Crown and Crozier

And that's a wrap!It's been a great joy and blessing to have sat behind the mic for three years of conversations with leading thinkers and practitioners on all things Church, State and faithful citizenship.In this episode, Patrick sits down with his podcast co-creator and co-conspirator, Michael Dopp, to reflect on Crown & Crozier's genesis and journey, why it's time to step aside, highlights and take-aways from our roster of amazing guests, and what the future may have in store for those seeking to live out their faith in the public square.None of this would have been possible without our listeners and supporters.  To you all, our heartfelt thanks and gratitude!Please continue to pray for our leaders in the Church and government, that they exercise their divinely-ordained authorities and cooperate effectively in enabling human flourishing, safeguarding the dignity of the human person, promoting the common good and respecting the Truth revealed to us by God.podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Depending on who you ask, former Congressman Dan Lipinski is something of a rare specimen, endangered species - or perhaps even a white martyr.He represented the 3rd congressional district of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2005 to 2021.Among his claims to fame is maintaining both his Democratic Party affiliation and a staunchly pro-life voting record, even in the midst of his party leadership adopting permissive and militant policy positions in favour of abortion.This courage played a huge role in the party establishment and activists mobilizing to defeat him in the Democratic primary for his House seat in early 2020, and thus close the curtain on his service in elected office.In this episode, we talk with Congressman Lipinski about what it's like being the last pro-life man standing in a political party; the role of faith in public life; the state of U.S. politics and the 2024 election campaign; evangelizing the culture and restoring its capacity to love; and what insights Pope Leo XIII may have for us in the current political moment.Congressman Lipinski holds a Ph.D in political science.  He serves as Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and Pope Leo XIII Fellow on Social Thought at the University of Dallas.  He's also the President of his own consulting firm, Lipinski Solutions.Resourceshttps://danlipinski.com/ (official website)@DanLipinski2Daniel Lipinski, “Be Catholic First”, First Things (November 2022)Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianea / On Christians as Citizens (January 1890)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

It's a well-known and tragic truth that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.In this episode, we explore the unique legacy and witness of a specific subset of the holy martyrs - those who perished at the hands of communism, one of the most sinister ideologies of human history and enemies of the Church.Our guest is Kristen Theriault, author of the recently published book, “When the Sickle Swings - Stories of Catholics Who Survived Communist Oppression.”This is an inspiring conversation about ordinary men and women who resisted Communist persecution and paid the ultimate sacrifice while professing and defending the faith with courage.Kristen holds bachelor's and master's degrees in history, and researches Catholics who survived totalitarianism in the 20th century.  She's the editor of Catholic Exchange, a forum for news and prayer devotions, and serves as a media spokesperson for Sophia Institute Press.ResourcesKristen Theriault (biography)Kristen Theriault, When the Sickle Swings: Stories of Catholics Who Survived Communist Oppression (2023)Catholic Exchangepodcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

To work in the Vatican during one pontificate is a rare privilege for any member of the laity.  To work for three different pontificates, including as an official representative of the Holy See (and a female representative, no less) - well, that just puts you in the hall of fame.Mary Ann Glendon has cultivated a long and distinguished record of service to the Catholic Church: head of the Holy See's delegation to the World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995; Member and President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences; US Ambassador to the Holy See; and appointee to the independent board which oversees the Vatican Bank.In this episode, we talk with Mary Ann about the reflections and insights in her hot-off-the-press book, “In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West.”One part memoir, one part commentary on the vital role of the laity in the Church, it's a fascinating firsthand account of the inner workings of the Vatican under Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.ResourcesMary Ann Glendon (Harvard Law School biography)Mary Ann Glendon, In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West (2024)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Religion declared “non-essential.”  Skeptical voices censored.  The elderly dying alone.  Christmas in lockdown.These are just a few examples from the lengthy hit-list of government violations of Canadians' civil liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our guests for this episode are co-authors of Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever.  The book attempts to ensure that the implications of government overreach aren't simply lost down the memory hole forever.We also discuss our guests making international headlines after a federal judge in Canada ruled in favour of their court challenge against the Federal government's use of emergency authority in response to the Freedom Convoy protests in 2022.Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn are the Executive Director and Litigation Director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation.  The CCF is a national non-profit charity committed to defending the constitutionally-protected rights and freedoms of Canadians.ResourcesJoanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn (official CCF biographies)Canadian Constitution Foundation@CDNConstFoundJoanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever (2023)“Ottawa's use of Emergencies Act against convoy protests was unreasonable, violated Charter, court rules”, CBC (January 2024)Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, “The government violated Canadians' rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the courts are giving them a pass”, The Hub (November 2023)Emily Oster, “Let's declare a pandemic amnesty”, The Atlantic (October 2022)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

In this episode, Dr. Yuval Levin offers a spirited defense of capitalism on moral grounds, recognizing that the most serious criticisms against capitalism aren't necessarily about prosperity and wealth, but about the perceived moral failings of the economic system.This approach is actually consistent with the original case for capitalism, articulated by Adam Smith himself, who was first and foremost a moral philosopher.Along the way, we talk about the essential virtues within Smith's philosophy; who coined the term “capitalism”; the need for social institutions like families and churches to temper economic appetites; the breadth of common ground between Adam Smith and Catholic social teaching; buying and selling as moral actions; and the enduring truth that man does not live by bread alone.Dr. Levin is the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute - one of the leading conservative think tanks in Washington, DC.He is also the founder and editor of National Affairs, senior editor at The New Atlantis, a contributing editor at National Review, and an opinion writer at The New York Times.In addition, he served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush, and as the executive director of the President's Council on Bioethics.ResourcesYuval Levin (official AEI biography)American Enterprise Institute, The Morality of MarketsAdam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (Britannica.com summary)Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus (1991)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

What is a nation?  What is a Christian nation?  Is nationalism virtuous?  What does it mean to practice "complacent" love, which is the natural expression of a greater affinity for those closest to us?  How can we expect to renew our society and civilization in the absence of committing ourselves as persons and as a nation to Christ?  And is a Capitol Hill rioter from January 6, 2021 the archetype or the caricature of a Christian nationalist?We explore these and other questions with our guest, Dr. Stephen Wolfe, author of The Case for Christian Nationalism. Dr. Wolfe has a PhD in political philosophy and is a country scholar based in North Carolina.  He's the co-host of the Ars Politica podcast and is a contributor to numerous U.S.-based Christian publications.Resources@PerfInjust (X / Twitter)Stephen Wolfe, The Case for Christian Nationalism (2022)Stephen Wolfe, “No Christian Nation, No Christian Family”, American Reformer (November 27, 2023)Daniel Sillman, “Christian nationalism debates expose clashing views of power”, Christianity Today (October 31, 2022)Ars Politica (podcast)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Join us as we revisit the highs and lows of 2023!We glance back at major stories like the Synod on Synodality, demotions of high-profile prelates, discovery of the incorrupt remains of an African-American nun who loved the ancient liturgy, U.S. federal law enforcement targeting “radical traditionalists”, and Canada's Parliament enjoying a moment of clarity in determining that Christmas is, in fact, not a discriminatory holiday.In true Crown and Crozier style, we don't just dwell on current events. Along the way, we take some scenic detours into reflections on suffering, grace, gratitude, beauty and apocalyptic unveilings.Our guest is fellow Canadian and Catholic commentator, Kennedy Hall, host of The Kennedy Report (thekennedyreport.com) and author of SSPX: The Defence.(N.B. this podcast was recorded in early December, prior to the release of Fiducia Supplicans on December 18).ResourcesThe Kennedy Report (website)The Kennedy Report (YouTube)@kennedyhallKennedy Hall, Mere Tradition (Substack)Kennedy Hall, SSPX: The Defence (2023)Should I Join the SSPX? (YouTube interview between Brian Holdsworth and Kennedy Hall)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

