The Curious Catholic Podcast

We've made it to the heights of the Empyrean—Heaven—with Dante and Beatrice. Surprisingly, we are met at this late stage by yet another guide, Bernard of Clairvaux.   With Bernard we will praise the Blessed Mother, all the while preparing ourselves for the vision of God enjoyed by the blessed in Paradise. This vision—all too much for human language and craft to communicate—is masterfully envisioned by Dante the poet. We see Heaven as an unfolded rose bloom. The Trinity is glimpsed in its Triune Glory. The image of the human person is centered, incarnationally, at the heart of the mystery that is God. At last our journey that began in the dark wood comes to its culmination, where our sight will lose its power, but we will otherwise turn "with the Love that moves the sun and all the other stars."My companion is Paul Camacho, Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor of Philosophy in the Humanities Department at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. Join us for this last installment of our nine part series on Dante's Divine Comedy. Links to the previous eight episodes can be found below. Links:The Paradiso by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityDante Series, No. 1Dante Series, No. 2Dante Series, No. 3Dante Series, No. 4Dante Series, No. 5Dante Series, No. 6Dante Series, No. 7Dante Series, No. 8www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

In this installment, we continue ascending with Beatrice and Dante through his "Paradiso." At the outset we find ourselves upon the Sun, encountering two 13th-century theological masters: Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure. Interestingly they each courteously sing the praise of the other's spiritual father. Thomas the Dominican celebrates Francis of Assisi, while Bonaventure the Franciscan lauds Dominic.Within these odes of praise, we encounter deep theological truths about the human person and the person before God. Not only this, but we consider the vigilance needed to preserve the Church's purity of mission and her ability to fulfill it.Next we witness the joyous anticipation of the souls of the blessed as they but hear mention of being reunited with their bodies at the resurrection of the dead. With this we consider the essential nature of our embodiment and why we shouldn't conceive of heaven as some ethereal abode intended for disincarnate human spirits. Rather, we can rejoice with the souls of Paradise at the thought of our embodiment, the Incarnation, and the firm hope in our own eventual resurrection. This is our second of three installments on Dante's "Paradiso." My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. Links:The Paradiso by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2Lenten Dante Series, No. 3Lenten Dante Series, No. 4Lenten Dante Series, No. 5Lenten Dante Series, No. 6Lenten Dante Series, No. 7www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Now having ascended the heights of Mt. Purgatory, we are propelled by our love and desire into the Heavens as we enter the realm of Paradise with Dante and Beatrice, his guide.In this episode, we consider what Dante is up to in his imaginative conceiving of Heaven, some general themes of the Paradiso, and how we are meant for glory, both God's and our own.Then we consider the nobility of our freedom and the paradoxical way we voluntarily constrict it with vows and promises,  though only so that we can love more radically and fully. This is our first of three installments on Dante's "Paradiso." My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. Links:The Paradiso by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2Lenten Dante Series, No. 3Lenten Dante Series, No. 4Lenten Dante Series, No. 5Lenten Dante Series, No. 6www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Having moved beyond the obstacle that is pride, we now continue our journey up Mt. Purgatory. To aid our ascent and understanding, Virgil discourses on the nature of love, how we are by nature lovers, and how our love can go awry. That is, how it is that we sin. Before long, though, we get swept along--with Dante and his guide--by a bustling pack of the slothful who are making up for wasted time and lazy love. Ultimately, we make it to Eden, the Earthly Paradise. Here we meet the lady Beatrice; beautiful and stern. This also means that our time with Virgil has come to an end, and before we realize it, he is gone. Beatrice will help us make our final preparations for our launch into Paradise. She brings Dante to the point of true sorrow for his sin, separating himself from all his waywardness. He will again be cleansed in the waters, and is pierced through by the beauty of Beatrice's smile, being as it is a manifestation of God's glory. This is our third and final installment on Dante's "Purgatorio." Our next episode will appear in the Easter season, and fittingly, in Dante's "Paradiso."My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. Links:The Purgatorio by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2Lenten Dante Series, No. 3Lenten Dante Series, No. 4Lenten Dante Series, No. 5www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Having washed off the soot of Hell, it's time to enter Purgatory. But not without humbling ourselves at Peter's Gate. The door is readily opened, we just have to humble ourselves before the angel guarding the way, expressing our contrition and sorrow for sin. Once on the inside, it's time to make our crooked loves straight. The first to uncrook is our pride. The purgation isn't easy. Here we find the proud bowed low under boulders fit to the pride they carried through life. These souls know the good of their labor, though. And in these cantos we find ourselves rightly reprimanded for the pride we in this life allow to stiffen our necks, denying the common stock of humanity. Fear not, though. Our steps will become all the more swift as we make our ascent to the heights of Mt. Purgatory. My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. If you have any questions or comments you'd like us to address in a future recording in this series, please send your thoughts along to matt@curiouscatholicpodcast.comLinks:The Purgatorio by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2Lenten Dante Series, No. 3Lenten Dante Series, No. 4www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

