to Jesus, who alone truly satisfies the heart.

Abs. Savings. Finding your soulmate. Great goals, but they won’t last forever. What if your New Year’s resolution wasn’t about your body, your bank account, or your relationship status but about becoming a saint? In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim shares three New Year’s resolutions that actually matter for eternity. From spending carefree time with Jesus in the Eucharist, to daily consistency in prayer, to cultivating friendships that lead you closer to Christ, this episode reframes what it really means to start a new year well.