This episode is our second installment in a two-part series looking at “integralism”, which holds that the State should recognize Catholicism as true and ought to unite with the Church as body to her soul. In Part 1 of our attempt to give integralism a fair hearing, we were treated to a critique of the theory.  In this second half, we give the floor to one of the leading intellectual voices and proponents in the integralist movement, Dr. Thomas Pink. Dr. Pink argues that integralism is first and foremost what the Catholic Church has taught for centuries about the proper ordering of Church and State.  In addition, our guest makes the case that integralism delivers a more realistic view of how states actually function and the true nature of legal authority. Regardless of whether this two-part series leaves you feeling more or less inclined to accept integralism, we hope that you'll find this exploration to be a rich and meaningful examination of this critically important tradition within Church teaching. Dr. Thomas Pink is Professor of Philosophy at King's College in London, England. He's written extensively on ethics, metaphysics, free well, political and legal philosophy, and on the history of these subjects. Don't forget to subscribe to Crown and Crozier, and be the first to know when a new episode drops on Church, State and faithful citizenship!ResourcesDr. Thomas Pink (official bio)@thomaspink1 Thomas Pink, Papal Authority and the Limits of Official Theology, The Lamp (December 2022)Reconciling integralism, the magisterium, and the modern world, The Pillar (September 2022)Thomas Pink, Integralism, Political Philosophy, and the State, Public Discourse (May 2020)Thomas Pink, In Defence of Catholic Integralism, Public Discourse (August 2018)Thomas Pink, Dignitatis Humanae: continuity after Leo XIIIPope Paul VI, Declaration on Religious Freedom: Dignitatis Humanae (December 7, 1965)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Centuries ago, when what we now refer to as “States” were just starting to take shape, who did they turn to for guidance on how to perform their basic functions?  Who taught them the equivalent of accounting, record-keeping, law, taxation and dispute resolution 101?  Who served as a model for how to administer justice and organize an assembly of representatives?And who, by extension, do we have to thank for the great inheritance of such fundamental principles as the rule of law, that have been passed down generation after generation?That's right, the Roman Catholic Church of the medieval era!Our guest for this episode is Dr. Anna Grzymala-Busse, author of the recently published book, Sacred Foundations: The Religious and Medieval Roots of the European State.Dr. Grzymala-Busse researches and teaches at Stanford University, where she serves as the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of International Studies in the Department of Political Science, the Director of the Europe Center, and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute.  Her areas of expertise include the historical development of the state and its transformation, political parties, and religion and politics.ResourcesAnna Grzymala-Busse (faculty bio)Sacred Foundations: The Religious and Medieval Roots of the European Statepodcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

With the 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign heating up, we're delighted to bring you an episode featuring the wisdom and experience of someone who's endured the grueling ups and downs that come with life on the campaign trail.Our guest is Rick Santorum, who twice contested the race for the highest executive office in the United States - first in 2012 and then in 2016.Prior to his presidential runs, he served in the U.S. Congress for 16 years - the first four in the House of Representatives, followed by two six-year terms in the Senate, representing the State of Pennsylvania.A devout Catholic, devoted husband, and father of 7 kids, Rick was a stalwart pro-life champion during his time in office, with his signature accomplishments including helping to shepherd a ban on partial birth abortion into law.In our conversation with Rick, we talk about the 2024 election cycle, what he makes of the current crop of presidential candidates, his own experience on the hustings, the surprising absence of authentic solidarity among Catholics on Capitol Hill, ensuring our faith guides our politics rather than the other way around, and the need for happy, hopeful warriors in the public square. ResourcesRick Santorum (biography)@RickSantorumpodcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

If you're a regular consumer of Catholic and Christian media, there's a good chance that you've come across the term “integralism."“Integralism” refers to the school of thought which says that the Church can direct the State to adopt policies which advance the ends of the Church and help enforce Church law.Sounds wild, doesn't it?And yet, if you look more closely, there's actually a lengthy record of Church teaching tilting in the direction of what integralists assert.Integralism engages fundamental questions about what it means to be subject to Christ's kingship and to the legitimate authority of the State.  So it's little wonder that the topic is capable of igniting spirited views on either side.This episode is the first installment in a two-part series planned by Crown and Crozier, in which our objective is to give integralism a fair hearing.Our guest is Dr. Kevin Vallier, who recently authored a detailed critique of integralism entitled All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism.Dr. Vallier has written several books on political philosophy and currently serves as Associate Professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he also directs the university's program in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law.ResourcesKevin Vallier (official website)Kevin Vallier, All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to LiberalismThomas Pink, In Defence of Catholic Integralism, Public Discourse (August 12, 2018)Kevin Vallier, What is integralism? (The Liberal Tortoise - Substack blog)The Josias (integralist blog)Pope Paul VI, Declaration on Religious Freedom: Dignitatis Humanae (December 7, 1965)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Antonin Scalia was a larger than life presence in the conservative legal movement and in the judicial branch of the U.S. government during the latter part of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st.In this episode, we get to know the late Supreme Court justice at a personal level - as the boy who became the student, who became the lawyer, who became the judge, who ultimately exerted more influence on the highest court during his 30-year tenure than perhaps any of his peers in the post-World War II era.Perhaps most importantly, we get to know him as the deeply devoted follower of Jesus Christ who took seriously the obligation to discern and pursue his vocation.Our guest is James Rosen, author of the recently published biography Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986. The book is the first installment in a planned two-volume biography of Scalia, which is already earning accolades as the authoritative chronicle of the late justice's life and legacy.An author, historian and journalist, James Rosen currently serves as the Chief White House Correspondent for Newsmax.ResourcesJames Rosen (biography)@JamesRosenTVJames Rosen, Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

In this episode, we turn attention to one of the greatest statesmen in Canadian history.Thomas D'Arcy McGee was a father of Canadian confederation, a champion of minority rights, and the principal architect of the unique constitutional protections afforded to Catholic schools in Canadian provinces - protections which are arguably unprecedented and unrivaled among Western democratic nations.Although overlooked in the history books of the Great White North, McGee exerted enormous influence on the founding of Canada and has many things to teach us in a present-day context defined by polarized political debates. Sadly, one of those lessons stems from the untimely death he encountered courtesy of an assassin's bullet.Our guest is Dr. David Wilson of the History Department and Celtic Studies Program at the University of Toronto. Wilson is the author of the two-volume authoritative biography of D'Arcy McGee, which won the Canadian Historical Association prize for political history. His fields of expertise include the Irish in North America, revolutionary movements, as well as religion and nationalism.ResourcesDr. David Wilson (biography)David Wilson, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Volume 1: Passion, Reason, and Politics, 1825-1857David Wilson, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Volume 2: The Extreme Moderate, 1857-1868podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

We often think of patriotism as loving our country. But what if our country is going completely off the rails? What if our culture and society is so broken and divided that we can't even agree on why we should love our country and how best to express that love?In this episode, we take a look at patriotism through a different lens - one that might be more satisfying, settling and capable of navigating the ethical and moral questions that arise when our country is headed in the wrong direction.This perspective involves looking at patriotism as a form of piety - meaning it's not necessarily about feeling the love, but more about acknowledging and honoring a debt that can't possibly be repaid.Our guest is Dr. Sarah Houser, professorial lecturer in the Department of Government at American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Houser's areas of expertise include patriotism and the nation-state, and she's the author of the forthcoming book Recovering Patriotism: Friendship and the Politics of Place.ResourcesDr. Sarah Houser (biography)A Tour of the Summa: Piety“What St. Thomas Aquinas teaches us about patriotism”, The Catholic Herald (July 2019)“White House accused of US Flag Code violation over Pride Month display”, Fox News (June 2023)“POLL: Majority of Americans disagree with Colin Kaepernick's protest”, CBS Sports (September 2016)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Does protecting kids mean we have to turn priests into government informants?It might sound like a far-fetched question. But during their recent legislative sessions, a few U.S. state legislatures found themselves wrestling with this exact question.Under the guise of seeking to strengthen measures to safeguard children, several legislative proposals would have required priests to violate the seal of confession if information regarding incidents of abuse came to their attention in the confessional.Joining us to discuss the profound implications of these bills is someone who had a front-row seat during the debates in the state legislatures which were recently examining this issue.Eric Kniffin is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and has been an attorney focused on religious liberty for almost 20 years. He worked in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during the George W. Bush Administration. In private practice, Eric has defended hundreds of religious employers from federal mandates regarding contraception, abortifacients and gender transition.Resources & References@ekniffin (Twitter)Eric Kniffin (biography)Eric Kniffin, “Attacks on the Seal of the Confessional”, First Things (March 30, 2023)Ethics and Public Policy Center, “EPPC Scholar Urges Washington State Not to Pressure Clergy to Violate Seal of the Confessional” (March 21, 2023)Jason Dearen and Michael Rezendes, “Churches defend clergy loophole in child sex abuse reporting”, Associated Press (September 28, 2022)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