The good news is that we've made it out of Hell. The even better news is that we are now ready to begin our ascent of Mount Purgatory. In this episode we join Dante and Virgil by the sea, taking in the fresh air,  the birdsong, and the warmth of the sun. We can breath free and deep. But we can't remain content with where we stand, we must begin our journey upward. To do this we must first meet Cato, something of a guardian of the path toward Purgatory's peak. We then also must wash away the residue of the Inferno, experiencing the cleansing waters of God's life-giving mercy. We can then turn our newly washed faces upward to the heights, ready to relinquish the sinful tendencies that remain within the soul. My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. If you have any questions or comments you'd like us to address in a future recording in this series, please send your thoughts along to matt@curiouscatholicpodcast.comLinks:The Purgatorio by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2Lenten Dante Series, No. 3www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Not that we've made our way through the Gates of Hell, today in our Lenten Dante Series we consider with Dante and Virgil the chosen fate of the denizens of the Inferno. This also happens to be a way for us to face, uncomfortably, the hellish tendencies hiding within ourselves. More specifically, in this episode we visit those characterized by their attachment to carnal sins--sins of the flesh--especially those swept along by their lust. We then move downward, looking at those more serious sins of the will, in particular those of flattery, manipulation, and treachery.This all takes us down to the very depths of Hell. To the icy sea devoid of love, movement, and hope. Here resides the Emperor of the Inferno, forever weeping, forever gnawing on those three famous traitors, Brutus, Cassius, and Judas.Fear not, though, after having undergone the downward spiral of Hell, we're now ready to ascend Mount Purgatory, buoyed by hope and desire. But that's for next episode. My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read. If you have any questions or comments you'd like us to address in a future recording in this series, please send your thoughts along to matt@curiouscatholicpodcast.comLinks:The Inferno by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1Lenten Dante Series, No. 2www.paulcamacho.com"Will This Be On the Exam?"Support the show

Today we continue our Lenten journey through Dante's Divine Comedy as we approach the Gates of Hell, which bear the famous and harrowing inscription: "THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE CITY OF WOE, THROUGH ME THE WAY TO EVERLASTING PAIN, THROUGH ME THE WAY AMONG THE LOST . . . ABANDON ALL HOPE, YOU WHO ENTER HERE."Now, we among the living, along with Dante the pilgrim in the story, need not leave hope at the door. But, we do get a look in the Inferno at the reality of sin and its distorting effects. And in seeing this, we have all the more impetus to change our lives, to allow the transforming mercy of God to permeate our being. More specifically, in this episode we consider and then pass through the Gates of Hell on our way to an encounter with a group of the damned we might refer to as the "Neutrals."My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also writes a weekly newsletter, "On the Exam," which is well worth the read. If you have any questions or comments you'd like us to address in a future recording in this series, please send your thoughts along to matt@curiouscatholicpodcast.comLinks:The Inferno by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia UniversityLenten Dante Series, No. 1www.paulcamacho.com"On the Exam"Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Come join us on a Lenten journey through Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, one of the most celebrated works in the Catholic imagination, and for all of us, an invitation to spiritual transformation.This first installment finds us, with Dante, waking in a Dark Wood, midway in our life's journey. Unaware as to how we arrived there, we seek the way forward, fearful, though not without some semblance of hope. Turned back from the path forward by our own sins and failings, with Dante we find ourselves in need of aid and a guide. Enter Virgil, the ancient poet, who will guide Dante and ourselves through the harrowing sights of Hell, and then upward toward the hope and transformation of Purgatory.In this series, we will read Dante's great work as one of spiritual honesty and transformation, perfect for the season of Lent. Our plan is to release a weekly episode through Lent and on into Easter, journeying with Dante down through Hell, up Mount Purgatory, and then onward to the heights of Paradise.My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University.  He also write a weekly newsletter, "On the Exam," which is well worth the read.  Join us. Links:The Inferno by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert HollanderThe Digital Dante from Columbia Universitywww.paulcamacho.com"On the Exam"St. Augustine on the Big Screen: Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" as Augustinian Confession with Paul Camacho, Ph.D. (Ep. 8)Support the show

