The Good Catholic Life

Today's topics: The Last Show Summary of today's show: After more than 3 years and 750 shows, The Good Catholic Life has come to an end. Scot Landry and most of the team who have brought the show to our listeners each day come together to relive the best moments of the show, to talk about the impact of the show on them and on listeners, and on the future of Catholic radio in Boston, especially future local programming to pick up where The Good Catholic Life leaves off. Thank you to all our faithful listeners and supporters. May God bless you and may you have a Good Catholic Life. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Chip Hines, Michael Lavigne, and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Fr. Mark O'Connell, Stacia Morabito, Chris Kelley, and Rick Heil We'd also like to thank: Fr. Chris O'Connor, Fr. Matt Williams, George Martell, Anna Johnson, Karla Goncalves, Fr. Paul Soper, M.C. Sullivan, Gregory Tracy, Fr. Roger Landry, WQOM and The Station of the Cross, our listeners, and our colleagues and families who have been so supportive of our efforts.

Today's topics: New Springfield Bishop; John Paul Relic Visits Boston; Hispanic Ministry; Corpus Christi Summary of today's show: Our Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Dom Bettinelli, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry consider the headlines of the week, including the appointment of a new bishop for Springfield; a major relic of Pope St. John Paul II visiting Boston; a special honor for Pilar LaTorre of a symposium on Hispanic ministry; and the 750th anniversary of the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: A Special Message from Scot Landry as posted on : On Friday June 20, The Good Catholic Life will air its 750th new episode. Those of us who have collaborated on this new evangelization outreach consider it a great milestone. We are so grateful that so many Catholics have tuned in to hear The Good Catholic Life over these past 39 months to hear us interview Catholic leaders, promote Catholic events, discuss Catholic news, and share experiences living our Catholic faith. This 750th program will also be its last. Because of a tight budget situation at iCatholic Media, and also at the Archdiocese of Boston and at WQOM, there is no longer the funding for a producer for The Good Catholic Life. From the initial launch of The Good Catholic Life on Ash Wednesday 2011, it has been a partnership: WQOM provided the airtime, the Archdiocese provided space for the studio, benefactors paid for the cost of the equipment and studio wiring, and iCatholic Media paid for the salary of the show producer. The producer has been the MVP of our team, because he selects topics, invites guests, prepares materials for the hosts to read, develops a show schedule (typically six weeks out), technically engineers each show, and then distributes the podcast and show notes through email and social media. We've been blessed to have had two superb producers for The Good Catholic Life - first, Rick Heil, and now Dom Bettinelli. We accept the situation of the budget constraints and express gratitude for the funding and the partnership that has allowed 750 shows to be broadcast. All 750 episodes and podcasts for The Good Catholic Life will continue to be available on TheGoodCatholicLife.com. In July, Dom will be joining the staff at the Walpole/Sharon collaborative led by Father Chip Hines, host of our Friday shows. Dom and Father Chip hope to continue to chart a course of innovation in the use of media communication tools in the new evangelization. Catholic radio programming changes lives, as the many testimonials WQOM has received attest. Local programs like The Good Catholic Life have added a strong component to Catholic radio programming. Leaders of WQOM care deeply about local programming. We hope that through increased contributions to WQOM that it eventually will be able to fund new local programs, perhaps even a relaunch of The Good Catholic Life. The Good Catholic Life would never have been able to make the 750 episode milestone were it not for the commitment of so many: Fr. Chris O'Connor, Fr. Matt Williams, Susan Abbott, Fr. Mark O'Connell, Fr. Chip Hines, Michael Lavigne, Fr. Roger Landry, Gregory Tracy, George Martell, Karla Goncalves, Anna Johnson, Stacia Morabito and Rick Heil. All are invited to tune in for the final broadcast on June 20. Thank you so much for listening. Scot

Today's topics: Deacon Chris and Jen Connelly Summary of today's show: When a man becomes a permanent deacon, it's a calling not just for him, but also for his whole family. Scot Landry is joined by Deacon Chris Connelly and his wife, Jennifer, to discuss the life of a permanent deacon, how it affects their family life, and their life together that led to the call to the diaconate. They also give their advice to couples who may be considering this path and are discerning whether this is their call. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Deacon Christopher Connelly and Jennifer Connelly Links from today's show: A Special Message from Scot Landry as posted on : On Friday June 20, The Good Catholic Life will air its 750th new episode. Those of us who have collaborated on this new evangelization outreach consider it a great milestone. We are so grateful that so many Catholics have tuned in to hear The Good Catholic Life over these past 39 months to hear us interview Catholic leaders, promote Catholic events, discuss Catholic news, and share experiences living our Catholic faith. This 750th program will also be its last. Because of a tight budget situation at iCatholic Media, and also at the Archdiocese of Boston and at WQOM, there is no longer the funding for a producer for The Good Catholic Life. From the initial launch of The Good Catholic Life on Ash Wednesday 2011, it has been a partnership: WQOM provided the airtime, the Archdiocese provided space for the studio, benefactors paid for the cost of the equipment and studio wiring, and iCatholic Media paid for the salary of the show producer. The producer has been the MVP of our team, because he selects topics, invites guests, prepares materials for the hosts to read, develops a show schedule (typically six weeks out), technically engineers each show, and then distributes the podcast and show notes through email and social media. We've been blessed to have had two superb producers for The Good Catholic Life - first, Rick Heil, and now Dom Bettinelli. We accept the situation of the budget constraints and express gratitude for the funding and the partnership that has allowed 750 shows to be broadcast. All 750 episodes and podcasts for The Good Catholic Life will continue to be available on TheGoodCatholicLife.com. In July, Dom will be joining the staff at the Walpole/Sharon collaborative led by Father Chip Hines, host of our Friday shows. Dom and Father Chip hope to continue to chart a course of innovation in the use of media communication tools in the new evangelization. Catholic radio programming changes lives, as the many testimonials WQOM has received attest. Local programs like The Good Catholic Life have added a strong component to Catholic radio programming. Leaders of WQOM care deeply about local programming. We hope that through increased contributions to WQOM that it eventually will be able to fund new local programs, perhaps even a relaunch of The Good Catholic Life. The Good Catholic Life would never have been able to make the 750 episode milestone were it not for the commitment of so many: Fr. Chris O'Connor, Fr. Matt Williams, Susan Abbott, Fr. Mark O'Connell, Fr. Chip Hines, Michael Lavigne, Fr. Roger Landry, Gregory Tracy, George Martell, Karla Goncalves, Anna Johnson, Stacia Morabito and Rick Heil. All are invited to tune in for the final broadcast on June 20. Thank you so much for listening. Scot P.S. WQOM will begin airing Kresta in the Afternoons at 4pm on 6/23. We encourage you to continue to listening to Catholic radio during the 4pm hour.