The Church defines virtue as the “habitual and firm disposition to do good.”But as our guest for this episode points out, virtue as a concept and as a practice is increasingly under attack these days.In his recent book, War on Virtue: How the Ruling Class is Killing the American Dream, Bill Donohue argues that the widespread inculcation and exercise of virtues - especially the core virtues of self-discipline, personal responsibility and perseverance - are being subverted by political, corporate and cultural elites through actions aimed at promoting racial divisions, devaluing the family, giving up on the poor, sabotaging education and rewarding incivility. What's needed in response, according to the author, is a concentrated campaign to instill virtue in every person, young and old, so that society can be reformed and re-normed, and the aspirations for genuine human flourishing can be realized.Since 1993, Bill Donohue has served as the President and CEO of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, the largest Catholic civil rights organization in the United States. He's a prolific author and commentator on civil liberties and religion, as well as a former teacher whose career began at an inner city school in New York City.@CatholicLeague (Twitter)Bill Donohue (biography)Bill Donohue, War on Virtue: How the Ruling Class is Killing the American Dream (2023)podcast@crownandcrozier.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Our guest for this episode is a member of one of Europe's most famous Catholic families and dynasties.For 800 years, the Habsburgs have done and seen it all - occupying the highest offices of the land, both civil and religious; ruling over kingdoms stretching across the continent and the ocean; and serving as last men standing in the defense of Christendom and Western civilization against outside aggressors.In this conversation, Ambassador Eduard Habsburg highlights the rich legacy and stories of the Habsburgs, drawing upon his recently published book The Habsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times.  Although their political empire may have faded into the history books, this fascinating family still has a lot to teach men and women of faith and goodwill in the 21st century.We also discuss what it's like having a front row seat as a diplomat in the corridors of the Vatican.  To cap things off, we talk about the Ambassador's boss, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who's described by his critics as a threat to democracy and European unity, and by his supporters as one of the Western world's few remaining defenders of fundamental freedoms.Eduard Habsburg has served as Hungary's Ambassador to the Holy See and Sovereign Order of Malta since 2015.  Prior to joining the foreign service, he wrote screenplays for zombie movies and novels, and also produced cartoons.Websites / resources referenced@EduardHabsburg (Twitter)Eduard Habsburg, The Habsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times (2023)Jason Horowitz, “Hungary's Ambassador to the Pope, With an Offbeat Resumé”, The New York Times (August 27, 2023)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Pop quiz!Out of all the violence and persecution in the world that is religiously-motivated, 75% of victims belong to which religion?Sadly, if you guessed Christianity, you would be right.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Thomas Williams, author of the recently published book The Coming Christian Persecution: Why Things are Getting Worse and How to Prepare for What is to Come. Williams highlights how the persecution of Christians is not just an artifact of history - it's happening right now, in ways and at a scale that believers and non-believers alike fail to fully grasp.We discuss how systematic persecution of the followers of Christ persists in countries like North Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan and China; how “soft” persecution against Christians - as well as instances of violence - are on the rise in the West; how those who profess Jesus as Lord are called to both prepare for suffering and resist oppression; and how combating persecution ultimately begins and ends with cultivating the proper disposition of heart and mind.Dr. Williams currently serves as Rome Bureau Chief for Breitbart News and is the author of 17 books in the fields of theology, philosophy, ethics and spirituality. He teaches theology at the Rome campus of St. John's University and has served as a media commentator on faith, ethics and religion for such networks as NBC, CBS and Sky News. He was appointed by the Holy See as spokesman for two Synods of Bishops (1997 and 2001).Websites / resources referencedDr. Thomas Williams official website@tdwilliamsrome (Twitter)Dr. Thomas Williams, The Coming Christian Persecution: Why Things are Getting Worse and How to Prepare for What is to Come (2023)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

God Save the King and Rule Britannia!To mark the occasion of the crowning of Britain's new king and Canada's new head of state, this episode features a special guest from the other side of the Atlantic.Ann Widdecombe served as a Conservative Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons from 1987-2010.  During that time, she held several Cabinet portfolios, and early on in her tenure, converted to the Catholic faith.  She also held a seat in the European Parliament as a representative of the Brexit Party from 2019-2020.A well-known political commentator and public personality, Widdecombe makes the case for why Britain's withdrawal from the European Union was necessary (and why it was fully in line with Catholic social teaching on subsidiarity). She also reflects on her conversion, the future of the Anglican Church, the present state of conservatism in the United Kingdom, and the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years.Websites / resources referencedAnn Widdecombe official websiteAnn Widdecombe, “Conservatives are not conservative - it's why I can't back the Tories,” The Daily Express (March 21, 2023)Ann Widdecombe: Brexit, Trade, and the European Union“The King's coronation oath: an explainer for Catholics,” Catholic Herald (May 2, 2023)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

“If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative.”Like most of the words that escaped from his mouth or his pen, Hilaire Belloc's famous speech to British voters was fiery, forceful and fueled by his faith.It's a great tragedy of history that Belloc has been pushed into the shadow of his friend and collaborator, G.K. Chesterton. Whether in prose or Parliament, Belloc was a force of nature. His life was one extended adventure, from escaping death as an infant to achieving fame as Oxford's top debater to challenging the anti-Catholic prejudices of the British establishment.And although he lived from 1870-1953, the alarm bells which he rang against elitist assaults on the Christian foundations of Western civilization are as prophetic and resonant today as they were in his time.Our guest for this episode is Belloc biographer and internationally acclaimed writer, scholar and speaker, Joseph Pearce. Pearce is the author of over a dozen books. Alongside Old Thunder, his biography of Hilaire Belloc, his works include best-selling volumes on G. K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Shakespeare. Pearce currently serves as St. John Henry Newman Chair in Catholic Studies at Thomas More College, Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute, editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions and the St. Austin Review, and senior contributor at The Imaginative Conservative.Websites / resources referencedJoseph Pearce official websiteJoseph Pearce, Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire BellocHilaire Belloc (Encyclopedia Britannica)Hilaire Belloc, The Path to Rome (1902)Hilaire Belloc, The Servile State (1912)Joseph Pearce, “What is Distributism?” The Imaginative Conservative (June 12, 2014)Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum (1891)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Since his death in December 2022, there have been countless tributes paid to Pope Benedict XVI, extolling his legacy as one of the greatest minds and shepherds of the contemporary Church.In this episode, we aim to offer our own tribute, by focusing on the late Holy Father's contributions to Catholicism's understanding of the relationship between the Church and the State.In particular, we turn attention to speeches which Benedict delivered within the walls of some of the most iconic halls of power in Europe - namely, Westminster Hall in London, England in 2010 and the German Parliament in 2011.These speeches addressed essential questions around how we organize our life in common; what constitutes the foundation of Western civilization; what the role of truth and justice is in public life; how natural law can anchor public discourse; and what a true ecology of man looks like. Our guest is Fr. Raymond de Souza, one of North America's leading Catholic commentators, whose columns appear regularly in the National Post and National Catholic Register.  Fr. de Souza serves as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario.ReferencesFr. Raymond de Souza official websiteFr. Raymond de Souza, “Sea to Sea”, Convivium  [reflections on Pope Benedict's September Speeches]Fr. Raymond de Souza, “Benedict XVI's lifelong friendship with God”, National Post (January 5, 2023)George Weigel, “Parting Reflections” (January 6, 2023) [fourth installment of “Letters from Rome” series on the death of Pope Benedict XVI]Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Against the backdrop of numerous economic and social crises, there's a lot of chatter in Canadian public policy circles about the need to “meet the moment.”In this episode, we examine the broad canvass of challenges facing the Great White North; whether the conservative movement in Canada is well-equipped to tackle them; and the need for a renewed discovery and embrace of the transcendent, immutable truths and traditions which serve as the foundation of the country's political and social architecture.Our guest is Stockwell Day, one of the leading emeritus statesmen of Canadian conservatism.From 1986-2000, he served in the Alberta legislature, holding multiple portfolios in the provincial Cabinet.  From 2000-2001, he was leader of the Canadian Alliance and Her Majesty's Official Opposition in the House of Commons.  Following the merger of Canada's two major conservative parties in 2003, he remained as a Member of Parliament, and held several Cabinet roles in the government of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.Day's long tenure in politics came to a close in 2011, when he declined to run in that year's federal election.  Since then, he's served in numerous Board and fellowship positions, and has run his own strategic consulting firm, Stockwell Day Connex.ReferencesStockwell Day (official website)@Stockwell_Day (Twitter)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