We've recently been considering briefly some of the contemporary Catholic poetry scene by conversing with poet A. M. Juster, and the Editor-in-Chief of Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, Mary Ann Miller. Today we'll wrap up this three-part series by speaking with poet Jane Greer, whose new collection of poems, titled Love Like a Conflagration, is a must-read, and I don't throw that phrase around loosely.  Jane founded the Plains Poetry Journal, a quarterly literary magazine, in 1981, and edited it until 1993. Her poems have been found in numerous publications over the years, including Yale Literary Magazine, First Things, America, Chronicles and Modern Age. Her already mentioned new collection of poems, Love Like a Conflagration, was published this year by Lambing Press. There's a link to the book in today's show notes, along with some links to two of the poems included in Jane's volume. Be sure to go through and take a look.LINKS:Love Like a Conflagration by Jane GreerJane Greer on Twitter"Micha-el" by Jane Greer"Old Dog" by Jane GreerJane Greer on Wikipedia "The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty" by Joseph RatzingerSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

We recently had an episode featuring a discussion with award-winning poet A. M. Juster. In it we discussed his new collection of poems, titled Wonder and Wrath, as well as the craft of poetry in general.We'll continue this theme today as we get to know Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, which, as the journal's title suggests, is an annual publication dedicated to poems written within the Catholic sacramental vision of the world, with all its breadth, depth, and universality.We'll get to know the journal by speaking with its Editor-in-Chief Mary Ann B. Miller. In addition to editing Presence, Mary Ann is professor of English at Caldwell University in Caldwell, NJ, and editor of St. Peter's B-list: Contemporary Poems Inspired by the Saints published by Ave Maria Press. Links:Presence: A Journal of Catholic PoetryPresence on Instagram Mary Ann B. Miller, Editor-in-Chief of PresenceSt. Peter's B-list: Contemporary Poems Inspired by the Saints, edited by Mary Ann B. MillerSupport the show

As we look forward to the end of this week, we see Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, and I don't know about your neighborhood, but mine is marked by all sorts of spooky sights, decorations and what have you. It's become commonplace this time of year to conjure ghoulish scenes meant to give one a sense of the eerie, or fire the latent gothic imaginations of both young and the not so young. And what's a Catholic to think of all this? Some embrace it wholesale, though with little sense of its place in the Catholic imagination. Others reject out of hand seeing it as trading in the dark arts. And yet neither of these responses are adequate or satisfying. We can't ignore the whole of human experience and be authentically Catholic, and within that we have to have at least some account of the spooky, spectral, and potentially sinister things that go bump in the night. And so in this episode we'll look at the ways in which St. Augustine considered the demonic in his life and work. Helping us do so is Seamus O'Neill, who is Associate Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at The Memorial University of Newfoundland. His main philosophical interests are Ancient and Medieval Philosophy generally, Metaphysics, and the Philosophy of Religion. His current research deals with St. Augustine and other thinkers such as Plotinus, Boethius, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Bonaventure and their relation to the Neoplatonic tradition, specifically concerning the question of human and divine mediation. He is co-editor of Neoplatonic Demons and Angels and has published articles and book chapters on figures such as St. Augustine, Boethius, St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dante, and on the history of Platonic thought, demonology, the problem of evil, and the relation between ancient and scholastic thought and contemporary philosophical trends. Currently, he is writing a book-length manuscript on the results of this research while working on the demonology of St. Thomas Aquinas and its philosophical import. Dr. Seamus O'Neill, Ph.D.Neoplatonic Demons and Angels, co-edited by Seamus O'NeillSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

"The aim of poetry is to awaken us to a fuller sense of our own humanity in both its social and individual aspects. . . . Poetic language . . . is holistic and experiential. Poetry simultaneously addresses our intellect and our physical senses, our emotions, imagination, intuition, and memory without asking us to divide them."-Dana Gioia, "Poetry as Enchantment"This episode begins a short run devoted to poems and the poets that pen them. As I've confessed before recording with a few recent guests, I myself don't "speak poetry," that is, I don't have all the technical terminology or conceptual capacities as might a seasoned reader, teacher, or practitioner of the craft. Nonetheless, I do read poetry, and have always had an intuitive sense of its high worth. And there is something of an advantage to being a truly amateurish reader of the art form, namely, I'm not encumbered or weighed down with unnecessary and cumbersome jargon or analytical preoccupations. Also, without fail, these guests have communicated how poetry is meant for the many, how it should speak to everything in our experience from the mundane to the sacred, or even how within the mundane lies the sacred. And so, I'm very happy to introduce my guest for this episode, A. M. Juster, an award-winning and highly regarded poet, translator, and critic. His most recent books include John Milton's The Book of Elegies, Saint Aldhelm's Riddles, and Sleaze & Slander. His first book of original poetry, The Secret Language of Women, won the Richard Wilbur Award. And he has also won the Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award on three separate occasions. Juster has a new book of verse just recently published, titled Wonder and Wrath, from Paul Dry Book, which you can find by clicking through today's show notes. Here he is talking about what got him writing poetry.LinksWonder and Wrath by A. M. JusterA. M. Juster's websiteSaint Aldhelm's Riddles, translated by A. M. Juster"Regard the Scuttlebutt as True" by Paul Mariani, First Things, June 2010. An essay revealing the dual lives of A. M. Juster, as well as providing an introduction to his poetry"The Riddle of Why Literary Riddles are Overlooked" by A. M. Juster, Athenaeum Review, Summer 2020"Poetry as Enchantment" by Dana GioiaSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

