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Ask Catholics is a podcast run by a catechist and RCIA director to help people understand and better be able to explain the Catholic faith and to clear up a lot of misconceptions many people have when looking at Catholicism from the outside.

  1. 6D AGO

    "Not of Works" — The Verse Everyone Quotes… and the One They Skip

    📜✨ "Not of Works" — The Verse Everyone Quotes… and the One They Skip Not of works. You’ve heard it. You’ve probably had it quoted at you. Like it settles everything. But Scripture doesn’t contradict itself—and it doesn’t stutter either. Paul says Abraham was justified by faith: 👉 “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) The author of Hebrews says the same: 👉 “By faith Abraham… offered up Isaac.” (Hebrews 11:17) 👉 “By faith Rahab… received the spies in peace.” (Hebrews 11:31) So yes—by faith. Amen. But then Scripture says something else: 👉 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac?” (James 2:21) 👉 “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24) 👉 “And in the same way was not also Rahab… justified by works when she received the messengers?” (James 2:25) Same people. Same events. Same Bible. So what gives? Here’s the tension: One side says faith. The other says works. But look closer. Abraham didn’t just agree with God—he walked up the mountain. Rahab didn’t just believe—she hid the spies. Their works didn’t replace faith. Their works revealed it. Even Jesus frames it this way: 👉 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life.” (John 3:36) Not belief vs doubt. Belief vs disobedience. And James drives it home: 👉 “Even the demons believe—and shudder.” (James 2:19) So belief alone? That’s not the bar. This is the point: Paul rejects works of the Law—badges, boundary markers, things you boast in. But the same Paul says: 👉 “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works… that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Not the root. But the fruit. Not the cause. But the evidence. No contradiction. Just a deeper definition: Faith isn’t mere agreement. Faith is living trust. And living things move. 🎶 "Not of Works" — a track for converts, cradle Catholics, Scripture nerds, and anyone who’s ever had Ephesians 2:8–9 thrown at them like a mic drop. #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #BibleStudy #Theology #CatholicTruth #ApostolicChurch FOLLOW PETER’S BARQUE Website: https://petersbarquemusic.com X: https://x.com/petersbarque Instagram: https://instagram.com/petersbarque TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque Facebook: https://facebook.com/petersbarque LISTEN TO THE MUSIC Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8 SUPPORT THE PROJECT Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque Disclosure: Peter’s Barque is a catechetical musical project by Justin West. He’s a catechist, not a musician. The music is created primarily through digital means—and the art is AI—but the words, heart, and soul are his. Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min

  2. MAY 1

    🧬⏳ “The Biology Doesn’t Change — You Were Always You” BONUS FRIDAY SONG

    🧬⏳ “The Biology Doesn’t Change — You Were Always You” BONUS FRIDAY SONG The argument is often dressed up in complicated language. “Clump of cells.” “Potential life.” “Not a person yet.” “Just tissue.” But strip away the slogans, and the question gets much simpler: What exactly changed? Not your humanity. Not your life. Not your identity. Not the kind of being you were. You were smaller. You were younger. You were dependent. You were hidden. You still needed time and nutrition. But the biology didn’t change. You were always you. The child in the womb is not becoming a different kind of thing. He or she is already the same kind of thing you and I once were — smaller, younger, dependent, hidden, and still growing. The issue isn’t whether the unborn child is fully developed. None of us started fully developed. The issue is whether human dignity depends on size, strength, independence, usefulness, visibility, or convenience. And Christianity answers: no. Human dignity is not earned by development. It is not granted by location. It is not activated by breath, paperwork, preference, or public opinion. It comes from being made in the image of God. 🎶 “The Biology Doesn’t Change — You Were Always You” — redone visuals, bonus Friday track, for Catholics, pro-life Christians, philosophy nerds, and anyone willing to ask the basic question underneath the argument. Peter's Barque is a catechetical musical project by Justin West. He’s a catechist, not a musician. The music is created principally through digital means, and AI is used for the art — but the words, heart, and soul are still his. FOLLOW PETER’S BARQUE Website: https://petersbarquemusic.com X: https://x.com/petersbarque Instagram: https://instagram.com/petersbarque TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque Facebook: https://facebook.com/petersbarque YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peters-barque Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-7821522 LISTEN TO THE MUSIC Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8 SUPPORT THE PROJECT Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque #Catholic #ProLife #CatholicMusic #PetersBarque #CatholicFaith #ChristianMusic #UnbornLivesMatter #CultureOfLife #CatholicTruth #HumanDignity #ImageOfGod #ProLifeGeneration Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min