2023 started on a sombre, bittersweet note, with the death of two heavyweights in the Church hierarchy: Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal George Pell.In this episode, we seek to pay tribute to this pair of monumental figures who exerted enormous influence on the life of the Church, and who served the members of the Mystical Body of Christ for a combined total of 125 years in the priesthood.We also discuss a topic that occupied a pre-eminent place in the ministries of both men - namely, what Vatican II was really all about and what authentic interpretation and implementation of the Council really looks like.Our guest is George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. One of the most prominent and distinguished voices in the Church today, Weigel is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including the authoritative biography of St. John Paul II, Witness to Hope, as well as his recent history and commentary To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.ReferencesGeorge Weigel, “Parting Reflections” (January 6, 2023) [fourth installment of “Letters from Rome” series on the death of Pope Benedict XVI]George Weigel, “On the Death and Requiem of Cardinal George Pell” (January 16, 2023)Cardinal George Pell, “The Catholic Church must free itself from this ‘toxic nightmare'”, The Spectator (January 11, 2023)George Weigel, To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II  (2022)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

I know for certain, dear listener, that there's at least one thing you and I have in common - each of us is going to die.In this episode, we turn attention to that uncomfortable, sometimes distressing topic of death.Our guest is Dr. Randall Smith, author of From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality and the Resurrection of the Body.Dr. Smith reminds us that a proper understanding of death and the next world makes for a life that is more full of truth, goodness and beauty in this world.  We also talk about what it means for the Church and the State to “do death well” - which includes rejecting the allures peddled by the transhumanist school of thought.Dr. Smith is a Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, the author of numerous books, and a regular contributor to The Catholic Thing, an online Catholic news and commentary forum.ReferencesDr. Randall Smith (University of St. Thomas webpage)Dr. Randall Smith's columns at The Catholic ThingDr. Randall Smith, From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality and the Resurrection of the Body (2022)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Goodbye 2022, hello 2023!In this episode, we do a double take - not only glancing back at the biggest stories from 2022 in the world of Church, State and faithful citizenship, but also casting our gaze forward to what 2023 may have in store.We touch on the lifting of COVID restrictions; Pope Francis' visit to Canada and the legacy of Indian residential schools; the recent passing of Pope Benedict XVI; the wave of attacks against Catholic churches across North America; Eucharistic revival in America; the Synodal Way in Germany; and more!Our guest is popular Catholic commentator, speaker and writer, Brian Holdsworth.  Through his YouTube channel, Brian provides regular reflections on major challenges in the life of the Church, as well as the beauty of Church tradition and history.  For more info on Brian and his online community of “Reinforcements”, be sure to check out his website: https://brianholdsworth.ca/ReferencesBrian Holdsworth's official website@briankeepsworth (Twitter)@BrianHoldsworth (YouTube) Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

In Fall 2021, it was revealed that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, among the most senior and high profile leaders within the Anglican Church, had converted to Catholicism.In this episode, we sit down with (now) Monsignor Nazir-Ali as he reflects on his first year of membership in the Catholic Church. We explore moments from his life which served as major waypoints in his journey of faith, including his embrace of Christianity during his youth in Pakistan, his hasty departure from his homeland after crossing swords with militant Islamist authorities, and his ultimate conclusion that both the deposit of faith and its authentic ministry dwell most fully within Catholicism.We also discuss pivotal issues in the contemporary life of the Church, including the need for sacred tradition and magisterial authority to guide the transmission of the faith, especially in any exercise such as the Synod on Synodality.  To top it all off, we touch on St. John Henry Newman, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the legacy of the early Church as a persecuted minority which ended up changing the course of human history.Monsignor Nazir-Ali is a priest within the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, and serves as the Director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue.ReferencesDr. Michael Nazir-Ali official website@michaelnaziraliDr. Michael Nazir-Ali, “There can be no moral renewal of public life without respect for God and Man”, The Catholic Herald (July 29, 2022)“Ex Anglican Bishop Michael Nazir Ali converts to Catholicism”, The Spectator (October 14, 2021)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

U.S. President Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that the First Amendment to the Constitution was intended to erect “a wall of separation between church and state.”It's commonly asserted that the intellectual architecture underpinning Church-State separation and the First Amendment's codification of religious freedom rested on a foundation of Protestant liberalism, coloured by the rationalist philosophy of the Enlightenment period.But what if there's more to the story?  If we hold the magnifying glass a little closer, is it possible to examine the arc of religious freedom in colonial America and discover Catholic fingerprints?In this episode, we aim to give a fair hearing to this idea.Our guest is Dr. Michael Breidenbach, Associate Professor and Chair of History at Ave Maria University, and Senior Affiliate for Legal Humanities at the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania.  Author of Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America, Dr. Breidenbach is an historian of politics, religion, law and culture in early America and the Atlantic World.Websites / resources referencedDr. Michael Breidenbach biographyMichael Breidenbach, Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America (2021)“Conciliarism” (definition courtesy of Catholic Culture)George Calvert, 1st Baron BaltimoreInter Caetera (Pope Alexander VI, 1493)Constitution of the United States, First AmendmentSupport the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Pope St. John Paul II once said: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.”What's the state of marriage and family these days?  Is public policy effectively safeguarding these fundamental human institutions?  When it comes to things like government action on childcare, is the work of the home even being properly valued?Our guest for this episode is Andrea Mrozek, Senior Fellow at Cardus Family.  Cardus Family is an initiative of the Christian think tank, Cardus, based in Canada and dedicated to strengthening the ways in which society's institutions can work together for the common good.Andrea was previously Executive Director at the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, and is widely recognized as a leading voice in Canada on marriage, child care and women's issues.Documents/Websites ReferencedAndrea Mrozek biography (Cardus) Andrea Mrozek, “Child care solutions vital in post-Roe era” Catholic Register (July 2022)Andrea Mrozek, Peter Jon Mitchell, Brian Dijkema, “Look Before You Leap: The Real Costs and Complexities of National Daycare” (2021)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in fire.  The conflagration was eventually extinguished - but it wasn't long before flames were once again being fanned.Plans for re-building the church have ignited controversy, with some critics arguing that the proposals are tantamount to the “Disney-fication” of the 900-year-old monument to Our Lady.The debate is made all the more complex by the fact that the cathedral isn't actually owned by the local Archdiocese.  Like tens of thousands of churches in Europe, it's owned by the State.Our guest for this episode is one of the most well-known expatriate art historians in Europe.  Dr. Elizabeth Lev has lived and worked as a tour guide in Rome for over 20 years.  She teaches at Duquesne University's Italian campus as well as the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.  Dr. Lev is the author of multiple books, the most recent of which traces the history of St. Joseph's depiction in art.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Elizabeth Lev's official websiteDr. Elizabeth Lev, “Sorry, Internet: Notre Dame is not being ‘wreckovated'”, The Washington Post (December 8, 2021)“France Approves Controversial Plan to Renovate Notre-Dame Cathedral”, Smithsonian Magazine (December 14, 2021)“What is Notre Dame Cathedral for?” The Pillar (November 30, 2021)“Notre Damned”, The Catholic Herald (January 27, 2022)History of Notre-Dame de Paris, Britannica.comSupport the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity....

Should pastors be political?Before we instinctively leap to the answer “NO!”...What if we examine that question in the light of what the Church teaches are a pastor's three primary responsibilities - teaching, sanctifying and governing?  And what if by “political” we simply mean the many things relating to our life in common in the body politic, as opposed to the political vocation or mere partisanship?Joining us to help tackle these questions is Dr. Ben Dunson, author of “Should pastors be political?”, published by First Things in August 2022.  Dr. Dunson is editor-in-chief of American Reformer and visiting professor of New Testament at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Ben Dunson biographyBen Dunson, “Should Pastors Be Political?” First Things (August 26, 2022)Support the showwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity....