Today's topics: Understanding Pope St. John Paul II Summary of today's show: Pope St. John Paul II was one of the greatest minds of history, not just the 20th century, and was a great philosopher and theologian. Dr. Richard Spinello joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor to discuss the saint's teachings, especially his personalist philosophy from before he was elected pope, most clearly found in the book “Love and Responsibility”. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Dr. Richard Spinello Links from today's show: A Special Message from Scot Landry as posted on : On Friday June 20, The Good Catholic Life will air its 750th new episode. Those of us who have collaborated on this new evangelization outreach consider it a great milestone. We are so grateful that so many Catholics have tuned in to hear The Good Catholic Life over these past 39 months to hear us interview Catholic leaders, promote Catholic events, discuss Catholic news, and share experiences living our Catholic faith. This 750th program will also be its last. Because of a tight budget situation at iCatholic Media, and also at the Archdiocese of Boston and at WQOM, there is no longer the funding for a producer for The Good Catholic Life. From the initial launch of The Good Catholic Life on Ash Wednesday 2011, it has been a partnership: WQOM provided the airtime, the Archdiocese provided space for the studio, benefactors paid for the cost of the equipment and studio wiring, and iCatholic Media paid for the salary of the show producer. The producer has been the MVP of our team, because he selects topics, invites guests, prepares materials for the hosts to read, develops a show schedule (typically six weeks out), technically engineers each show, and then distributes the podcast and show notes through email and social media. We've been blessed to have had two superb producers for The Good Catholic Life - first, Rick Heil, and now Dom Bettinelli. We accept the situation of the budget constraints and express gratitude for the funding and the partnership that has allowed 750 shows to be broadcast. All 750 episodes and podcasts for The Good Catholic Life will continue to be available on TheGoodCatholicLife.com. In July, Dom will be joining the staff at the Walpole/Sharon collaborative led by Father Chip Hines, host of our Friday shows. Dom and Father Chip hope to continue to chart a course of innovation in the use of media communication tools in the new evangelization. Catholic radio programming changes lives, as the many testimonials WQOM has received attest. Local programs like The Good Catholic Life have added a strong component to Catholic radio programming. Leaders of WQOM care deeply about local programming. We hope that through increased contributions to WQOM that it eventually will be able to fund new local programs, perhaps even a relaunch of The Good Catholic Life. The Good Catholic Life would never have been able to make the 750 episode milestone were it not for the commitment of so many: Fr. Chris O'Connor, Fr. Matt Williams, Susan Abbott, Fr. Mark O'Connell, Fr. Chip Hines, Michael Lavigne, Fr. Roger Landry, Gregory Tracy, George Martell, Karla Goncalves, Anna Johnson, Stacia Morabito and Rick Heil. All are invited to tune in for the final broadcast on June 20. Thank you so much for listening. Scot P.S. WQOM will begin airing Kresta in the Afternoons at 4pm on 6/23. We encourage you to continue to listening to Catholic radio during the 4pm hour.

Today's topics: The “Chosen” Confirmation Program Summary of today's show: The Sacrament of Confirmation is the last of the sacraments of initiation, but it has also become a sort of “graduation” from Catholic faith formation for young people. Chris Stefanick discusses the reasons for that with Scot Landry and Michael Lavigne, as well as the new confirmation program he helped develop called “Chosen”, a comprehensive multimedia program consisting of video presentations by charismatic speakers followed by in-class materials and discussions. Chris says that more than just conveying facts, Chosen tries to make the case that a relationship with God leads to filling up the desire for fulfilment and happiness and that it tries to accommodate the declining attention spans so common at all ages now. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Michael Lavigne Today's guest(s): Chris Stefanick Links from today's show:

Today's topics: A Catholic Chaplain at Harvard Becomes A Chaplain to Marines in Afghanistan Summary of today's show: For the past three years Fr. Matt Westcott has been a full-time chaplain to the Catholic student association at Harvard University, providing spiritual guidance to some of the best and brightest intellectuals from around the world. Now he is turning to a very different mission field as he prepares to deply to Afghanistan as a US Navy chaplain serving with the US Marines in that country. Fr. Westcott joins Fr. Chip Hines and Dom Bettinelli to discuss his experience at Harvard, including the recent response to the planned Black Mass, and his decision to volunteer to go to Afghanistan as a chaplain. Also, a special message from Scot Landry regarding the future of The Good Catholic Life. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Fr. Matt Westcott Links from today's show: A Special Message from Scot Landry as posted on : On Friday June 20, The Good Catholic Life will air its 750th new episode. Those of us who have collaborated on this new evangelization outreach consider it a great milestone. We are so grateful that so many Catholics have tuned in to hear The Good Catholic Life over these past 39 months to hear us interview Catholic leaders, promote Catholic events, discuss Catholic news, and share experiences living our Catholic faith. This 750th program will also be its last. Because of a tight budget situation at iCatholic Media, and also at the Archdiocese of Boston and at WQOM, there is no longer the funding for a producer for The Good Catholic Life. From the initial launch of The Good Catholic Life on Ash Wednesday 2011, it has been a partnership: WQOM provided the airtime, the Archdiocese provided space for the studio, benefactors paid for the cost of the equipment and studio wiring, and iCatholic Media paid for the salary of the show producer. The producer has been the MVP of our team, because he selects topics, invites guests, prepares materials for the hosts to read, develops a show schedule (typically six weeks out), technically engineers each show, and then distributes the podcast and show notes through email and social media. We've been blessed to have had two superb producers for The Good Catholic Life - first, Rick Heil, and now Dom Bettinelli. We accept the situation of the budget constraints and express gratitude for the funding and the partnership that has allowed 750 shows to be broadcast. All 750 episodes and podcasts for The Good Catholic Life will continue to be available on TheGoodCatholicLife.com. In July, Dom will be joining the staff at the Walpole/Sharon collaborative led by Father Chip Hines, host of our Friday shows. Dom and Father Chip hope to continue to chart a course of innovation in the use of media communication tools in the new evangelization. Catholic radio programming changes lives, as the many testimonials WQOM has received attest. Local programs like The Good Catholic Life have added a strong component to Catholic radio programming. Leaders of WQOM care deeply about local programming. We hope that through increased contributions to WQOM that it eventually will be able to fund new local programs, perhaps even a relaunch of The Good Catholic Life. The Good Catholic Life would never have been able to make the 750 episode milestone were it not for the commitment of so many: Fr. Chris O'Connor, Fr. Matt Williams, Susan Abbott, Fr. Mark O'Connell, Fr. Chip Hines, Michael Lavigne, Fr. Roger Landry, Gregory Tracy, George Martell, Karla Goncalves, Anna Johnson, Stacia Morabito and Rick Heil. All are invited to tune in for the final broadcast on June 20. Thank you so much for listening. Scot P.S. WQOM will begin airing Kresta in the Afternoons at 4pm on 6/23. We encourage you to continue to listening to Catholic radio during the 4pm hour.

Today's topics: Mideast Peace Prayer; Singing Italian Sister; US Bishops Meet; Phoenix Priest Killed; Regina Cleri; Pentecost Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry consider the headlines of the week, including the gathering of Israeli and Palestinian presidents in the Vatican with Pope Francis to pray for peace; the elevation of Italian Sr. Cristina as the lead voice of the New Evangelization; the US bishops meeting in New Orleans to discuss family and freedom issues; the murder of a priest in Phoenix and critical injury to another; the Diocese of Cleveland waiving fees related to annulments and marriage dispensations; 50th anniversary celebration of Regina Cleri; and Cardinal Seán's celebration of Pentecost with ecclesial movements. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Preparing for the Permanent Diaconate Summary of today's show: The preparation for the permanent diaconate is long process involving discernment of a vocation, years of education and formation in the Catholic faith, and a culmination in ordination to Holy Orders. Mike Curren, Fran Burke and Franklin Mejia are three of the men preparing to become deacons in September and they join Scot Landry to discuss their individual calls to ordination, their discernment along with their families, and the commitment they make to the Church on top of their commitments to family and careers. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Mike Curren, Fran Burke, and Franklin Mejia Links from today's show:

Today's topics: New Prospects for Catholic-Orthodox Unity Summary of today's show: When Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met in Jerusalem in May, they were commemorating the 50th anniversary of a similar meeting between Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, which was itself a groundbreaking historic event. In anticipation of this latest meeting, Cardinal Seán and Metrpolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis in Boston issued a joint letter to the faithful highlighting just how significant this meeting would be for the future re-unification of the Church in both East and West. Vito Nicastro of the Archdiocese of Boston's Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs joins Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli to discuss these significant events, the declaration of the pope and patriarch, and the outcomes from this visit and gatherings. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Vito Nicastro Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Three Catholic Dads of Young Families Summary of today's show: As Father's Day approaches, Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli are joined by Eric Landers to talk about being Catholic dads of young families, the joys and challenges, involved in maintaining their relationships with Christ, with their wives, and with their children; maintaining a prayer life alone and with their wives and children; and how to provide for, protect, be present to, and prepare their children to be virtuous Christians and valuable contributing members of society. Plus strategies for late-night wakeups and the Brotherhood of the Vestibule. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Eric Landers