  3. MAY 1

    We preach the Bible every single day, not just on Sundays (or Sundays and Wednesdays). And when we p

    We preach the Bible every single day, not just on Sundays (or Sundays and Wednesdays). And when we preach... We Literally Stand For The Gospel https://x.com/i/status/2003799316516032720 #short Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    16 sec

  4. APR 30

    Honor is not worship. And it’s not a zero-sum game. God doesn’t lose glory because He shares it— He

    Honor is not worship. And it’s not a zero-sum game. God doesn’t lose glory because He shares it— He creates glory by sharing it. The same God who says, “I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8), is the One who crowns His saints with glory (Romans 2:10). So what gives? Simple: Worship (latria) belongs to God alone. But honor? Glory? Participation in His goodness? That’s exactly what He wants for His people. If honoring someone automatically robbed God, then Scripture would contradict itself. It doesn’t. Instead, it shows a pattern: God is not diminished by sharing— He is revealed through it. So no— it’s not “everyone but your mom.” It’s everyone in proper order— with God as the source, and everything else reflecting Him. Honor isn’t theft. It’s echo. #Catholic #CatholicTruth #PetersBarque #Theology #BibleStudy #short Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    16 sec

  5. APR 27

    📜❌⚖️✅ “Essentials: Who Decides?” — If It Matters… Then It Matters Who Decides

    📜❌⚖️✅ “Essentials: Who Decides?” — If It Matters… Then It Matters Who Decides It sounds beautiful. “In essentials, unity… in non-essentials, liberty… in all things, charity.” But there’s a problem hiding in plain sight: Who decides what counts as *essential*? Because if you can’t answer that, you don’t actually have unity—you have a thousand private judgments pretending to agree. Take baptism. If it’s just a symbol, then fine—debate it. Infant or adult, sprinkle or immerse, take your pick. But if it’s what Scripture actually presents it as— the ordinary way God brings us into covenant, cleanses us, and incorporates us into Christ— then suddenly it’s not optional. It’s essential. And now the stakes change. Now it’s not just preference. Now it’s obedience. And baptism is just the beginning. The same fracture shows up everywhere: Faith alone—or faith that lives and works? Private interpretation—or a living teaching authority? Sacraments as symbols—or as actual means of grace? Once everything gets pushed into the “non-essential” category… the word *essential* stops meaning anything at all. And here’s the deeper problem: If Scripture is left to private judgment, then every person becomes their own final authority. And once that happens? You don’t get clarity. You don’t get unity. You get fragmentation—with Bible verses. Because yes— you can find a verse to support almost anything. But Scripture itself warns what happens next: The ignorant and unstable twist it to their own destruction. So no—the solution isn’t less authority. It’s the right authority. Not private interpretation… but the public, living interpretation of the Church. Because if everything is optional… eventually, even the Gospel is. And in the end? Everyone has a pope— either the one in Rome… or the one in the mirror. 🎶 **“Essentials: Who Decides?”** — a track for converts, cradle Catholics, Scripture nerds, and anyone who’s realized the question isn’t *whether* something matters… but *who gets to say so.* #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #BibleStudy #Theology #CatholicTruth #ApostolicChurch https://petersbarquemusic.com https://x.com/petersbarque https://instagram.com/petersbarque https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque https://facebook.com/petersbarque https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433 https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8 https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque Peter's Barque is a catechetical musical project by Justin West. He’s a catechist, not a musician. The music and art are AI-assisted—but the words, heart, and soul are his. Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min

