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.
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Holy Thursday (Holy Week Retreat)
What are you trying to be known for, and is it actually enough?
On Holy Thursday, Father Tim reflects on the gift of the priesthood and the Eucharist, but also something deeper about identity. The apostles changed the world, yet we don’t know their personalities, talents, or status. What we do know is this: they were friends of Jesus. And that was enough.
In a world where we’re constantly trying to prove ourselves, to be the smartest, funniest, or most successful, this episode invites a different question: what if being known by Jesus matters more than being known by everyone else?
Without the Eucharist, there is no Jesus. And without Jesus, nothing else satisfies. This Holy Week, can you let go of being “known” and choose to simply be His friend?
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Is a Priestly Blessing Magic?
When a priest gives a blessing, is it just a nice prayer or is something more happening?
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains what a priestly blessing really is, and why it’s not magic, but also not merely symbolic. A priestly blessing is Jesus’ love, grace, and power given through the priesthood He established.
From blessing people at Mass to blessing rosaries, water, and other sacred objects, the priest acts through the authority of the Church as an instrument of Christ. Father Tim also answers a practical question many Catholics wonder about: should people in the pews raise their hands when the priest gives a blessing?
We can all pray for blessings. We can all ask God to bless our family, friends, and neighbors. But a priestly blessing is unique because it comes through the ministerial priesthood—Jesus using His priests to bless, sanctify, and draw His people closer to Himself.
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Why Do Catholics Call Mary Queen of Heaven?
Where does the Bible call Mary the Queen of Heaven?
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains why historical context matters when we talk about Mary’s role as Queen. In the Davidic kingdom, the queen wasn’t usually the king’s wife, it was the king’s mother. Known as the Gebirah, the queen mother held a place of honor and intercession, bringing the people’s needs before her son.
That Old Testament context helps us understand Mary. If Jesus is the King of the universe, then Mary, His mother, is the Queen Mother, the one who intercedes for us and brings our needs to her Son. Father Tim also points to Revelation, where a woman appears clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars.
Mary is not a distant figurehead. She is our mother and queen, always leading us closer to Jesus.
Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