Long before Joe Biden, John Kerry and JFK threw their hats in the ring for President, Alfred E. Smith blazed the trail in 1928 as the first Catholic nominee for the White House.Smith's story is the stuff of legend.  The son of a poor Irish immigrant, Smith grew up in Lower Manhattan, laboured in the local fish market, served in the New York assembly for over 10 years, and won four elections for Governor.   During the 1928 presidential election, he encountered an avalanche of anti-Catholic bigotry, much of it spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan.Join us as we examine the life and legacy of a good man who lived and defended the faith in public office, and whose witness can help shape our vision of what to look for in any politician, let alone a Catholic one.  Our guest is Dr. Robert Slayton, Professor Emeritus of History at Chapman University and author of Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Robert Slayton biographyRobert Slayton, “Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith”Alfred E. Smith, “Catholic and Patriot”, The Atlantic (May 1927)“How Al Smith and FDR countered the KKK and anti-Catholic prejudice in politics”“The Knights vs. The Klan”“Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show

We take advantage of the Canadian House of Commons' summer recess to sit down with Garnett Genuis, Member of Parliament for Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta.We shoot the summer breeze getting to know Garnett better: how his political discernment was partly inspired by a Holocaust survivor in his family and a German bishop who resisted the Nazis; how he juggles his obligations as parliamentarian and father of five; and how the Christian faith is practiced, shared, interpreted and sometimes maligned on Parliament Hill.Our discussion also features a lively mix of current events: Pope Francis' recent trip to Canada and the legacy of Indian residential schools; religious freedom at home and abroad; the state of the national pro-life movement; and the outlook for upstart political parties seeking to challenge the conservative establishment.Oh, and there's that whole Conservative Party of Canada leadership race to talk about too.Garnett was first elected to federal office in 2015 and was likewise victorious in the 2019 and 2021 elections.  At 35 years of age, he's spent nearly 20% of his life representing his constituents.  He's the host of his own political podcast, Resuming Debate.  Garnett and his wife, Rebecca, live outside Edmonton, Alberta and have five children.Documents/Websites ReferencedGarnett Genuis biography (official website)“Resuming Debate” podcast hosted by Garnett Genuis “What the bishop who resisted the Nazis can teach us today,” Catholic News Agency (December 17, 2017)“Pope Francis in Canada” (official webpage for the July 2022 papal visit)“‘Terrible and tragic': Century-old Catholic Church in Morinville, Alta., destroyed by fire,” CBC News (June 30, 2021)Garnett Genuis tweets #1 and #2 endorsements in 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race“Canada election: Did the PPC split the Conservative vote? Maybe - but it's not that simple,” Global News (September 22, 2021)“Alberta MP among those calling for re-opening of national Office of Religious Freedom,” Grandin Media (March 10, 2021) www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show

From July 24-29, 2022, Pope Francis will be visiting Canada. During the trip, the Pope is set to deliver an apology on Canadian soil for the involvement of Catholic dioceses and religious orders in the operation of residential schools from the 1870s through the 1990s.Residential schools were established under a federal government program which was intended to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture, and equip them with the education and skills deemed necessary to participate in Canada's economic and social life.In anticipation of the Holy Father's visit, this episode explores Indigenous reconciliation and ministry, major themes and challenges from Pope Francis' pontificate, and whether Canada has a unique contribution to make to the Church's mission in the 21st century.Along the way, we take some scenic detours, including reminiscing about the last time a pope visited Canada for the occasion of World Youth Day in 2002, and reminding ourselves of the importance of continuously building communities of faith.Our guest is John Paul Meenan, Assistant Professor of Theology at Seat of Wisdom College in Barry's Bay, Ontario. John Paul was the co-founder of the small academic community which eventually became Seat of Wisdom College.  He's also the Editor in Chief of the online magazine Catholic Insight.Documents/Websites referenced John Paul Meenan biography (Seat of Wisdom College): https://www.seatofwisdom.ca/academics/faculty-2/jpmeenan/ “Pope Francis in Canada” (official webpage for the papal visit): https://www.papalvisit.caCanadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Brief History of Indian Residential Schools”: https://www.cccb.ca/indigenous-peoples/resources/indian-residential-schools-truth-reconciliation-commission/Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land” (September 24, 2021): https://www.cccb.ca/letter/statement-of-apology-by-the-catholic-bishops-of-canada-to-the-indigenous-peoples-of-this-land/Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Visit 2002”: https://www.cccb.ca/the-catholic-church-in-canada/papal-visits-canada/john-paul-iis-third-visit-canada-july-2002/Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes (July 16, 2021): https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/20210716-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes.htmlCatholic Insight magazine: https://catholicinsight.com/www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show

2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Canada's bill of rights, or what is formally known as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Against that backdrop, in this episode we examine the present-day landscape in Canada for freedom of religion – the first fundamental freedom listed in the Charter. We talk about the implications of COVID restrictions; why recent federal legislation banning conversion therapy may be the greatest threat to religious freedom at this moment; and what the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling on abortion may or may not mean for Canada.We also discuss a unique type of “trial” for members of today's legal profession – namely, the ability to practice one's faith while practicing law.Joining us is Albertos Polizogopoulos, one of the most prominent legal practitioners in Canada when it comes to cases and questions involving freedom of religion.  On behalf of his broad range of clients – churches, charities, dioceses, schools, universities, hospitals – Albertos has appeared numerous times in front of the Supreme Court of Canada.Albertos is a partner and founder at his Ottawa-based law firm, The Acacia Group.Documents/Websites referenced Albertos Polizogopoulos' biography (The Acacia Group)Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsBill C-4, An act to amend the criminal code (conversion therapy)U.S. Supreme Court - Dobbs vs. JacksonSupreme Court of Canada - R. v. MorgentalerSupreme Court of Canada - Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper CanadaPaul Schratz, “Department of National Defence panel addresses racism with more racism”, Catholic Register (May 5, 2022)Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusionwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show

From January 29 - February 20, 2022, the eyes of the world were upon Ottawa, Canada as hundreds of truck drivers and thousands of their supporters engaged in the self-styled “Freedom Convoy” protest against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.In this episode of Crown and Crozier, we examine the Freedom Convoy through the lens of key tenets of the Catholic Church's teaching – especially St. Thomas Aquinas' formula for what constitutes just law and the principles that underlie when civil disobedience is permissible.In particular, we pose the following questions:According to the Catholic Church, what constitutes authentic human freedom?Was the Freedom Convoy justified in protesting against COVID restrictions which may not have fulfilled the criteria for just laws?  Could a Catholic participate in the Freedom Convoy in good conscience?Our guest is Dr. Mary Catherine Sommers, Professor Emerita of Philosophy and past director of the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.Documents/Websites referenced St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1st part of the 2nd part: Q90Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2242 (refusing obedience to civil authorities)Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae - Encyclical on Christians as Citizens (1890)Mark R. MacGuigan, “Civil Disobedience and Natural Law”, The Catholic Lawyer (1965) [quotation of St. Alphonsus Liguori - “when it is doubtful, the law is presumed to be just”]Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision granting injunction on use of air horns and train horns by Freedom Convoy participants (February 7, 2022)Quinton Amundson, “Ottawa basilica cancels Masses due to Freedom Convoy protest”, The Catholic Register (February 9, 2022)Rachel Parent, “‘We're not lawyers': Ottawa protest organizer says MOU not meant to endorse toppling the Canadian government”, Saltwire (February 10, 2022)“‘Blurred lines' - Ottawa archdiocese says there's no easy take on trucker protests”, The Pillar (February 11, 2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show

