I’ve given thousands of lectures around the country to engaged, thoughtful, curious university and church audiences and have always made it a practice to allow for as many questions as possible. Here are the most interesting ones I’ve been asked, and the answers I gave.

Of course, as real questions from real people, they’re an eclectic mix, ranging from questions about God and sex and sin and suffering to those about heaven, my favorite movies, even surfing! Some of the questions and answers are easy, some hard; some profound, some silly; some tragic, some funny; most of them thought-provoking and all of them, I hope, entertaining.

Join me now as I answer scores of questions I’ve been asked over the decades, including the following:

• Why are you a Catholic?
• Why are so many philosophers weird?
• Why do you feel the need to bring God into everything?
• What is your favorite method of prayer?
• Why does the Church resist women’s ordination?
• Why can’t divorced and remarried Catholics receive Communion?
• Why is the Catholic Church obsessed with sex?
• Why does the Church still forbid birth control?
• Why not trial marriages—living together?
• Why can’t Catholics believe in reincarnation?
• Have you ever witnessed a miracle?
• If you were pope, what’s the first thing you would do?
• What ten books would you take to a desert island?
• Which modern invention do you believe is the most dangerous?
• Why don’t we have as many deep friendships anymore?
• What’s the secret of your success as a writer?
• What’s the hardest question you’ve ever been asked?

And many more questions and answers on an unbridled assortment of topics!