The Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture

Should children be allowed to have phones? How do digital devices impact children's development, play, social habits, and imagination? Auntie Leila tackles these pressing questions.Like Mother, Like DaughterThe Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family LifeSt. Gregory's PocketsTen Ways to Give Your Child the Gift of PurityImage:  Elly Verstijnen, "Three children looking at a running dog," 1932, RijksmuseumLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

In his new book, The Worst of Indignities: The Catholic Church on Slavery, Dr. Paul Kengor explores the Catholic Church's longstanding opposition to slavery, tracing papal documents back to before the New World was even discovered. In times of heightened tensions, it is more important than ever for Catholics to know and understand the Church's historical stance on this issue and to be able to refute false charges against her.Image: Samuel Jennings, Study For Liberty Displaying the Arts and Sciences, or The Genius of America Encouraging the Emancipation of the Blacks. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Purchase, Karen Buchwald Wright Gift, 2016.Learn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Leila Marie Lawler and Leila Miller discuss their critique of the popular TV show The Chosen and the danger of using it in religious education.Like Mother, Like DaughterThe Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family LifeLeilaMiller.net"Christology matters. Reject the false 'Jesus' of The Chosen" by Leila Miller"No, I will not be watching 'The Chosen'" by James BiesiadeckiLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Leila Lawler, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life (affiliate link)C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManDavid Clayton, The Way of Beauty: Liturgy, Education, and Inspiration for Family, School, and College (affiliate link)John Senior, The Restoration of Christian CulturePodcast Episode: Choosing Children's Books (and Movies)We want to hear from you:lmldblog@gmail.com philip.lawler@comcast.netLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Contrary to popular belief, the great St. Patrick was not the first missionary to bring the faith to Ireland. Connaught Marshner probed into the earliest roots of Irish Catholicism and found that, long before Irish monks sent missionaries around the world, monks from Egypt (!) brought the faith to Ireland.Learn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

God Has No Grandchildren:  A Guided Reading of Pope Pius XI's Encyclical Casti Connubii (On Chaste Marriage) – 2nd Edition  (affiliate link)Casti Connubii (On Chaste Marriage) Like Mother, Like Daughter Read This, Not That: Books on MarriageLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Join us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the eighth and final installment in a series of lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Image: Knights of Columbus by William Balfour-KerLibrary of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZC4-10131 (color film copy transparency)Learn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Join us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the seventh in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Image: Between Berlin and Rome by Wilhelm Scholtz-KladderadatschLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Join us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the sixth in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Image: The Storming of the Bastille by Jean-Pierre HouëlLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Links:Like Mother, Like Daughter Happy Despite ThemLeila Lawler, The Summa Domestica (affiliate link)Leila Lawler and David Clayton, The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home (affiliate link)Leila Miller's blog and website. Her books about divorce and marriage are Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speakand "Impossible" Marriages Redeemed: They Didn't End the Story in the MiddleOurSundayVisitor.com, "Vatican Releases Suggestions for Lengthier, Revamped Marriage Preparation"Intro: Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 10 in C major, K. 330 - III. Allegretto, performed by Vadim ChaimovichLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Join us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the fifth in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Image: The Council by Pasquale CatiLearn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

Stella Morabito spent more than a decade studying Soviet propaganda as a CIA analyst, sharpening her ability to recognize how powerful people and institutions seek to influence popular thoughts—and sometimes create popular fears. In this episode she talks with Phil Lawler about her new book, The Weaponization of Loneliness: How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence, Divide, and Conquer. Learn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press

The History of Christendom: An Eight-part Lecture SeriesJoin us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the fourth in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Learn more about the College: https://thomasmorecollege.edu/Explore the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture: https://restorationchristianculture.org/Thomas More College Press: https://press.thomasmorecollege.edu/Image: Richard the Lionheart on His Way to Jerusalem by James William Glass

The death of Pope Benedict XVI has drawn new attention to an old question: What was the real reason for his resignation? Join us for this fireside chat with Phil Lawler, Senior Fellow and Program Director of the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture. To learn more about the Center, visit restorationchristianculture.org.

The History of Christendom: An Eight-part Lecture SeriesJoin us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the third in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Learn more about the College: https://thomasmorecollege.edu/Explore the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture: https://restorationchristianculture.org/Thomas More College Press: https://press.thomasmorecollege.edu/Image: Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: Destruction

Troubled by the ample evidence of a moral decline in the United States, some Catholic thinkers trace the problem to what they see as a fatal flaw in the American Founding: a reliance on the philosophical principles of the Enlightenment. Robert Reilly, the author of America on Trial, disagrees. He argues that the political ideas of the Founders are compatible with—and indeed derived from—the tradition of respect for Reason and Revelation, Church and State, developed by Catholic philosophers of the Middle Ages.Robert Reilly is Director of the Westminster Institute. In his twenty-five years of government service, he served as Special Assistant to the President and as Director of the Voice of America, was Senior Advisor for Information Strategy to the Secretary of Defense, and taught at National Defense University. Learn more about the College: https://thomasmorecollege.edu/Explore the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture: https://restorationchristianculture.org/Thomas More College Press: https://press.thomasmorecollege.edu/Image: The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull

The History of Christendom: An Eight-part Lecture SeriesJoin us as renowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce, this year's St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies, lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.This is the second in a series of eight lectures given by Joseph Pearce. This series is presented by Thomas More College of Liberal Arts together with the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture.Learn more about the College: https://thomasmorecollege.edu/Explore the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture: https://restorationchristianculture.org/Thomas More College Press: https://press.thomasmorecollege.edu/

Like Mother, Like Daughter blog Leila Lawler, The Summa Domestica Leila Lawler and David Clayton, The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide for Praying in the Home Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy  (the chapter on music is excerpted here)C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManJoseph Pieper, Leisure: The Basis of CultureJoseph Pieper, The Four Cardinal VirtuesCarlo Cardinal Caffarra, “The Restoration of Man”: The centrality of conscience and how it is related to the virtue of Prudence

Phil talks with Samuel Gregg about his book The Next American Economy: Nation, State, and Markets in an Uncertain World, wherein he makes the case for the possibility of a vibrant future for “the world's biggest economy.” Samuel Gregg is Distinguished Fellow in Political Economy and Senior Research Faculty at the American Institute for Economic Research and a research fellow at the Acton Institute.

The Summa Domestica The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide for Praying in the Home "A Family-Friendly Guide to Sex Education" (my article in Crisis and a chapter in The Summa Domestica; not my title) "The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education within the Family" from The Pontifical Council for the FamilyDivini Illius Magistri by Pope Pius XI (Encyclical On Christian Education) "A Parent's Guide to Chastity Education" by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, D.D.  (This article is excellent. I advise caution with the books in the section of the bibliography labeled thusly: "For practical help in the teaching of chastity, parents may consult the following books...." The prudent parent will check the advice in any of the books against the substance of the article!)Image: Excerpt from School Time by Winslow Homer. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Phil Lawler presents an exploration of G.K. Chesterton's magnificent poem, Lepanto. The poem is is a dramatic recounting of the decisive battle that preserved European Christendom and inspired Pope St. Pius V to establish the feast day—also known as the feast of Our Lady of Victory. Phil Lawler discusses the importance of that decisive battle, explains the imagery of Chesterton's poem, and concludes his presentation with a recitation of the poem itself. This event was co-sponsored by the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture and Saint Benedict Abbey. Introduction by Abbot Marc Crilly.

The History of Christendom: An Eight-part Lecture SeriesPart I: The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three DimensionsRenowned Catholic author Joseph Pearce lectures on the history of Christendom based on his forthcoming book, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions (Ignatius Press). Each lecture will weave the tapestry of the centuries with the goodness of the saints, the wickedness of the worldly, and the beauty of great art.Click here to learn more.

Phil Lawler talks with political theorist Daniel Mahoney about his new book, The Statesman as Thinker— a book that portrays some of the most thoughtful political leaders of the ancient (Cicero) and modern (Churchill, DeGaulle) worlds.

How to use Volume Two of Leila Marie Lawler's Summa Domestica as a little homeschool retreat before the start of the new academic year.The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life (affiliate link)The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home (affiliate link)Like Mother, Like Daughter Happy Despite ThemWhat is the Like Mother, Like Daughter Library Project? Intro: Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 10 in C major, K. 330 - III. Allegretto, performed by Vadim Chaimovich

Description: Should Americans give unlimited support to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression? Is US involvement in the war justified? The rich Catholic tradition of teaching on justice in warfare provides a way to focus attention on the key questions involved. 

The Soul of the Apostolate (affiliate link)The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home (affiliate link)The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life (affiliate link)Like Mother, Like DaughterHappy Despite ThemBeauty Will Save the NeighborhoodIntro: Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 10 in C major, K. 330 - III. Allegretto, performed by Vadim Chaimovich

Phil Lawler talks with Jeffrey Tucker, the founder and president of the Brownstone Institute, about his new book, Liberty or Lockdown. The Brownstone Institute was established in 2021, during the era of the Covid lockdown, to combat what its founder describes as “a fundamental misunderstanding alive in all countries around the world today, a willingness on the part of the public and officials to relinquish freedom and fundamental human rights in the name of managing a public health crisis.”  