Chances are that you've heard about the political forces and players involved in the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  But what may be less familiar is the complex, centuries-long religious and historical backdrop against which the war is unfolding.Joining us to help unpackage these dimensions of the conflict is Dr. Anatolii Babynskyi.  Dr. Babynskyi is a research fellow at the Institute of Church History at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine.  He is also the Ukrainian correspondent for the American online Catholic news service, The Pillar.Our conversation touches on numerous topics: the rich tapestry of ecclesiological and liturgical traditions that underpin the Christian character of Ukraine; the historical relationships and tensions between those traditions and Russian Orthodoxy; whether Ukrainian national identity is actually a thing; the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; and the outlook for Ukraine's future amidst the fog of war.Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Anatolii Babynskyi (LinkedIn)@MrAnatoliusAnatolii Babynskyi, “‘Russkiy mir' - The ‘Russian World' meets Ukrainian politics and Vatican diplomacy”, The Pillar (March 3, 2022)Anatolii Babynskyi, “Split from Kirill is coming, say Ukrainian Orthodox priests”, The Pillar (March 9, 2022)Anatolii Babynskyi, “‘I have never seen such fear' - Ukraine's refugees, and the Catholics helping them survive”, The Pillar (March 24, 2022)Union of BrestEcumenical Council of FlorenceCaritas Internationaliswww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In Canada, anticipation has been building in the lead-up to the visit of a delegation of Indigenous elders, youth, and residential school survivors to the Vatican in Spring 2022.The visit comes on the heels of the announcement in 2021 that the remains of 215 children in unmarked graves had been discovered on the site of a former residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.In this episode of Crown and Crozier, we explore the issue of residential schools through the lens of a unique personal story.Father Cristino Bouvette's grandmother was a member of the Cree First Nation.  Despite being forced away from home to attend a residential school in Alberta, his grandmother - or “kokum” - held onto her Christian faith until she died shortly before her 100th birthday.Our conversation with Father Bouvette examines the witness of his kokum, the blend of Christian identity and Indigenous heritage in his family, what authentic reconciliation looks like, and the incredible healing power of forgiveness.Father Bouvette serves as the Vicar of Vocations and Young Adults in the Diocese of Calgary, as well as the Chaplain for the Diocese's youth ministry, the St. Francis Xavier Council.(Note - for background information on the Indian residential school system in Canada, see the link below to the website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops).Documents/Websites referenced Father Cristino Bouvette (biography)@frcris Father Cristino Bouvette, “Reality in Truth and Reconciliation”, Convivium (June 16, 2021)Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Brief History of Indian Residential Schools”Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Canadian Bishops and Indigenous Delegates Depart on Historic Trip to the Holy See” (March 24, 2022)Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land” (September 24, 2021)Raymond de Souza, "Historically inaccurate to suggest Catholic Church hasn't apologized for residential schools", National Post (June 2021) Diocese of Prince George (British Columbia), Rose Prince PilgrimageIndian Residential Schools Settlement Agreementwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for leSupport the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

Can a ruler be both powerful and pious?  This combination may be rare in our political leaders today. But the life of Blessed Karl of Austria teaches us that the answer to this question can indeed be a resounding “yes.” With April 1, 2022 marking the 100-year anniversary of his death, in this episode we examine the legacy and witness of the last emperor of one of Europe's most long-standing Catholic dynasties. Proving that a deep faith in God was not at odds with service in the highest imperial office, Blessed Karl strove for a peaceful resolution to the First World War and ultimately died in exile after only two short years on the throne. Karl's life represents a compelling example of Church-State cooperation in an authentic pursuit of the spiritual and temporal welfare of the people - and serves as a contrast to the corrupt entanglement of altar and throne in modern-day Russia.Joining us to explore these themes is Father Raymond de Souza. One of North America's most well-known Catholic commentators, he is a regular columnist for the National Post and the National Catholic Register. Father de Souza is a Senior Fellow at Cardus, Canada's leading Christian think tank. He also serves as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario.If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Father Raymond de Souza (biography)@fatherdesouzaBlessed Karl of Austria (Vatican biography)Blessed Karl of Austria - Cause for Canonization USA / Canada K.V. Turley, “Blessed are the peacemakers: Lessons from the life and legacy of Blessed Karl”, National Catholic Register (October 21, 2020)“Caesaropapism” (CatholicCulture.org)“Josephinism” (CatholicCulture.org)Father Raymond de Souza, “The Kirill Question”, National Catholic Register (March 9, 2022)Father Raymond de Souza, “Putin is using a ‘spiritual' lie to further his imperialist aims”, National Post (February 26, 2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

To be convicted of a crime, a person must be proven guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.”Indeed, “reasonable doubt” is one of the hallmarks of our modern criminal justice system. It's typically understood as a legal rule intended to help determine the facts of a specific case and protect the accused.But what if everything we think we know about “reasonable doubt” is wrong? What if its original purpose was actually to shield the souls of judges and juries from eternal damnation? What if it was conceived, not as a tool of the secular law, but as a moral concept steeped in a distinct theological tradition of the Middle Ages and Christendom? A tradition that was preoccupied not with facts, but with the spilling of blood?Our guest for this episode makes this exact argument. Dr. James Whitman has taught at Yale Law School since 1994 and currently serves as the Ford Foundation Professor of Comparative and Foreign Law. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including his award-winning work honoured by the American Bar Association, The Origins of Reasonable Doubt: Theological Roots of the Criminal Trial.00:00 - Introduction03:45 - Defining reasonable doubt (or not)07:50 - The theology of blood12:00 - What an "ordeal"!17:30 - Fourth Lateran Council bans blood-shedding by priests21:30 - Emergence of trial by jury23:20 - Got doubt? Better not act27:50 - Court testimony: the Middle Ages' risky business35:00 - "It is the law that condemns and not I"36:40 - Reasonable doubt: fact finding or moral comfort formula?40:00 - John Adams echoes Pope Innocent III42:30 - Things get fuzzy as public morality fades 46:20 - Presumption of innocence vs. presumption of mercy49:35 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Dr. James Whitman (biography)Dr. James Whitman, “The Origins of Reasonable Doubt: Theological Roots of the Criminal Trial” (2008)Catholic Encyclopedia, “Fourth Lateran Council”History.com, “Why John Adams Defended British Soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials”Magna Carta (English translation)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

Through his new blog on Substack, Dr. Douglas Farrow has been tackling head on the deeper, more troubling significance of what's been taking place over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic at a social, cultural, political, and spiritual level.In this episode, we chat with Dr. Farrow about how certain actions by the Church and the State during the pandemic have raised fundamental questions around what it means to be human. We also touch on what it's like to live in a place where a prerequisite for getting through your local parish doors is flashing your vaccine passport. And with a convoy of trucks hunkered down in Canada's capital city, we reflect on freedom, autonomy, and opportunities for evangelization.(N.B. the trucks rolled into Ottawa on January 29, 2022. We recorded this interview on February 4 and are posting it on February 16).Dr. Douglas Farrow has lectured and taught at universities for nearly 30 years, with most of that spent at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he serves as Professor of Theology and Ethics. Among the most well-known of his many publications are the books Nation of Bastards: Essays on the End of Marriage, Ascension Theology, and Desiring a Better Country.00:00 - Introduction03:10 - Vax pass for Mass? Time to say something06:35 - Two years of pandemic - just what the heck is going on? 13:30 - Discerning the motives of civil authorities17:45 - When citizens become biometric datapoints25:05 - The Church acting as a creature of the State34:00 - This far shall you come...and no further40:10 - A time to obey, a time to resist47:10 - The thirst for freedom as a road to conversion54:25 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Douglas Farrow (biography)“Desiring a Better Country” (Dr. Farrow's Substack blog)Dr. Douglas Farrow, “Rendering to Caesar what is God's”, Substack (December 28, 2021)Dr. Douglas Farrow, “Vaccine Passports for Mass?”, Crisis Magazine (November 3, 2021)Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum (May 15, 1891)Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2242 (refusing obedience to civil authorities)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In this episode, Kimberly Hahn joins us to talk about her experience representing the taxpayers of Steubenville, Ohio as their Councilwoman-at-Large at city hall.We chat about her journey into politics, what it means to live out the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity, why small towns in the Rust Belt have shifted their political loyalties, whether Steubenville would ever defund its police force, and why we need more Catholics in public office. Along the way, Councilwoman Hahn shares stories about campaigning in the rougher parts of town, voting your conscience at the Council table, and occasionally reminding constituents that dying outside a state of grace is actually the worst thing that can happen to anyone.Kimberly was first elected to Steubenville City Council in November 2015 and is currently serving her second term as Councilwoman-at-Large, having been re-elected in 2019. She is the author of five books, including the story of her conversion, Rome Sweet Home, which she co-wrote with her husband, Scott. She is also a popular Catholic speaker and host of the podcast Beloved and Blessed.00:00 - Introduction02:50 - Inspiration to run for office06:00 - Knock, knock, knocking on 7,000 doors09:10 - Catholic faith: political asset or liability?11:25 - The shifting politics of the Ohio Valley17:05 - What subsidiarity and solidarity look like in practice21:05 - Shoestring local budgets vs. gargantuan federal spending24:55 - Federal issues on the ground - Part 1: defund the police27:15 - Federal issues on the ground - Part 2: critical race theory29:10 - Issues of conscience around the Council table 33:15 - A challenging vote on medical marijuana38:15 - Speaking-up in the public square42:20 - Words of wisdom for the prospective candidates out there44:00 - St. Thomas More, guardian angels and other intercessors45:30 - What's next for the term-limited Councilwoman?46:15 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Kimberly Hahn (City Council biography)Kimberly for Steubenville (campaign website)Beloved and Blessed podcast“Kimberly Hahn wins council at large seat”, The Herald Star (November 4, 2015)Subsidiarity - What You Need to KnowPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