"I look up at your heavens, shaped by your fingers,At the moon and the stars you set firm—What are human beings that you spare a thought for them,Or the child of Adam that you care for him?"Psalm 8This psalm is surely not the only time we find a biblical author marveling at the mystery of man. Wondering as to what exactly the human person is, and why it is that God the Creator would pay us a moment's notice. And surely it isn't just the authors of Sacred Scripture that have expressed their perplexity when considering what it is that we are; philosophers, poets, stand-up comics, all have ruminated over what exactly we are, why it is that we are so like the other animals, yet how it is also the case that there are aspects of our nature that are radically beyond these other creatures. Addressing our nature, the Catechism of the Catholic Church phrases matters in this way:"The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual. . . . The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the 'form' of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature." (Nos. 362 and 365)My guest today, on board to discuss all of this in expert fashion, is Thomas Ward. Tom is a professor of philosophy at Baylor University, and has degrees in Philosophy and Theology from UCLA and Oxford, respectively. His doctoral dissertation was written on the topic we discuss in this episode, namely, the thought of John Duns Scotus on the topic of hylomorphism, a conceptual framework that has informed much of Catholic thinking over the centuries on the nature of material reality, and the human being in particular. Tom's WebsiteDivine Ideas by Thomas M. Ward from Cambridge University PressJohn Duns Scotus on Parts, Wholes, and Hylomorphism by Thomas M. WardTom on InstagramJohn Duns Scotus t-shirt designed by the Curious Catholic PodcastSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

"WHY DID THE INCARNATION OCCUR?" If you were to ask many a Christian this question you'd get the answer: because of sin. To redeem us from our sin. But what if sin had not been committed? Would we have Jesus? Many would say with St. Augustine: "If man had not sinned, the Son of Man would not have come." What if, though, contrary to the just mentioned answer, there is an alternative, more persuasive account? Such that we could say, God intended the Incarnation not first as a response to sin, but first to will the glory of the Incarnate Word, as a way of becoming most intimately united to His creation, in turn glorifying this creation, and that in light of this we might say: "yes," If Adam had not sinned the Son would have become Incarnate.Guiding us through all of this today, especially as regards the thought of John Duns Scotus, but also Thomas Aquinas and quite a few others, is Justus Hunter, Assistant Professor of Church History at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH. He is the author of a recently released book that is the focus of today's episode, that volume being  If Adam Had Not Sinned: The Reason for the Incarnation from Anselm to Scotus.If Adam Had Not Sinned: The Reason for the Incarnation from Anselm to Scotus by Justus H. HunterJustus H. Hunter at United Theological SeminaryJustus on TwitterA Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by Fr. Maximilian Mary Dean, F.I.Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

This installment begins a short series of three episodes devoted to the life and work of the Franciscan, Blessed John Duns Scotus, a woefully under attended-to philosopher and theologian of the High Middle Ages. So we're going to try and remedy that in some small way here. Today we'll get something of an introduction to Duns Scotus by looking at some themes of his writing and thinking. We'll consider his working through the question of the Immaculate Conception, which at his time was a live and debated question. We'll also get a sense of him within the context of his Francsican way of life, with its particular emphasis on the experience of beauty. And there's no one better to start us off than today's guest, Sister Mary Beth Ingham, a Sister of St. Joseph, who is presently Professor of Philosophical Theology at the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, as well as Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. Sister Mary Beth has written a number of works on Duns Scotus and the Franciscan tradition, including the book we'll discuss today, Scotus for Dunces: An Introduction to the Subtle Doctor, as well as Understanding John Duns Scotus, and the related Rejoicing in the Works of the Lord: Beauty in the Franciscan Tradition. Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ, Professor of Philosophical TheologyScotus for Dunces: An Introduction to the Subtle Doctor by Mary Beth InghamUnderstanding John Duns Scotus by Mary Beth InghamRejoicing in the Works of the Lord: Beauty in the Franciscan Tradition by Mary Beth InghamFour Questions on Mary by John Duns Scotus, trans. Allan Wolter, O.F.M.Franciscan Institute PublicationsSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

