Today, Fr. Josh answers questions about if pets go to heaven, what to do if conflict begins to grow in a family, and how to honor your father and mother as an adult.
If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!
Snippet from the Show
Love is demanding at times. Sometimes we experience great joy and sometimes we won’t. But joy isn’t about a feeling—it’s about an action.
SHOWNOTES
Glory Story (2:17)
Fr. Josh loves litanies and is excited to share with you a new prayer he just discovered about deliverance.
Listener Feedback (6:09)
Family Conflict (9:16)
I would first like to thank you for your time, prayers and advice! Your podcast has helped me to continuously work on becoming a better person and guide me to become closer to Jesus. My brother has been married for 2 years now. Before he and his wife were married, she was very loving and involved in our family. Now that they have children, my family, especially my mother, feels that his wife stays very secluded from the rest of us. This has caused problems with many family events recently, and it’s hard for me to let go of how close of a family we used to be.
I’m not sure if it’s a jealousy thing or if it’s because she doesn’t agree with everything that we say/ do. I have tried to discuss with my brother these feelings without making him feel I was attacking her. I even went on to say that we respect that he chose her to be his wife and support him. However, this just leads to him taking her defense, and she seems angry or more distant after. But she will not discuss this with me or anyone else in our family. What is your advice on dealing with this? I feel like if it progresses on it may divide our family. How do I let it go when I see how much hurt it causes my mother?
-Anonymous
Honor Thy Father and Mother (15:54)
Loving the new podcast. Prayers for you, thank-you for your witness and insightful thoughts to the faith 🙂 As a young adult, (early 20’s) how do I discern how much I’m called to be obedient to my parents? Not that I’d do anything to hurt them, or commit sin, but should I put my dreams on hold to be there for them? What would God want me to do? And why do I sometimes experience no joy in serving my family… This is a loaded question, I know. But anything I can do to clarify I will.
-Linda
Do Pets Go to Heaven (25:55)
Love your podcasts. I’m glad I stumbled upon them. My question is from my daughter. She wants to know do pets go to heaven?
-Beth
Universal Points (30:03)
(Please note that these are a summary of the answers Fr. Josh provides in the podcast.)
- Family Conflict – We cannot make someone do something. We can only receive the gift that they share with us and accompany them toward eternity insofar as they allow us.
- Honor Thy Father and Mother – We are called to honor them at all times, but that does not mean they can dictate your decisions.
- Do Pets Go to Heaven – There is nothing impossible for God.
Resources
Broken and Blessed book by Fr. Josh Johnson
Want to browse the previous resources Fr. Josh has recommended? Click here to select an episode and view the shownotes.
John 21:15-17
Anne, a Lay Apostle and her books
You may also like: Will My Pet Be in Heaven (Fr. Mike Schmitz answers)
Meet Your Host:
While Fr. Josh was raised Catholic, he didn’t like the Church growing up. One day, in adoration, he fell in love with Jesus and received the call to become a priest. Now, Fr. Josh is the pastor for Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Louisiana, and he is a presenter in two of Ascension’s programs: Altaration, and YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body and author of Broken and Blessed.