Welcome to the The Home Truths Good Cheer Society with Leila Lawler!Like Mother, Like DaughterThe Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family LifeG. K. Chesterton: Tremendous TriflesMichael O'Brien:  A Landscape with Dragons: The Battle for Your Child's Mind Intro: Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 10 in C major, K. 330 - III. Allegretto, performed by Vadim Chaimovich

Father Gerald Murray, a priest of the New York archdiocese and regular member of the “Papal Posse” featured on ETWN, speaks with his new book: a conversation with journalist Diane Montagna, entitled Calming the Storm: Navigating the Crises Facing the Catholic Church and Society. 

Restoration of Culture begins in the home. Leila Marie Lawler provides a brief overview of the privilege of woman as the heart of her family as well as its manager, and plunges into a practical survey of the arts and tactics of being reasonably prepared for disruptions and outright attacks, without losing peace. Links:Like Mother Like DaughterThe Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family LifeLeila on InstagramThe Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the HomeLittle Mother Prevents Big BrotherIntro: Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 10 in C major, K. 330 - III. Allegretto, performed by Vadim Chaimovich

In his latest “Book of the Month” podcast, Phil Lawler speaks with Michael Warren Davis, the author of The Reactionary Mind.

Shortly after the election of Pope Francis, reports circulated about a group of influential cardinals who had worked for years toward the election of a liberal Pontiff, and seized their opportunity at the 2013 conclave. Julia Meloni speaks to Phil Lawler about her book, The St. Gallen Mafia, a thorough and balanced investigation of the group and its efforts. 

What is Creation and how is it different from “the environment”? What does this difference say about the environmentalism and climate alarmism of our time? Renewing our contemplation and comprehension of Creation is of the utmost importance, “for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator” (Ws 13:5). In the end, environmentalism founded on a faulty understanding of creation will always fall short, for only Love can sustain sustainability.

During the Covid crisis, the assertion of sweeping new government powers should force Americans to confront a disturbing trend: With increasing frequency, the political decisions that affect our lives most dramatically are made not by the people, nor by their elected representatives, but by unelected bureaucrats. How can the rise of the administrative state be reconciled with the Founders' vision of a government of the people? How can sweeping executive orders be justified in “a government of laws, not of men?” And if the trend toward bureaucratic control undermines our form of government, how can it be reversed?

Do you know why Christmas trees are decorated with tinsel? Raymond Arroyo has retold the old Christian legend— a lovely, unusual story-- in his new book, The Spider Who Saved Christmas. Arroyo, best known as the host of EWTN's “The World Over” broadcasts, explains why he takes special satisfaction from writing fiction, and especially books aimed for children— and for parents who read to their children. 

Last year the sudden death of Rev. Paul Mankowski, SJ, deprived the Catholic world of a brilliant scholar and writer— but for unfortunate reasons, one whose work was not widely known. His old friend George Weigel has collected some of Father Mankowski's essays in a new book, Jesuit at Large. Weigel and Phil Lawler (another old friend) reflect on the sadly stunted career of a faithful priest whose remarkable intellect was matched by his bold determination to tell the truth. 

Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, and among the most world's most prominent and articulate defenders of the traditional Latin liturgy.Born under Communism— to parents living in the gulag— Bishop Schneider speaks from experience about how to preserve the faith against hostile forces, and he argues persuasively that in our times, the most dangerous hostile forces are inside the Church.Bishop Schneider has written a new book, The Catholic Mass: Steps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy, which is coming soon from Sophia Institute Press. During a visit to the publisher's offices in New Hampshire, he made time to celebrate Mass on the campus of Thomas More College and later to speak with Phil and Leila Lawler.

How did the earliest Christians spread the faith? Mostly by forming friendships; in an important sense, evangelization means making friends. Author Mike Aquilina talks about his new book, Friendship and the Fathers, in which some of the giants of the early Church explain, in their own words, what true friendship entails. 

Dr. Robert Royal gives a public lecture in honor of Dante Alighieri's life and legacy.For 700 years, the Divine Comedy has inspired scholars young and old, inside and outside of the classroom. Dr. Royal is the President of the Faith & Reason Institute, the First St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair of Thomas More College, and a master Dante scholar.

This month, Phil Lawler interviews John Gavin about his book Mysteries of the Lord's Prayer: Wisdom from the Early Church.

This month, Phil Lawler interviews Leila Lawler about the second edition of her book God Has No Grandchildren.

This month, Phil Lawler interviews Austin Ruse about his new book, Under Seige: No Finer Time to Be a Faithful Catholic. Austin Ruse has spent twenty-four years as a writer and Christian leader, garnering awards from a wide variety of Catholic organizations for his work fighting the Culture of Death. He has provided commentary for media outlets such as EWTN and American Family Radio and is a three-time author. Pictured here with his wife, Cathy, and two daughters, the co-founder of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast and long-time president of the U.N.-accredited Center for Family & Human Rights (C-Fam) works in Washington, D.C.

This month, Phil Lawler interviews Dr. Michael Pakaluk about his new translation of the Gospel of John.