  6. APR 22

    Cadence Change

    **𝗛𝗲𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗕 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴?** 😅🎶 Fair question. **𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟭𝟮𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀** 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱. And honestly, I’m deeply grateful. Peter’s Barque has grown faster than I expected, and part of that has meant writing, recording, editing, and releasing at a pace that has been exciting… but probably not sustainable forever. 𝗦𝗼 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 **𝗮 𝟭+ 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀**. That does **not** mean I’m slowing to a crawl. **52 songs a year is still a huge undertaking.** That is still a lot of writing, a lot of production, a lot of catechesis, and a lot of trying to make things that are actually worth your time. But I do want to protect a few things. First, **I do not want to burn out.** I love doing this. It is the fulfillment of a long-term passion, and I want to keep loving it. Second, **I want to keep the quality high.** I would rather make songs that are sharper, stronger, and more re-listenable than just flood the feed because I technically can. And third — probably most importantly — several people have told me that when I release songs too quickly, they barely get time to sit with one before the next one shows up. They want to actually dive in, enjoy it, share it, think about it, maybe argue with it a little, and let it stick. I think that’s right. Some of these songs need a little room to breathe. They need **a week to stretch their legs.** Also, a lot of you have started asking for things like **DVDs** and **merch**, and I’m genuinely excited to develop that stuff too — but that takes time as well, and I’d rather do it well than slap it together. 𝗦𝗼 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲, **𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.** So that’s the plan moving forward: **Mondays are the main drop day.** But it’s still **1+**. That means some weeks may still get a bonus song or two, especially when feast days, big debates, good ideas, or my schedule make it make sense. So no, Peter’s Barque is not going quiet. It’s just moving from a sprint pace to something a little more deliberate, so the songs can land better, last longer, and hopefully serve you better. Thank you for listening, sharing, commenting, arguing, encouraging, and helping this thing grow faster than I ever expected. **100 songs in 120-ish days is insane.** Now let’s see what **52+ a year** can do. -Justin West Peter's Barque **U.I.O.G.D.** **Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus** "𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘉𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥" #short Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    9 sec

  7. APR 20

    📖🎙️ **"Call No Man Father?" — The Favorite Mic Drop… That Falls Apart**

    📖🎙️ **"Call No Man Father?" — The Favorite Mic Drop… That Falls Apart** “Call no man father.” You’ve seen it. You’ve heard it. Dropped like a mic… conversation over. Except… it’s not. Because in the *same breath*, Jesus also says not to call anyone “teacher.” And yet — **Ephesians 4** — God *gives teachers to the Church.* So either: Scripture contradicts itself… the apostles ignored Jesus immediately… or maybe… we’re not reading the whole thing. --- Paul literally says: 👉 *“I became your father in Christ Jesus”* (1 Cor 4:15) And just in case that wasn’t clear — he was **celibate**. No wife. No kids. Still calls himself a father. Peter calls Mark his “son.” John writes to “little children.” The language is everywhere. --- So what’s going on? Jesus wasn’t banning vocabulary. He was condemning **spiritual pride** — the kind that loves titles… but not responsibility. Because if you take it *literally*? You don’t just lose “father.” You lose “teacher.” You lose “doctor” (which literally means teacher). You lose “Mr.” and “Mrs.” (which come from “master”). At that point… language itself falls apart. --- 🎶 **"Call No Man Father?"** — a track for converts, cradle Catholics, Scripture nerds, and anyone who’s ever heard that verse used like a conversation-ending argument. --- ## 🔖 **Suggested Hashtags** #Catholic #CatholicFaith #PetersBarque #CatholicMusic #BibleStudy #Theology #CatholicTruth #ApostolicChurch --- ## 🔗 **FOLLOW PETER’S BARQUE** * **Website:** https://petersbarquemusic.com * **X:** https://x.com/petersbarque * **Instagram:** https://instagram.com/petersbarque * **TikTok:** https://tiktok.com/@petersbarque * **Facebook:** https://facebook.com/petersbarque --- ## 🎧 **LISTEN TO THE MUSIC** Available on all major platforms: * **Apple Music:** https://music.apple.com/us/artist/peters-barque/1857703433 * **Spotify:** https://open.spotify.com/artist/07uvm7SPGUVwYdxELtbXv8 --- ## ☕ **SUPPORT THE PROJECT** If you’d like to support future songs: * **Ko-fi:** https://ko-fi.com/petersbarque --- ## Disclosure Peter's Barque is a Catechetical musical project by Justin West. He's a Catechist, not a musician. The music is created principally through digital means, and the art is AI (but the words/heart/soul is all still him) Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    5 min

  8. APR 19

    This is one of my favorite proofs against private interpretation outside of scripture...

    This is one of my favorite proofs against private interpretation outside of scripture... #short Subscribe to Ask Catholics on Soundwise

    16 sec
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About

Ask Catholics is a podcast run by a catechist and RCIA director to help people understand and better be able to explain the Catholic faith and to clear up a lot of misconceptions many people have when looking at Catholicism from the outside.

Information

  • Creator
    Let's Talk
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Let's Talk
  • Show Website
    Ask Catholics