Is your faith everything to you or just kind of “there”?
On this Tuesday of Holy Week, Father Tim reflects on a quiet but powerful moment from the Gospel, when John leans back against Jesus’ chest. It’s a simple image, but it reveals something deep: real faith isn’t distant or casual, it’s close, personal, and all-in. Drawing from C.S. Lewis, this episode explores a bold truth: if the Resurrection isn’t real, Christianity means nothing. But if it is real, it changes everything. There’s no middle ground. Faith isn’t “kind of important”. It’s either everything or it’s not.
This Holy Week, where do you stand?
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Why Do Catholics Call Priests Father?
Didn’t Jesus say, “Call no man father”? So why do Catholics still call priests “Father”?
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains what Jesus really meant in Matthew 23:9. Looking at Scripture, St. Paul, the early Church, and the meaning of spiritual fatherhood, he shows that Jesus wasn’t banning the word “father”. He was warning against ego, pride, and religious titles used for self-importance.
A priest is called “Father” not because he replaces God the Father, but because he shares in and points back to the fatherhood of God. For priests, the title is meant to be humbling: a reminder to love, serve, sacrifice, and become better spiritual fathers.
There is only one true Father. Priests simply share in His fatherhood, and point us back to Him.
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Can Catholics Eat Meat Byproducts During Lent?
Does abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent include things like chicken broth or beef stock?
But the deeper question isn’t just “Is it allowed?”, it’s “Is it helping you grow closer to Jesus?” Lent is about more than following rules; it’s about forming the heart through sacrifice, simplicity, and intention.
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim answers a practical and surprisingly common question about Lenten fasting. Looking at the Church’s teaching, he explains that abstinence refers specifically to the flesh meat of animals, not necessarily byproducts like broth.
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Is It a Sin to Watch Mass Online?
Is watching Mass online the same as actually going to Mass?
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains the difference between praying with a livestream Mass and being physically present at the Eucharist. A livestream can be helpful, prayerful, and meaningful, especially when someone is sick, has mobility issues, or truly cannot get to Mass. But it can never replace the warmth and reality of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist.
Using the image of a fireplace on YouTube, Father Tim reminds us that a livestream may give the “vibe,” but it cannot give the warmth. In the same way, watching Mass online can help us pray, but it is not the same as being in the presence of Jesus and receiving His Body and Blood.
If you truly cannot attend Mass, the Church does not call that sinful. But if you can go and choose comfort over Communion, it becomes a heart check.
Jesus doesn’t want to be loved from a distance. He wants to be close, so close that we receive Him.