"Well known is the motto that Newman formulated for himself as cardinal and placed in his cardinal's coat of arms: cor ad cor loquitur. With this motto Newman seems to say that he has always wanted to speak from the heart, and has always wanted to reach the hearts those whom he addressed. . . . [Newman] obviously does not neglect high-level intellectual communication. But he always sought to communicate at a deeper-than-intellectual level: heart to heart." --John F. Crosby, The Personalism of John Henry NewmanMy guest for today's episode is Dave Delio, President of The Newman Idea, a not-for-profit dedicated to teaching interdisciplinary courses which help students at public and private universities integrate their faith with their majors and careers. An Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Holy Cross, he remains firmly committed to higher education and developing in students a habit of integral knowing.  Dave also serves as board treasurer of the St. John Henry Newman Association. He completed his doctoral work at the Catholic University of America.What Dave and I discuss today is, in a way, very much in keeping with the Crosby quote from above. That is, the ways in which we exercise and are subject to personal influence. How ideas are best transmitted and enthusiasm elicited in the minds and hearts of others. How it is that we, as Newman says, “each receives and transmits the sacred flame.” In particular, we'll hear about Dave's encounter with John Henry Newman and the ongoing development of that relationship, despite a century in time separating us from Newman. Such things occur through the facilitation of others we come to know in the here and now. And so in this interview we'll also hear of those other individuals that have helped Dave's appreciation for, understanding of, and friendship with St. John Henry Newman.The Newman IdeaThe Newman Idea on TwitterThe Newman Idea on Facebook"An Aristocracy of Exalted Spirits": The Idea of the Church in Newman's Tamworth Reading Room by David Delio"Personal Influence, the Means of Propagating the Truth," by John Henry NewmanThe Personalism of John Henry Newman by John F. CrosbySupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

According to St. John Henry Newman, the human person is "his own centre . . . he has a depth within him unfathomable, an infinite abyss of existence."Today's episode centers around John Henry Newman and what can be called his personalistic thought. In other words, his reverence and appreciation for the human person in all its depth, richness, interiority, and openness onto the world and other persons. In the introduction to his 1969 study of the philosophical thought of John Henry Newman, Edward Sillem had the following to say:"As far as philosophy is concerned he was no Augustine, Aquinas nor Scotus in stature. His real work lay in other fields. But he stands at the threshold of the new age as a Christian Socrates, the pioneer of a new philosophy of the individual Person and Personal Life."Later Sillem adds,"It is not Newman alone who stands revealed in the great vision he imparts to his readers; Newman only seems to be revealing himself so as to reveal the reader to himself." My guests today are Jules and Katie van Schaijik, who met as undergrads at Franciscan University of Steubenville in the mid-eighties. From there they went on to study philosophy at the International Academy of Philosophy in Liechtenstein, focusing especially on the personalism of John Paul II, Dietrich von Hildebrand, and John Henry Newman. They left formal academia in 2005, but their interest in personalism and their desire to bring its insights into contact with the wider culture has continued. They have a website called the Personalist Project where you can learn more. They have five children and (so far) five grandchildren.Links:The Personalist Project"The Individuality of the Soul" by John Henry NewmanThe Personalism of John Henry Newman by John F. CrosbySupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Is the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception--dogmatically defined only in 1854--simply a pious superstition cobbled together by the Catholic mind? Or, thinking of the Eucharist, is the doctrine of Transubstantiation, a term found nowhere in Scripture, a corruption of gospel-purity by the medieval adoption of ancient Greek philosophical terminology and conceptualizations?Such questions draw the Catholic mind to the notion of the development of doctrine. Thinking in this way, we realize that the dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception was the culmination of a gradual unfolding toward greater fullness of our understanding of God's revelation. Similarly, Transubstantiation is understood as a helpful articulation and development of the Church's perennial belief in Christ's Eucharistic presence. And we can presume that even though someone like St. Paul never used the terms "Immaculate Conception" or "Transubstantiation," he nonetheless would have assented to them, seeing them as the result of the Church in history coming to understand more fully what God has lovingly revealed to his people. In his own time and manner, John Henry Newman devoted considerable care and attention to these questions and realities. His work on the development of doctrine has been one of the more impactful theological contributions of the past few centuries. More personally, his thinking on this matter had a significant part to play in his eventual departure from the Church of England and entry into the Catholic Church. Guiding us through Newman's ideas concerning the development of doctrine in this episode is Bud Marr, who is Director of the National Institute for Newman Studies and Associate Editor of the Newman Studies Journal. The National Institute for Newman Studies"An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine" by John Henry NewmanThe Newman Studies JournalBud MarrTo Be Perfect Is to Have Changed Often: The Development of John Henry Newman's Ecclesiological Outlook, 1845-1877 by Bud MarrSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