Victor Davis Hanson joins us to talk about his latest book, The Dying Citizen: How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization are Destroying the Idea of America. The book argues that multiple forces are laying siege to the concept and practice of citizenship in our times: evisceration of the middle class; open borders; identity politics; the administrative state; progressive political evolutionaries; and globalists and globalization. While events of the past two years have demonstrated the fragility of citizenship, Dr. Hanson maintains that there is still time to rebuild what we're in danger of losing - and that an essential ingredient in this effort is rediscovering the transcendent.Dr. Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in Residence in Classics and Military History at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University; a professor of Classics Emeritus at California State University, Fresno; and a nationally syndicated columnist.00:00 - Introduction01:45 - Why 2020/2021 was a wake-up call06:30 - Identity politics and religion9:10 - America: made by, and for, religious people13:30 - Faith as the mortar for our civic identity bricks16:20 - Ambivalence toward country, when country neglects faith 21:20 - Restoring transcendence, restoring citizenship26:05 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Victor Davis Hanson (biography)@VDHansonVictor Davis Hanson, The Dying Citizen (2021)John Adams, “Letter to Massachusetts Militia” (October 11, 1798) [source of quotation: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people”]Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

2021 is almost a wrap!  Join us as we sit down and review the biggest Church and State stories from the year that was.  We cast a glance back at the inauguration of America's second Catholic president, the ensuing debates around “Eucharistic coherence”, Year 2 of the COVID pandemic, the mother of all Synods - and more!Our guest is Dr. Robert Royal, Founder and President of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C. and Editor-in-Chief of The Catholic Thing.  He is a regular guest on EWTN's flagship news program, “The World Over”, and has written, edited, or translated 15 books.00:00 - Introduction02:30 - The hand of Providence in a pandemic that drags on (and on...)04:20 - Highs and lows of the response to COVID05:25 - Seeking clarity and consistency in the Church's take on vaccines07:30 - Moral imperatives vs. prudential judgments 11:00 - No pause button on the Church's mission in pandemic times14:55 - The "anti-Catholic" Catholic in the Oval Office19:05 - The Pope and the President22:50 - JFK and JRB - two sides of "the church doesn't speak for me"26:30 - Recent USCCB reflections on "The Mystery of the Eucharist"30:10 - The struggle to sanctify the public square35:00 - Receiving the Gift of the Eucharist38:35 - Goals and (tempered) expectations for the Synod on Synodality42:30 - Whither Tradition in synodality?47:30 - The Traditional Latin Mass - flourishing and suppression53:10 - Hopes for the new year54:25 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Robert Royal (biography)@RobertSRoyalArchive of Dr. Royal's columns at The Catholic ThingCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Note on the morality of using some anti-COVID-19 vaccines” (December 21, 2020)United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church” (November 2021)General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops, Synod 2021-2023Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes (July 16, 2021)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In the summer of 2020, when protestors called for removing statues of St. Louis IX, many Catholics found themselves asking “How dare they?”, followed by “Wait, who's St. Louis again?”In this episode, we get re-acquainted with one of the great monarchs and saints of medieval Christendom.  Join us as we learn about Louis' partnership with the Church in “the business of the peace and the faith,” his legacy of striving to build a flourishing Christian society, and his lessons on the ultimate purpose of politics.  (By the end of the conversation, you'll want his statues to keep standing tall!)Our guest is Dr. Andrew Willard Jones, author of Before Church and State: A Study of Social Order in the Sacramental Kingdom of St. Louis IX.  Dr. Jones serves as an Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of the Catholic Studies program at Franciscan University of Steubenville.0:00 - Introduction2:30 - St. Louis 101 - sanctity in the office of King8:02 -  How the medievals understood sacred and secular (hint - it was better than we do)12:00 - St. Louis as passive observer or active architect of social order?21:05 - All the King's helpers24:55 - Medieval differentiation vs. modern equality30:20 - To offend the peace is to offend the faith34:15 - The common mission of the King and the Clergy37:30 - King and Pope as best buds41:35 - What about the average Joe in the Most Christian Kingdom?44:25 - Priests and magistrates at the King's Court - teamwork makes the dream work 47:00 - From Louis IX to Louis XIV and beyond - where did things go wrong?50:25 - The folly of viewing the Middle Ages through a modern lens53:25 - St. Louis' lessons and legacy for our times57:00 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Andrew Willard Jones (CV)Dr. Andrew Willard Jones, Before Church and State: A Study of Social Order in the Sacramental Kingdom of St. Louis IX(2017)Letter of Saint Louis IX to His SonColleen Schrappen, “St. Louis Archdiocese responds to calls to remove statue of city's namesake”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (June 29, 2020)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In this episode of Crown and Crozier, we learn just how far 21st century advocacy for women's rights and equality has drifted from the original philosophical and moral framework underpinning the women's movement.Our guest is Erika Bachiochi, author of the recent book "The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision." In her book, she revisits the seminal work of 18th century British philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft, who is widely regarded as one of the principal intellectual architects of what has come to be known as feminism.The book calls for a rediscovery of Wollstonecraft's understanding that both men and women are entitled to political freedom and equality on account of their shared capacity for reason, and that freedom and equality are not ends in themselves, but are means for pursuing the higher goods of virtue, wisdom, excellence, and service to God, family, and community.Over the course of this conversation, we explore a range of classic Wollstonecraftian themes, including valuing the work of the home more than the needs of the market, political self-government's presupposition of personal self-government, the importance of self-mastery as opposed to self-ownership, and the primacy of dependence over autonomy.Erika is a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, as well as a Senior Fellow at the Abigail Adams Institute, where she founded and directs the Wollstonecraft Project. In 2018, she was a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School. A self-styled "pro-life feminist," her areas of specialty include equal protection jurisprudence, feminist legal theory, Catholic social teaching, and sexual ethics.  0:00 - Introduction2:40 - Revisiting the vision of Mary Wollstonecraft7:35 - Rights, responsibilities, and virtues: a package deal10:15 - A flourishing society depends on personal self-government14:40 - The Godmother of feminism?16:45 - Christian influences on Wollstonecraft20: 15 - Wollstonecraft's take on great Catholic women21:55 - Is "pro-life feminism" really a thing?30:45 - The (d)evolution of feminism in the 21st century36:30 - Equal citizenship43: 35 - The impact of Ruth Bader Ginsburg47:20 - A response to RBG and alternative vision: Mary Ann Glendon50:45 - Transgender "rights" through a Wollstonecraftian lens53:15 - The family vs. the market - whose needs should prevail?56:25 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Erika Bachiochi (biography)@erikabachiochiErika Bachiochi, The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (2021)Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman(1792)Seneca Falls 1848 Women's Convention and Declaration of SentimentsMary Ann Glendon, Rights Talk (1991)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In this episode of Crown and Crozier, we chat with Vancouver Archbishop Michael Miller about his interaction with government on some of the most consequential issues of our day.Our conversation explores how public health restrictions on worship eventually induced the Archbishop to signal willingness for court action against the province of British Columbia. We also hear His Grace's thoughts on COVID vaccine mandates and their implications for our life in common.In addition, we look at some unique issues facing the local church in Vancouver, including the legacy of Canada's Indian residential school system as well as the contemporary model of Church-State partnership in public education.Archbishop Miller was appointed shepherd of the flock in Vancouver in 2009. Prior to that, he served as Secretary of the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education and in multiple senior administrative roles (including President) at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston, Texas.0:00 - Introduction4:10 - Speaking up to Caesar9:10 - Surely worship is "essential"?12:50 - Lessons from engaging civil authority during a pandemic18:20 - Canadian Bishops' take on COVID vaccines20:35 - Implications of vaccine mandates25:55 - Got division? Get charity29:00 - The history of residential schools34:10 - Ministering to Indigenous people36:30 - Rose Prince: the residential school student turned teacher38:45 - Apology from the Canadian Bishops43:05 - An audience with the Pope 46:10 - Reflections on Catholic education51:25 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Archbishop Miller's biography@archbmillerAgnieszka Ruck, “Archbishop prepared to take religious service ban to B.C. Supreme Court if necessary”, The BC Catholic (March 5, 2021)Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “CCCB Note on Ethical Concerns Related to Currently Approved COVID-19 Vaccines” (March 11, 2021)Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Note on the morality of using some anti-COVID-19 vaccines” (December 21, 2020)Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land” (September 24, 2021)Tristin Hopper, “While some cheer on the destruction of churches, First Nations pick up the pieces”, National Post (July 7, 2021)Diocese of Prince George (British Columbia), Rose Prince PilgrimagePlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