This month, Joshua Mitchell, author of American Awakening, explains his argument that “identity politics” is a religious issue. Much like pagan peoples, today's activists search for scapegoats to blame for the ills in society. The Christian understanding— now all but forgotten— is that we all bear some responsibility for the evil in the world, which can only be overcome in Christ.

This month, Robert Reilly, author of America on Trial, defends the Founding Fathers against contemporary critics who say that their experiment in republic government was based on Enlightenment thinking— and thus on a rejection of Christianity. On the contrary, Reilly maintains, the Founding was based on philosophical principles that harken back to ancient Greece and Jerusalem: principles that were further developed by Catholic thinkers in the Middle Ages.Robert R. Reilly is Director of the Westminster Institute. He has been on the board since its founding. In his 25 years of government service, he has taught at National Defense University (2007), and served in the Office of The Secretary of Defense, where he was Senior Advisor for Information Strategy (2002-2006). He participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 as Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of information. Before that, he was director of the Voice of America, where he had worked the prior decade. Mr. Reilly served in the White House as a Special Assistant to the President (1983-1985), and in the U.S. Information Agency both in D.C. and abroad. In the private sector, he spent more than seven years with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, as both national director and then president. He was on active duty as an armored cavalry officer for two years, and attended Georgetown University and the Claremont Graduate University. He has published widely on foreign policy, the “war of ideas”, and classical music.

This lecture was originally delivered by Dr. Amy Fahey in May of 2019. Amy Fahey holds a doctorate in English and American Literature from Washington University in St. Louis where she was the recipient of the prestigious four-year Olin Fellowship. A Rhodes Scholar semi-finalist, Dr. Fahey received a B.A. in English from Hillsdale College and an M.Phil. in Mediaeval Literature from the University of St. Andrews. She was awarded a Richard M. Weaver Fellowship for graduate studies and an Earhart Fellowship for work on her dissertation, Heralds and Heraldry in English Literature, c. 1350 – 1600. Dr. Fahey has also studied Renaissance Literature and Paleography at the Folger Shakespeare Institute in Washington, D.C. In addition to editing several book manuscripts, Dr. Fahey has served as Managing Editor of the journal Faith & Reason and has directed numerous conferences for the non-profit foundation, Liberty Fund, Inc. Before coming to Thomas More College, she taught courses at Washington University and Christendom College; her teaching interests include the literature of the Middle Ages (particularly Anglo-Saxon and medieval spiritual literature), writing and rhetoric, and modern poetry. Dr. Fahey served as Director of Academic Development for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, an educational foundation. A homeschooling mother of five children, Mrs. Fahey is the wife of Thomas More College President Dr. William Fahey. She is an enthusiastic flautist and pianist, and in addition to her academic pursuits, enjoys gardening, knitting, and sewing, when time permits.

Phil Lawler interview  Robert Royal, the inaugural St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies at Thomas More College.Robert Royal is the founder and President of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C. and Editor-in-Chief of The Catholic Thing (www.thecatholicthing.org)  His books include: 1492 And All That: Political Manipulations of History, Reinventing the American People: Unity and Diversity Today, The Virgin and the Dynamo: The Use and Abuse of Religion in the Environment Debate, Dante Alighieri in the Spiritual Legacy Series, The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive Global History, The Pope's Army, and The God That Did Not Fail. His most recent book is A Deeper Vision: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition in the Twentieth Century.Dr. Royal holds a B.A. and M.A. from Brown University and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Catholic University of America. He has taught at Brown University, Rhode Island College, and The Catholic University of America. He received fellowships to study in Italy from the Renaissance Society of America (1977) and as a Fulbright scholar (1978). From 1980 to 1982, he served as editor-in-chief of Prospect magazine in Princeton, New Jersey.

This month, Ralph Martin, author of A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, explores the confusion and demoralization that afflicts Catholicism today because of a lack of clarity on fundamental doctrinal matters. He explains why— despite the severity of the crisis— he remains hopeful for the future. Ralph Martin holds an MA in Theology from Sacred Heart School of Theology in the Archdiocese of Detroit, a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (the “Angelicum”) in Rome. Ralph is president of Renewal Ministries and the host of The Choices We Face, a weekly Catholic television and radio program distributed throughout the world.Ralph is director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization, and a professor, at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He also serves as a visiting professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Pope Benedict XVI named him consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization.Ralph is the author of a number of books, the most recent of which are The Urgency of the New Evangelization: Answering the Call; The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints, and Will Many Be Saved? What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization. He and his wife Anne have six children and fifteen grandchildren and reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Phil Lawler interview Edward Pentin about his new book, The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates.Edward Pentin is the Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register. He has reported on the Holy See and the Catholic Church for a number of other publications including Newsweek, Newsmax, Zenit, The Catholic Herald, and The Holy Land Review.