The newly canonized John Henry Newman is fascinating in many respects. One such feature of the interest he garners is his being Newman the Catholic convert. He was raised in an Anglican home, eventually becoming a well-known and highly influential clergyman in the Church of England. Yet, at the height of his influence and public notoriety, Newman came into communion with the Church of Rome, becoming a Catholic. He would in time be ordained a priest, bring the Oratorian religious community to English shores, and eventually be named a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII.So it is that one might wonder how Newman viewed other, non-Catholic Christians after his conversion. Given his keenness and subtlety of intellect and personality, Newman would refuse to turn his eye from the serious disagreements and differences between various branches and sects of Christians. He would at the same time also recognize and extol the good being done by other Christians, along with the sincerity and fervor of their faith.Giving us an idea of Newman's ideas and attitudes regarding other Christians--along with much more aside--is David Deavel, Ph.D., editor of the fantastic Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.  Dr. David Deavel, Ph.D. University of St. ThomasDr. David Deavel on Academia.eduLogos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture"Allies in a Time of Trouble: Newman on Other Christians" a talk by David Deavel at Anselm HouseSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

This episode is focused on grief. That is, loving and losing those whom we love, feeling acutely the absence of our beloved and the abiding ache to be reunited in fullness. We wonder: how is it that God--who we're told is love and the author of all beauty--would allow for such cause for mourning and sorrow?Today's episode looks at all this in reference to the life of St. Augustine and his mourning the death of three particular individuals in his life: a friend, his mother Monica, and his son, Adeodatus. The episode begins with my guest's own profound experience of loss and grief, and how the writings of Augustine shed some light on these oftentimes opaque mysteries. Joining the show today is Erika Kidd, Ph.D., who is Associate Professor of Catholic Studies and Director of the Graduate Program in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She studied philosophy, Latin, and great texts at Augustine College and Baylor University and received her Ph.D. in philosophy from Villanova University.Links:Erika Kidd on Academia.eduCatholic Studies Graduate Program at the University of St. Thomas"Loving and Losing: An Augustinian Meditation," a talk by Erika on YouTube"No Worst, There is None," by Gerard Manley HopkinsSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

This episode starts with a look at The Confession of Saint Patrick, written by the saint himself. While the whole work is well-worth the read, particular attention is given to three "moments": Patrick's prayer; a friend's betrayal and a "sin of his youth"; and his view of death and resurrection. This is only the quickest of looks, but I hope it gives you some motivation to read the book yourself. After this, the episode moves to a conversation between my wife and I about our honeymoon hike up the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick, known as the site of Patrick's famous forty-day fast. We end with a back-and-forth on the romantic merit's of "The Quiet Man," which stars John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, and is set in Ireland.I tried to have some fun with this episode. I hope you enjoy it.  Croagh PatrickThe Confession of Saint Patrick"The Quiet Man" starring John Wayne and Maureen O'HaraSupport the show

Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" is one of the most stunningly beautiful and heart-wrenching films I've ever seen. And it actually begins in silence; upon the black screen in white lettering are the following words from the Book of Job: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4, 7).These words of God to Job refocus Job's vision of existence, both his own and the whole of creation. And we the viewers of "The Tree of Life" are invited into just such a re-envisioning of how we view ourselves, and ourselves in relation to others, creation, and the Divine Cause of all goodness. After these biblical themes are introduced, over the next few hours, the film thrusts us through the grandness, grandeur and glory of existence, of reality. And this reality in almost every dimension and depth. Its glory, beauty and joy, though none of this as untouched by tragedy, sorrow, and the deep torments of living a truly human life. We find ourselves as viewers juxtaposed between the glory of the whole of creation and the particular joys and sorrows of human lives. Throughout the movie, we hear its characters address God, address that by which all this stands as possible. So one especially perceptive way of viewing the film, then, is as a sort of confession to God. A confession of both one's misdeeds and wrongness of thought and action, but also a confession of praise, gratitude and thanksgiving. It, then, can be seen as a very St. Augustine-like movie. Guiding us through this particular way of viewing "The Tree of Life" today is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Arthur J. Ennis Post-doctoral Fellow in the Humanities at Villanova University. Related Links:"What Was It You Showed Me?" - Perplexity and Forgiveness: The Tree of Life as Augustinian Confession by Paul CamachoPaul Camacho on Academia.edu"The Tree of Life" on IMDB"A Prayer Beneath the Tree of Life" by Roger EbertThe Confessions by St. AugustineSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

The focus of today's episode is St. Augustine's understanding of sin as self-sabotage, and why it is that we do the things we always ultimately regret and accuse ourselves of. Of course, in his life, Augustine comes to know the healing and rest found in the person of Christ, Incarnate, Crucified, Risen, and extended through his body, the Church.  Guiding us through all of this today is Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J., who is Associate Professor of Historical Theology as well as the Director of the Catholic Studies Centre at Saint Louis University; he is also the editor of Homiletic and Pastoral Review. Father earned his doctorate in Ecclesiastical History from the University of Oxford. He has published numerous books and articles on the early Church, and on Saint Augustine in particular. Today we'll be discussing his recently published book, Augustine On Self-Harm, Narcissism, Atonement and the Vulnerable Christ available from Bloomsbury Academic. On Self-Harm, Narcissism, Atonement and the Vulnerable Christ by Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J.Fr. Meconi's homepage, where you can find out more about his workThe Confessions by St. AugustineSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