The COVID pandemic has impacted virtually all aspects of our day-to-day lives, including our life in the Church.How has the Church fared in navigating these impacts?  Has she distinguished herself in her response, including in relation to restrictions on accessing the sacraments, and to moral and ethical questions surrounding the COVID vaccines?  Has Church leadership made a compelling case that, pandemic or not, the laws of God will always supersede the laws of man?Joining us to help grapple with these questions is Philip Lawler, editor of Catholic World News and news director at CatholicCulture.org.  Author/editor of 10 books, his latest work is Contagious Faith: Why the Church Must Spread Hope, Not Fear, In A Pandemic. 0:00 - Introduction2:00 - Responding to COVID - a report card for the Church3:15 - The Church's singular mission, pandemic or no pandemic7:50 - First time for everything - Church doors shut by Church leaders10:00 - The lingering fog of COVID13:40 - Eucharistic coherence17:10 - "No communion, please" - public health officials overstep19:05 - To love thy neighbour is to evangelize21:00 - Moral concerns with COVID vaccines26:20 - Duty to lobby for ethical vaccines31:00 - Our parishes - all welcome?35:20 - Flashing the pass for Mass?37:25 - Reclaiming zeal for the Sacraments39:55 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Philip Lawler (bio) @PhilLawlerPhilip Lawler - Contagious Faith: Why the Church Must Spread Hope, Not Fear, In A PandemicDr. Jeff Mirus, “Following your conscience? 2. The COVID problem”Philip Lawler, “Vaccination and conscience: a challenge to Church authority” Marisa Iati, “Philadelphia becomes latest archdiocese to reject religious exemptions for vaccine mandates”Colorado Catholic Conference, “A letter from the bishops of Colorado on COVID-19 vaccine mandates” York Region Public Health, “COVID-19: Guidance for Places of Worship” [page 4]Gregory A. Smith,  “Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ” Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

In this episode, we focus our sights on two essential virtues: justice and religion.Justice is the virtue of granting to others that which is due to them. Religion ─ what St. Thomas Aquinas called “the virtue of virtues” ─ is the highest form of justice, insofar as it involves rendering to God that which is due to Him, placing our obligations to Him above all other duties, and thus ensuring the integrity of our social and political life in common.Our guest is Dr. Scott Hahn, President of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Dr. Hahn is a leading Catholic scholar and speaker, and is the author of 60 books, including the recent publication which we explore in depth in this interview ─ It is Right and Just: Why the Future of Civilization Depends on True Religion.0:00 - Introduction2:30 - Religion as "the virtue of virtues"12:30 - The public nature of religion21:35 -  Sanctifying secular society - our greatest patriotic duty and gift32:30 - Observing and consecrating the Sabbath42:25 - Worthy reception of the Sacraments48:10 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Scott Hahn and Brandon McGinley, It is Right and Just: Why the Future of Civilization Depends on True Religion (2020)Scott Hahn, The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth (1999)Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Him Only Shall You Serve” (paragraphs 2104 and 2105).Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

Ordained by God and gifted to man, both the Church and the Empire help human beings attain peace in this life and beatitude in the next.  So argued Dante Alighieri, the great Italian poet and author of the epic The Divine Comedy.With 700 years having passed since his death in 1321, this year has been branded as l'anno di Dante – “the year of Dante.”  Joining us to mark the occasion is Dr. Anthony Esolen, renowned translator of The Divine Comedy and Professor and Writer-in-Residence at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, New Hampshire. Our conversation with Dr. Esolen focuses on Inferno, the first installment in Dante's three-part masterpiece.  In our journey through the underworld, we examine several of the timeless themes explored by the Supreme Poet – rendering unto God and Caesar; the nature of authority and the consequences of its abuse; the virtue of neighbourliness; patriotism; and, above all, the boundless, beatific love of God, who grants us for all eternity that which we seek in this world.0:00 - Introduction3:45 - 2021: a year for reading Dante7:05 - Writing in the language of the people9:00 - Inferno as a meditation on love and beauty...oh, and it's about Hell, too13:00 - The complicated days of Dante: Emperors and Popes17:35 - Politics as family warfare in medieval Florence19:00 - Sweeping claims of papal authority in Boniface VIII's Unam Sanctam 22:25 - Excommunication and penance: the drama of Ambrose and Theodosius 25:00 - First stop in the underworld - hating thy neighbour in the (anti) city of Dis30:15 - The vision of Purgatory32:25 - Pursuing the Good without charity - a ticket to everlasting condemnation 37:40 - Punishment for the Pope who pimped out the Bride of Christ42:30 - Traitors to Church and Empire in the lowest circle: Judas, Brutus, Cassius 46:30 - The virtue of patriotism and its practice in exile49:30 - The Hundredfold: Songs for the Lord54:40 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Kevin J. Jones, “Why 2021 is the Year of Dante,” Catholic News Agency (January 21, 2021)Anthony Esolen (Wikipedia page) Dante Alighieri, Inferno (translated by Anthony Esolen)Pope Boniface VIII, Unam SanctamAnthony Esolen, The Hundredfold: Songs for the Lord  (2019)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)

On June 15, 1215, in the meadows of Runnymede just west of London, English nobles and clergy gathered to witness – and to compel – King John to place his seal on a document that enshrined the rights of the Church and of free men, and declared the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law. The name of this document was Magna Carta, the Great Charter of liberty.In his passionate and entertaining style, Dr. John Robson tells the story of this seminal moment in the history of democracy, the protection of human freedom, and the independence of the Church.Dr. Robson is a historian, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. Chief among his documentary titles is “Magna Carta: Our Shared Legacy of Liberty”, which is accompanied by a companion book of the same name.0:00 - Introduction3:00 - Magna Carta - a launchpad for 800 years of liberty7:40 - Genesis of the Magna Carta10:40 - Missionaries, stories of a dead Jewish carpenter and the conversion of Britain12:45 - Resisting One-Man Rule16:00 - The drama: Bad King John, Pope Innocent III and Archbishop Stephen Langton19:35 - The shadow of St. Thomas Becket's assassination22:20 - How can a prince be under the law?25:20 - The commoners have their say28:15 - The miracle of Magna Carta30:15 - Freedom for the Church32:20 - Freedom for all38:40 - Magna Carta and the New World45:20 - Carrying forward the legacy of Magna Carta49:15 - ConclusionIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting Crown and Crozier with a tax-deductible donation here:  DONATE  Documents/Websites referenced Magna Carta (English translation)Dr. John Robson“Magna Carta: Our Shared Legacy of Liberty” (Dr. John Robson documentary)Archbishop Stephen LangtonThe (remarkably unusual) tomb of Archbishop Stephen LangtonMagna Carta Day Act (Ontario)Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.Support the show (http://missionoftheredeemer.com/crownandcrozier/)