All About Discernment: Dating, Marriage, and Jackie and Bobby Angel
Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)
Ascension
4.9 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 17 September 2019
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Fr. Josh answers questions about what to do when you’re single but feel called to marriage, what to do when you’re discerning marriage but aren’t ready for kids, and what to do when the person you’re dating isn’t Catholic.
Get 15% off Jackie and Bobby’s new book, Pray, Decide and Don’t Worry at ascensionpress.com with promo code: DISCERN
Snippet from the Show
“God loves you. He has a plan for your life. And he is calling you to be a saint. ”
SHOWNOTES
Glory Story (5:20)
Listener Feedback (8:30)
Single, But Called to Marriage (12:20)
Hey Fr. Josh! I never thought I would be writing into a podcast, but yet here I am! You have brought so much light to my life and have helped me apply my Catholic faith to my daily life.
Ok, here's my question. I'm probably the most single person you could ever meet. I'm 26 years old and have never been asked on a date. My friends and family tell me that I would be such a catch and yet I cannot seem to get the attention of any man (Catholic or not)! [I'm not flirty by any means, yet I'm not shy … I guess just normal?]
I feel called to marriage and it is so hard to trust in God's timing. I'm open to religious life if that is His will, but even after spending time with several orders, I still feel a call to family life. I know you don't know me personally, but do you have any advice on how to live a fulfilling life as a single woman (possibly for my whole life at the rate I'm going lol) who still feels called to marriage? I'm so lost!
Thank you so much for any advice you may have. It’s tricky figuring out how to live in a potentially interim period yet also potentially permanent lifestyle. God bless you!
-Cristina
Desire Marriage but Not Ready for Kids (22:45)
Hi Fr. Josh, I really enjoy your podcast and wanted to ask a question of my own. I am a 21 year old college student and have been dating my boyfriend for over a year. We both want to go to graduate school. If we continue dating in the future, is it ok to get married shortly after we’re both done with grad school? When talking with some Catholic friends, they said you should only get married if you are ready to have children starting 9 months after your wedding date. Is it wrong to get married wanting to postpone having children a year or two? Financial reasons aside, I think having a strong foundation of marriage built over a year or so would be helpful before children come into the mix. I wanted to hear your thoughts. I love the Church and her teaching and want to know how I can best follow her guidance with my future vocation. Know of my prayers for you and all our priests.
-Julie
Dating a Non-Catholic (32:00)
Hey Father Josh. First off I wanted to say that your podcast is beyond incredible. I get something out of every podcast. Keep it up. My question is how do you go about dating someone who is not Catholic? I think he could be the one, but my Catholic faith is so important to me and I want him to be Catholic. He’s Christian, so that’s good but it’s not the same as being Catholic. I also want to help him get to heaven, but he’s pro-choice. He claims he is personally pro-life but doesn’t want to make that decision for the woman. SOS what do I do? Thank you for any advice. I will be praying for you Fr. Josh!
-Maggie and Lauren
Resources
- Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry by Jackie and Bobby Angel * Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation by Fr. Josh
- PrayMoreNovenas.com
Support Ask Father Josh (Your Catholic Question and Answer Podcast)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What's up and welcome to Ask Father Josh the podcast why I get to listen to your questions |
| 0:06.3 | pray with them and hopefully respond in such a way that it's helpful for you to become |
| 0:09.8 | a saint in your walk toward eternity. |
| 0:12.0 | Here's to the show goes you hit me up with three or five questions per episode dealing |
| 0:15.5 | with anything and everything from morality, spirituality, evangelization, discipleship, |
| 0:20.5 | catechesis, relationship advice, discernment. |
| 0:23.2 | I would then spend time with your questions pray with them and hopefully give you an answer |
| 0:27.2 | that helps you to grow and burn you. |
| 0:29.2 | However disclaimer is this I am not perfect. |
| 0:32.5 | Therefore my advice that I give you might not be good for you to grow on virtue, to |
| 0:36.3 | grow on holiness. |
| 0:37.4 | If that's the case, I want to give you the freedom to reject whatever it is that I say |
| 0:41.6 | that it's not help you to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. |
| 0:44.9 | However, if my advice is helpful for you, though difficult, then I really want to encourage |
| 0:49.6 | you to lean into Jesus Christ in prayer so that he can give you the graces that you need |
| 0:54.8 | to fulfill the demands of discipleship. |
| 0:57.8 | You can hit me up with your own questions and ask all your jash at ascensionpress.com, |
| 1:01.4 | critique today's show, comment on today's show and also just continue to walk with me |
| 1:05.7 | as I walk with you toward heaven. |
| 1:07.8 | You can also share this show on your Facebook, social media, Instagram, Twitter so that other |
| 1:13.1 | people could find out about the show and if you rate us and review us on iTunes and |
| 1:16.4 | other podcasts, formats, the same applies there as well. |
... |
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