This episode focuses on the ideal of community life expressed in the words of St. Augustine, that we be “one in mind and heart on the way to God.” Clearly this phrase finds its origin in the early Christian community witnessed in the Acts of the Apostles, but it also finds expression in a rule of life written by Augustine for men and women who have chosen to live together in community, and in this unity, set off together on pilgrimage toward the fullness that is God. The rule, though written for religious, is not just for monks, friars, and nuns. It can be for all of us. Though, ancient, it can aid us moderns in our pursuit of loving God and neighbor. Today I'll be speaking about all of this with Father Kevin DePrinzio, O.S.A., Ph.D., who is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University. Father and I sat down in his friary to talk of Augustine, his rule, community life, and what's to be done when we find that oneness of mind and heart difficult to achieve. Related Links:Father Kevin DePrinzio, O.S.A., Ph.D.The Rule of St. AugustineThe Augustinians of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova"The Curious Catholic Podcast" Patreon PageSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

Today we'll begin a couple week focus on St. Augustine. While Augustine is known by many a Catholic by name, it's my hope that over the next few episodes we can get to know him, his experience, and his thinking more fully.  This present episode will look at how Augustine was shaped, challenged, and deeply impacted by two particular women in his life. The first was his mother, Monica, that is, St. Monica. The name of the other woman has not reached us through history, but she and Augustine were in a long-term relationship for over a decade, and the two of them together had a son named Adeodatus. This period occurred prior to Augustine's baptism and the split that occurred between them, though initiated by Augustine, deeply pained him. The love of these two women proved to be profoundly formative of Augustine's life. And not only did the authenticity of their human love shape Augustine, it was in fact revelatory of divine love. God, in mysterious but perceivable ways, reached Augustine by way of these two women. Today I'll be speaking about all of this with Brother Bill Gabriel, who is presently in formation with the Augustinian Friars of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova. The Confessions, by St. AugustineThe Augustinians of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova"The Curious Catholic Podcast" Patreon PageSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

In the late-1920s, Edith Stein, having been Catholic for a handful of years, wrote a fictional dialogue between the philosophers Edmund Husserl and Thomas Aquinas. Stein had been a standout student of Husserl, even for a time serving as his assistant. Husserl was one of the most pivotal philosophers of the 20th-century, being credited as the founder of the school of philosophy known as phenomenology. Stein studied under Husserl during her period of youthful atheism, though she never remained closed to questions of God and religion. As her journey to and within Catholicism commenced and continued, the person and work of Thomas Aquinas took on real significance for Stein. So, it was with no small amount of personal interest that Stein fashioned this encounter between two of her teachers, Husserl and Aquinas. One of the more prominent topics Stein has these two thinkers wrestle with is that of the relationship between philosophy and theology, or natural and supernatural reason, as she phrases it. We might wonder, in this context, just how human reason relates to, receives, and ought to respond to that revealed by God. We might question whether or not God's revelation, accepted in faith, negates or runs contrary to the human exercise of reason. It might even be asked whether or not faith is an irrational phenomenon. In the course of the dialogue, and throughout that of this episode, it will be seen that Aquinas rejects this notion of faith and the relationship between the human and divine mind. What is present in Aquinas, and in the Catholic tradition in general, is a robust vision of reason and faith as being mutually beneficial, “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth,” as John Paul II puts it. In today's episode, I speak with Richard Bernier, from Concordia University in Montreal. Richard teaches at Concordia, as well as McGill University, from which he earned his Ph.D. Richard is devoted to his work with young people as a catechist and trained spiritual director in the Ignatian tradition. Be sure to check out today's show notes, where you'll find a link to an essay of Richard's that focuses on this dialogue written by Stein.Related Links:Knowledge and Faith by Edith SteinFides et Ratio: On the Relationship between Faith and Reason by Pope John Paul IIRichard Bernier, Ph.D.Richard's paper on Stein's dialogue"Husserl and Aquinas at the After Party," by Matthew Chominski Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

In this episode, we'll continue and bring to a close my conversation with Donald Wallenfang of Sacred Heart Major Seminary about Edith Stein's understanding of empathy and its central and essential place in human life. Before that, though, I want to take a quick bit of time to explain something of this podcast, what it's about and all. Essentially, I see each episode as part of a longer pilgrimage through the Catholic Imagination. That is, an exploration of the vision of reality, God, ourselves and others that has been shaped and developed over the centuries by that faith centered on the Incarnational revelation of the Triune God. I want this show to be part of that gradual movement toward greater fullness that is captured in the image of pilgrimage. As it is, then, I want to spend sustained time with the personalities and movements that have shaped this Catholic vision. So the idea of the show is to spend a couple episodes, spread over a number of weeks, with a particular person in the tradition. Of course, presently, we're focused on Edith Stein. In about two weeks we'll transition to St. Augustine. I want this show to, in its own small way, help unfurl the richness and depth found in the Church's past and present, this being done by focusing on the personalities that have given tangible expression to the joy and challenge of living in relationship with Christ and his Church. With that said, let's get to the final part of my discussion with Donald Wallenfang. I gave a more full bio. blurb last episode, but just as a short reminder, Donald is Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and is a Secular Discalced Carmelite. I very much recommend his book Human and Divine Being: A Study on the Theological Anthropology of Edith Stein available from Cascade Books. Links:1.    On the Problem of Empathy by Edith Stein2.    Essays on Woman by Edith Stein3.    Life in a Jewish Family by Edith Stein4.    Human and Divine Being: A Study on the Theological Anthropology of Edith Stein by Donald Wallenfang5.     Edith Stein: A Philosophical Prologue by Alasdair MacIntyre6.     Donald Wallenfang, Ph.D., OCDSSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

When it came time to select a topic for her doctoral dissertation in philosophy, the young Edith Stein eventually settled on the topic of empathy. Today, this work of hers can be read in English under the title, On the Problem of Empathy.In German, the word Stein uses for empathy is einfühlung, and it gives a sense of “inward feeling.” More than just a sympathetic awareness of the feelings and thoughts of others, empathy is understood as the very experience within ourselves of the experience of other persons. In a way, we bear within ourselves the life of the other, thus opening up the very possibility of interpersonal life. My guest on today's episode is Donald Wallenfang, Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Donald is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and received his Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago. Donald has written and edited numerous books, articles and essays, but today we discuss his work titled, Human and Divine Being: A Study on the Theological Anthropology of Edith Stein. Over the course of this interview, Wallenfang helps us see Edith Stein's understanding of empathy, how it contributes to our own selfhood, communal life, and our relationship with the completely Other, God.  Links:1.     On the Problem of Empathy by Edith Stein2.     Human and Divine Being: A Study on the Theological Anthropology of Edith Stein by Donald Wallenfang3.     Edith Stein: A Philosophical Prologue by Alasdair MacIntyre4.     Donald Wallenfang, Ph.D., OCDSSupport the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

My guest on today's episode is Sister Judith Parsons, IHM, Ph.D., a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Immaculata University. We begin by discussing the development of Sister's awareness of, and appreciation for, the life and work of Edith Stein. We then delve into Stein's work found in the collection, Essays on Woman. As you'll hear, Sister finds great richness in Stein's teaching on the human person's “ontic core,” that sphere of personal life that is completely private to the person and God alone. This core of the person unfolds and develops over the circumstances of life and the choices made by the person throughout a lifetime. Over the course of the interview, Sister emphasizes Stein's lifelong pursuit of truth--Truth, even--and how this aided Stein as she shaped her life into one of great integrity. Related Links:John Paul II's Apostolic Letter proclaiming Ss. Bridget of Sweden, Catherine of Siena, and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross Co-Patronesses of EuropeEdith Stein by Sarah BordenEssays on Woman by Edith SteinLife in a Jewish Family by Edith SteinSelf-Portrait in Letters, 1916-1942 by Edith SteinSister Judith Parsons, IHM, Ph.D.Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)

In a few short minutes I want to give you an idea of what the Curious Catholic Podcast is all about and what you can expect from it in the coming months. Really, what I want to do in this short episode is invite you to join me on a pilgrimage through the Catholic Imagination. On this pilgrimage, we will encounter the personalities, ideas, realities, and movements that have shaped the Catholic Vision. These would include people like Edith Stein and St. Augustine; John Henry Newman and Elizabeth Anscombe. Well-known figures like Galileo and lesser known ones such as Hildegard of Bingen.Because of their efforts, the Catholic vision, centered in the Incarnation, is one of beauty, truth, joy and depth of meaning. We find this vision expressed in meditations, poems, works of philosophy and theology, literature, and plays. We find this vision in ink and page, stone and glass, in all the manifold ways human ingenuity has conceived of expressing the deep joy of knowing Emmanuel, God-with-us.  The plan of the Curious Catholic Podcast is to focus on certain personalities within the Church's past and present, and in focusing on these personalities, we'll take in aspects of their work and lives and witness. To be more specific, in January of 2020, right at the start of the New Year, we'll have a month devoted to the life and work of Edith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross; the great 20th-century philosopher, convert to Catholicism, and eventual martyr of Auschwitz. Support the show (http://patreon.com/curiouscatholicpodcast)