Today's topics: Br. Rex Anthony: The Hermit of the Little Portion Summary of today's show: A hermit isn't just a medieval figure of a nearly feral man living in a cave away from society. In fact, there are hermits in the Catholic Church today, including Br. Rex Anthony, a Franciscan hermit living in the Diocese of Portland, who joins Fr. Chip Hines and Michael Lavigne to discuss what exactly a hermit is, the difference between religious orders and hermits, and the story of how he went from being a non-practicing Protestant and firefighter to a Catholic hermit living a life of simplicity and joy in Christ. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Michael Lavigne Today's guest(s): Br. Rex Anthony Links from today's show:

.Today's topics: Childless Marriages; Charismatic Renewal; Fall River Ordination; Bishops Back Gun Bill; Pentecost Summary of today's show: Out Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Dom Bettinelli consider the headlines of the week, including Pope Francis' message to intentionally childless couples seeking a “culture of comfort”; his message to Catholics in the charismatic renewal to stay open to the Holy Spirit and to let Him lead; the ordination this weekend of a priest for the Fall River diocese; the endorsement of gun control legislation by the four Massachusetts bishops; and Cardinal Seán's 2011 Pastoral Letter on Pentecost and evangelization. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Domenico Bettinelli Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: The Protestant' Dilemma Summary of today's show: Asa convert to the Catholic faith, Devin Rose knew what it was like to argue against Catholic beliefs from a Protestant perspective. To help others looking at the Catholic Church from that same perspective, Devin wrote the book “The Protestant's Dilemma”, which takes objections to Catholic beliefs and tenets to their logical conclusion and shows why they fail to stack up against what Catholics believe. Devin joins Fr. Chip Hines and Dom Bettinelli to discuss how he moved first from agnosticism to Evangelical Christianity and then to the Catholic faith; began the apostolate of arguing for the Catholic faith online through his blog; self-published his first book encapsulating that work; and then re-published it through Catholic Answers. They also examine some of the common Protestant arguments and the Catholic answers to them about the papacy, Tradition, the Bible, and sacraments. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Devin S. Rose Links from today's show: Buy the book:

Today's topics: Pope Francis in the Holy Land; Ordination; TINE Graduation; New Priestly Assignments Summary of today's show: Our Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbot, Gregory Tracy, and Dom Bettinelli considered the headlines of the week, including Pope Francis historic visit to the Holy Land where he worked toward Catholic-Orthodox unity, supported the Christian community, and called for prayer between Israelis and Palestinians; Pope Francis' press conference on his flight to Rome in which he made news on several fronts; the ordination Mass at Holy Cross Cathedral for the biggest class of priests in many years; graduation at the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization; and the announcement of new assignments for more than 70 priests of the Archdiocese. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Domenico Bettinelli Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: The Pauline Family Summary of today's show: At the advent of the 1st World War 100 years ago, Bl. James Alberione founded a religious congregation of priests and brothers that became the first foundation of the Pauline Family. Fr. Mike Harrington, Fr. Ed Riley, Sr. Margaret Obrovac, FSP, and Sr. Lucille Van Hoogemoed, PDDM, join Scot Landry to talk about how that first community grew into the ten branches of the Pauline Family today of five religious congregations, including Sr. Margaret's Daughters of St. Paul and Sr. Lucille's Sister Disciples of the Divine Master; four lay institutes, including Fr. Mike and Fr. Ed's Institute of Jesus Priest; and association of lay cooperators. Fr. Mike and Fr. Ed are the first US diocesan priests to become members of the Institute of Jesus Priest. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Michael Harrington, Fr. Ed Riley, Sr. Margaret Joseph Obravac, FSP, and Sr. Lucille Van Hoogemoed, PDDM Links from today's show: Five Religious Congregations: Four Lay Institutes: One Association of Lay Cooperators: Previous Episodes of The Good Catholic Life:

Today's topics: Bill Donaghy and the Theology of the Body Summary of today's show: The Theology of the Body was the life work of PopeSt. Paul II, a way of summarizing the Church's teachings for the modern age. Bill Donaghy of the Theology of the Body Institute joins Fr. Chip Hines and Dom Bettinelli to explain what the Theology of the Body is, how it describes how we are both body and soul and how both are vital to our path to holiness; how the theology came to be in the midst of a century in which the body has been denigrated; the importance of Humanae Vitae to St. John Paul's theology; and how we can live out this teaching in practical ways in our own lives. They also discuss the upcoming Theology of the Body Congress in Philadelphia in July. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Bill Donaghy of the Theologyof the Body Institute Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Presbyteral Ordinations; Choir School; Bishop McManus; the Pope in the Holy Land; Cardinal, Metropolitan Joint Letter Summary of today's show: Our panel of Scot Landry, Domenico Bettinelli, Gregory Tracy, and Fr Roger Landry consider the headlines of the week, including the upcoming presbyteral ordinations on Saturday; the new recording contract for St. Paul's Choir School; the cancer diagnosis for Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester; Pope Francis' upcoming trip to the Holy Land; and the joint statement by Cardinal Seán and Metropolitan Methodios. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: A Catechism for Business Summary of today's show: There can be a lot of pressure on Catholics to separate their business life from their private life. Meanwhile the Catholic Church has had a lot to say about the world of business and economics, not just on the macro level, but even on the level of advertising and human resources. Dr. Andrew Abela and his collaborators worked for seven years to put together a comprehensive resource on the Church's teachings in this area, and he joins Scot Landry to discuss the book and what the Church teaches that is relevant to human nature, human work and labor, and how our work can sanctify us and the whole world. They also discuss some of the 114 questions that form the basis of the book and address a number of ethical questions that come up for those in the business world. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Dr. Andrew Abela, Links from today's show:

Today's topics: One Year of Disciples in Mission and Upcoming Ordinations Summary of today's show: Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor discuss the upcoming priestly ordination of nine men this Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. They then welcome Fr. Paul Soper, director of pastoral planning, and Fr. John Sheridan, pastor of the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative, a grouping of three parishes on the southern part of the Archdiocese of Boston, to talk about the first year of the implementation of Disciples in Mission, the pastoral plan of the archdiocese. Their discussion includes a look back at Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Fr. Paul Soper and Fr. John Sheridan Links from today's show:

Today's topics: The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home Summary of today's show: How do you take your family's prayer life beyond going to Sunday Mass? “The Little Oratory” by David Clayton and Leila Lawler provides a blueprint for making your home into a school of virtue for helping your children grow in the Catholic faith. They join Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli to discuss their book, the importance of fathers becoming leaders in their family's faith life; how to arrange and decorate your home to lead your children in faith; what kinds of prayer lend themselves to family prayer; how to create a sacred prayer space; and what grandparents and singles can do to develop oratories of their own. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): David Clayton and Leila Lawler Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Mary's Meals Feeding 900,000 Schoolchildren per Day Summary of today's show: From an idea over pints in a pub 20 years ago to feeding 900,000 children in school per day around the world, Mary's Meals is a Scottish-based organization inspired by the Blessed Mother's care for the poor. Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, a 2010 CNN Hero award winner, joins Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli to discuss the charity he helped found, how they started by bringing aid to war-torn Bosnia in 1992, then began feeding poor children in school who otherwise would go hungry and without schooling, and now feed 20% of primary school-age children in Malawi and kids in every hemisphere. They also discuss the documentary film “Child 31” that profiles Mary's Meals and the children they benefit. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow Links from today's show: Call them at 800–385–4983

Today's topics: Harvard Holy Hour; Cardinal Seán on Immigration Reform; OK to ‘Under God'; Canonizations Move Forward Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry discuss the headlines of the week, including the Holy Hour in reparation for indignities committed against the Eucharist, including a planned Satanic black Mass at Harvard University, and the lessons we should learn from what happened and how we responded; Cardinal Seán's remarks at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on immigration reform; the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court's okay to ‘under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance; the close of the diocesan phase for the cause of canonization of Fr. Joseph Muzquiz overseen by Cardinal Seán; and the upcoming beatifcation of Pope Paul VI. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Assisted Suicide Update; Euthanizing Children; Popes and Palliative Care; Pope Francis on Human Trafficking Summary of today's show: Revisiting the topic of medical and bioethics, MC Sullivans joins Scot Landry to discuss the latest news concerning the continuing push for physician-assisted suicide in Massachusetts, New England, and beyond; the legalization of euthanasia of children in Belgium; attempts to label palliative care as “stealth euthanasia” although all recent popes have endorsed it; and Pope Francis' remarks bringing a new visibility to the problem of human trafficking. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): M.C. Sullivan Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Msgr. James Moroney and St. John's Seminary Summary of today's show: Msgr. James Moroney is completing his second full year as rector of St. John's Seminary and he joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor to discuss a variety of topics, including the amazing new tabernacle in the seminary chapel; the history of the crucifix; the translation of the Roman Missal into various languages; his insights in Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium; and a conversation about what makes a good homily. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Msgr. James Moroney, rector of St. John's Seminary Links from today's show:

Today's topics: A Theology of Food with Fr. Leo, the Cooking Priest Summary of today's show: The Grace Before Meals movement, founded by Fr. Leo Patalinghug, connects food, faith, and family with fun and in his new book, “Epic Food Fight”, he outlines how food is a theological gift where strangers become family. Food and eating are profoundly spiritual acts as much as biological and food is a participation in God's love for us. Fr. Leo talks with Michael Lavigne and Dom Bettinelli about the necessity of grace before meals, of feasting and fasting, and of understanding how God wants to satisfy our hungers even as He hungers for us. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Fr. Leo Patalinghug Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Catholic Motherhood Summary of today's show: With Mother's Day just around the corner, Fr. Chip Hines and Dom Bettinelli welcome two Catholic moms, Danielle Bean and Pat Gohn, to discuss the joys and challenges of motherhood, whether for a big bunch of younger kids or watching them head off on their own. In addition to talking about the practical parts of being a mom, but also the spiritual foundations for growing in holiness through the vocation of motherhood. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Danielle Bean and Pat Gohn Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Black Mass at Harvard; Public Prayers at Supreme Court; Vatican Abuse Commission Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry examine the headlines of the week including a student group at Harvard that plans to re-enact a Satanic black mass on campus; the Supreme Court rules that prayer before public town council meetings don't violate the US Constitution; and Cardinal Seán on the Vatican's new sexual abuse commission. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Monastic Values for a Modern World Summary of today's show: Judith Valente is a professional TV and radio journalist and one day she found herself in a monastery in Atchison, Kansas, where she had an spiritual encounter that made her realize that her busy life was missing moments of silence when she could rest in the Lord. Judith joins Scot Landry to talk about how we can all cultivate a monastic interior life, not one that harkens back to the past, but one that can be a window to a future that places enduring values ahead of today's transient consumerist attitudes, to build our own personal monastery in our lives. They also discuss how the Rule of St. Benedict that has governed monasteries for more than a millennium provides a better template for organizations and institutions of all sizes and kinds, including corporations. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Judith Valente Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Fr. Romanus Cessario Summary of today's show: As the lone Dominican on the faculty at St. John's Seminary, Fr. Romanus Cessario may be more familiar to listeners as a contributor the daily prayer book “Magnificat.” Fr. Cessario joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor to discuss the history and unique mission of the Dominican order as well as the basics of Catholic moral theology, his specialty at the seminary, and the origins and thought behind Magnificat. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Fr. Romanus Cessario, professor moral theology at St. John's Seminary Links from today's show:

Today's topics: New Evangelization and Becoming a Disciple with a Testimony Summary of today's show: A key aspect of the Disciples in Mission pastoral plan is training parish staff and parishioners in how to evangelize, especially in light of St. John Paul II's call for a new evangelization, which is new in ardor, new in methods, and new in expression. Michael Lavigne and Dom Bettinelli welcome Donald Smith and Amber Ezeani to discuss the efforts of the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation in training for the new evangelization, to evangelize particularly those who have drifted away from the practice of their faith. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Donald Smith and Amber Ezeani Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Evangelical Attitude; Pope St. John Pilgrimage; Catholic Family Festival Summary of today's show: Scot Landry and Dom Bettinelli consider the headlines of the day, including Pope Francis' address to the new Vatican Council for the Economy; the pilgrimage by people connected to Pope St. John XXIII Seminary to Rome for the canonization of their patron last week; and the successful Catholic Family Festival in Boston. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Chris Kelley, station manager of WQOM Links from today's show: Please support Catholic radio in Boston with a donation to The Station of the Cross

Today's topics: 30 Places to Visit in the Archdiocese of Boston Summary of today's show: There are a multitude wonderful churches, chapels, and places in the Archdiocese of Boston and Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli list 30 of them that they believe Catholics in the area shouldn't miss, covering north, south, west of Boston and Boston itself. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Chris Kelley, Station Manager of WQOM Links from today's show: Places for Catholics to visit in the Archdiocese of Boston Merrimack 1. Lawrence: Cor Unum Meal Center and St. Patrick Parish 2. North Andover: St. Michael's 3. Newburyport: Immaculate Conception 4. Lowell: St. Joseph Shrine North and North Shore 5. North Shore: The drive along Route 127 from Salem to Gloucester which takes you by St. Mary star of the Sea Beverly; St. Margaret, Beverly Farms; Sacred Heart in Manchester by the Sea; Our Lady of Good Voyage and Holy Family in Gloucester [Also Marblehead/Swampscott right by the ocean] 6. Melrose: St. Mary's 7. Salem: Immaculate Conception 8. Malden: Immaculate Conception and Sacred Hearts 9. Peabody/North Shore Mall: St. Theresa's Chapel South and South Shore 10. Plymouth: St. Bonaventure 11. Weymouth Landing: Sacred Heart 12. Braintree: Archdiocesan Pastoral Center and Bethany Chapel 13. South Shore: Shore parishes in Hull, Marshfield 14. Hanover: Portiuncula Chapel 15. Hingham: Glastonbury Abbey West 16. Hopkinton: St. John's 17. Holliston: Fatima Shrine 18. Wrentham: Mt. St. Mary's Abbey and Gift Shop Boston 19. South End: Cathedral Crypt and Blessed Sacrament Chapel 20. Mission Hill: Basilica / OL Perpetual Help 21. South Boston: St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery 22. South Boston: Gate of Heaven Church 23. West Roxbury: St. Theresa, Holy Name, Cemeteries 24. Cambridge: St. Paul's in Harvard Square when Choir School is singing at 11am 25. Charlestown: St. Catherine of Siena Church 26. Somerville: St. Catherine of Genoa Upper Church 27. Brighton: Grounds of St. John's Seminary and Seminary Chapel 28. Boston: Back Bay – St. Francis Chapel and the renovated St. Cecilia's Church 29. Boston: Back Bay –St. Clement's Eucharistic Shrine (24-hour adoration) 30. Boston: Financial District: St. Anthony Shrine

Today's topics: Council of Cardinals; Google Pulls Pro-Life Ads; Fortnight for Freedom Summary of today's show: Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli discuss the headlines including the latest meetings of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinals consider changes to the Vatican curia; Google's decision to pull advertising by crisis pregnancy centers labeled as deceptive by pro-abortion groups; and the US bishops' announcement of the third Fortnight for Freedom with the theme of “Freedom to Serve”. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Chris Kelley, station manager of WQOM Links from today's show: Please support Catholic radio in Boston with a donation to The Station of the Cross *

Today's topics: Canonization of Pope Saints John Paul II and John XXIII Summary of today's show: After the amazing history-making canonization of two popes, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II, in the presence of two living popes, Pope Francis and Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI, Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli are joined by Chris Kelley, station manager of WQOM 1060AM, to discuss Pope Francis' homily from the Mass, Cardinal Seán's interview with the Boston Globe's John Allen over the weekend, and some interesting facts about the canonization ceremony. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Chris Kelley, Station Manager of WQOM Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Pope Saint John Paul II Summary of today's show: As we prepare for the canonization of Pope St. John Paul II on Sunday, Fr. Stephen Donohoe and Fr. Matt Williams join Fr. Chip Hines and Dom Bettinelli to discuss the impact of the pope on their lives and vocations, in both his writings and the example of his life. Fr. Donohoe also recounts the near-miraculous circumstances that resulted not just in him being able to travel to Rome for the funeral of John Paul II, but to be able to sit up front in an area reserved for dignitaries. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Fr. Stephen Donohoe and Fr. Matt Williams Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Canonizations; Three Popes and Divine Mercy; Divorce and Communion Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry and Gregory Tracy consider the headlines of the week, including Rome's preparations for the canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II; Fr. Roger's reflection on the connection of the three popes to Divine Mercy; the stature of the new saints in history; and reports of an Argentinian woman who says Pope Francis called her about her divorced husband and communion. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Pope St. John XXIII Summary of today's show: As we prepare for the canonization of two popes this weekend, Fr. Roger Landry and Scot Landry discuss the pope who died before most Catholics alive today were born, Pope St. John XXIII. Most people know that “Good Pope John” opened the Second Vatican Council, but what about the rest of his saintly life? We learn about his humble origins, his military service in World War I, his work in diplomatic service, his time as Patriarch of Venice, and ultimately his short time as Bishop of Rome. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry Links from today's show:

Today's topics: The Early Church Fathers and Church History Summary of today's show: Following a fulfilling career as an engineer, including working on the Global Positioning Satellites system, Dr. Ann Orlando, launched into a second career as a professor of patristics and Church history, including earning a doctorate in the field and eventually ending up at St. John's Seminary. Dr. Orlando joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor to introduce them to the early Church fathers, who they were, what makes them Church fathers, and what makes their writings important. Then they move on to a survey of the rest of Church history through the Middle Ages and into modern times. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Dr. Ann Orlando, professor of patristics and Church history Links from today's show: by Fr. John Vidmar, OP

Today's topics: Chrism Mass Homilies from Cardinal Seán and Pope Francis and Favorite Triduum Memories Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy considered the headlines of the week, including Cardinal Seán's Chrism Mass homily and Pope Francis' Chrism Mass homily;,as well our panels' favorite moments in the Triduum. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Holy Week Liturgies Discussed Summary of today's show: As we enter into the heart of Holy Week, Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor discuss the Liturgies of Holy Week, starting at Palm Sunday, through the Chrism Mass on Tuesday and on to the Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. They consider the great prayers of the liturgies, the awesome building of excitement from Holy Thursday through Saturday evening, and the special devotions and practices of the faithful through these highest of holy days in the year. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Knights of Malta pilgrimage to Lourdes for the Sick Summary of today's show: Each year, the Knights of Malta make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, the site of an apparition of the Blessed Mother to St. Bernadette, bringing a group of malades–people afflicted with various ailments–and their caregivers for an experience of spiritual healing, and in some rare cases, even physical healings. Craig Gibson and Joseph Milano of the Knights of Malta in Boston, as well as Susan Kiely, a malade, and her husband Barry, join Fr. Chip Hines and Michael Lavigne to discuss the upcoming pilgrimage, how the grappling with disease and the idea of pilgrimage affect their faith; the logistics of the pilgrimage; and the results that they are seeking. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Michael Lavigne Today's guest(s): Craig Gibson, Joseph Milano, Barry & Susan Kiely Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Co-Workers in the Vineyard; Way of the Cross; Collaboratives in Holy Week; Lay Chancellor in Fall River; New Saints; Divorce and Communion Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy and Fr. Roger Landry consider the headlines of the week, including the Co-Workers in the Vineyard conference; the Annual Congress of Catechesis and Evangelization for Hispanic ministry; several planned Ways of the Cross sponsored by Catholic organizations; Holy Week as will be celebrated by the new parish collaboratives; the first lay Finance Officer/Chancellor; Three new saints from Pope Francis; Divorce, Remarriage, and Communion. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Way of the Cross sponsored by Communion and Liberation is on April 18, starting at 10am at Boston Common, next to the Park Street T stop and concluduing at 2pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Today's topics: Catholic Relief Service's Lenten Rice Bowl Summary of today's show: Catholic Relief Services is the international face of the Catholic Church in US in charity work throughout the world, while Catholic Charities Boston has a similar mission in the Archdiocese of Boston. Every Lent, CRS coordinates the Rice Bowl program that helps individuals and organizations practice prayer, fasting and almsgiving by making sacrifices and giving funds to help the needy throughout the world. Twenty-five percent of the money raised in the Archdiocese stays in the Archdiocese to fund programs that help the needy on a local level. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Debbie Rambo of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston and Shelagh O'Brien of Catholic Relief Services Links from today's show:

Today's topics: The Station Churches of Rome and Canonizations of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII Summary of today's show: George Weigel is known as the official biographer of Pope John Paul II, but he recently completed a new project with his son, Steven, and Elizabeth Lev on the Station Churches of Rome. The station churches are a series of churches in the city of Rome that pilgrims visit each day of Lent and Holy Week, one for each day. They also discuss George's expert view on the twin canonizations of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII, why the two papacies are linked and what set them apart. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): George Weigel Links from today's show:

Today's topics: The Corporal Works of Mercy in the City Summary of today's show: Kerry Weber, a single young Catholic woman living in New York City, wanted to go beoyond the typical Lenten sacrifices in 2012 and so she came up with a plan to develop a mindset of mercy by performing the corporal works of mercy in a deliberate way over those 40 days. She chronicles that adventure in her new book, “Mercy in the City” and joins Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli to discuss what inspired her, how it went, the lessons she learned, and the surprises that she encountered. She also discusses her visit to Rwanda in 2013 under the auspices of Catholic Relief Services to understand the role of mercy in the remarkable reconciliation that has happened in the country over the past 20 years. Kerry said she draws inspiration from a quote from Pope Francis: “A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just.” Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Kerry Weber, author of the new book “Mercy in the City” Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Caring for Our Priests at the Easter Collection Summary of today's show: The Clergy Health and Retirement Trust collections at Easter and Christmas are the means by which the people of the Archdiocese of Boston show love and concern for their priests who need healthcare or are retiring, providing dignity and a quality of life in their times of need. Craig Gibson and Fr. Dick Messina join Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli to talk about the Clergy Funds, but also about the important roles that priests play in our lives. Craig tells how over 21 years as his pastor, Fr. Dick, has been there for him in his darkest days and happiest days and how they have a true friendship as brothers in Christ. Also, Dom and Fr. Dick find that they have an amazing connection neither of them realized before the show. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Craig Gibson and Fr. Dick Messina Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Firefighter Funeral; First Communicants; Bishops' Lifestyles Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry consider the headlines of the week, including Cardinal Seán's remarks at the end of the funeral for Firefighter Lt. Ed Walsh; Fr. Roger's advice to parents of children preparing for First Communion; Pope Francis' providing a good example for confession; and bishops confronted by the example of Pope Francis' austerity of lifestyle. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links.

Today's topics: Worcester Catholic Men's Conference Summary of today's show: The oldest Catholic men's conference in the US takes place each year in Worcester and Bishop Dan Reilly and Angelo Guadagno join Scot Landry to discuss the 2014 conference coming up this weekend in the Worcester DCU Center. They discussed the speakers, who include Fr. Francis J. Hoffman, Kevin Reilly, Steve Ray, Gus Lloyd, and Christopher West, as well as the goals of a Catholic men's conference and what happens at them. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Bishop Dan Reilly and Angelo Guadagno Links from today's show: Call for tickets at 508–929–4345

Today's topics: Mass on the Border with Cardinal Seán in Nogales, Arizona Summary of today's show: Cardinal Seán and 7 bishops traveled to Nogales, Arizona, on Tuesday, to the US-Mexico border to celebrate Mass for all the immigrants who have died coming to the US and to call attention to the need for immigration reform. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor discuss Cardinal Seán's homily at the Mass and the way in which the cardinal is emulating Pope Francis' similar journey to the island of Lampedusa, Italy. They also discuss the new movie “Noah”. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Links from today's show: Text of Cardinal Seán's homily in Nogales on April 1, 2014: For 20 years I worked in Washington D.C. with immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and from all over Latin America. The vast majority did not have the advantage of legal status. Many came to the States in great part fleeing the violence of the civil wars in Central America. I often share the story of my first days at the ‘Centro Católico' when I was visited by a man form El Salvador who sat at my desk and bursts into tears as he handed me a letter from his wife back in El Salvador who remonstrated him for having abandoned her and their six children to penury and starvation. When the man was able to compose himself, he explained to me that he came to Washington, like so many, because with the war raging in his country it was impossible to sustain his family by farming. So a coyote brought him to Washington where he shared a room with several other men in similar circumstances. He washed dishes in two restaurants, one at lunchtime and one at dinnertime. He ate the leftover food on the dirty plates so as to save money. He walked to work so as not to spend any money on transportation, so that he could send all the money he earned back to his family. He said he sent money each week, but now after six months, his wife had not received a single letter from him and accused him of abandoning her and the children. I asked him if he sent check or money orders. He told me that he sent cash. He said: “Each week I put all the money I earn into an envelope with the amount of stamps that I was told and I put it in that blue mailbox on the corner.” I looked out the window and I could see the blue mailbox, the problem was it was not a mailbox at all, but a fancy trash bin. This incident helped me to glimpse the hardships and humiliations of so many immigrants who come to the States fleeing from poverty and oppression, seeking a better life for their children. Sadly enough many immigrants spend years without the opportunity to see their loved ones. How many rural areas are peopled by grandparents taking care of little grandchildren because the parents are off in the United States working to send money back home. Many of the priests and bishops with me have much more experience of the border. However I did bury one of my parishioners in the desert near Ciudad Juárez who was murdered there. We know that the border is lined with unmarked graves of thousands who die alone and nameless. Today's Gospel begins with a certain lawyer who is trying to test Jesus. The lawyer is an expert in the laws, but he is hostile to Jesus; he seems to want to know how to attain eternal life, but his real intent is to best Jesus in a public debate. Jesus responds to the man's question by asking “What stands written in the law?” The lawyer answers artfully with the great commandment: love of God above all else and love of neighbor as oneself. Jesus says “You answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” God's love and love of neighbor is the key to a good life. The amazing thing about the Gospels is how love of God and love of neighbor are intimately connected. The lawyer is a little embarrassed so he asks another question to appear intelligent and perceptive. The question is so important: “Who is my neighbor?” This wonderful question affords Jesus the occasion to give us one of the great parables of the New Testament – the Parable of the “Good Samaritan”. In Jesus' day the term “Good Samaritan” was never used by the chosen people. Indeed it would seem a contradiction of terms. How could someone be both a Samaritan and good? The Samaritans were the despised foreigners, heretics and outcasts. Yet Jesus shows us how that foreigner, that Samaritan, becomes the protagonist, the hero who saves one of the native sons who is rescued not by his fellow countryman and coreligionists but by a stranger, an alien, a Samaritan. Who is my neighbor? Jesus changed the question from one of legal obligation (who deserves my love) to one of gift giving (to whom can I show myself a neighbor), and of this the despised Samaritan is the moral exemplar. Jesus is showing us that people who belong to God's covenant community, show love that is not limited by friendship and propinquity but a love that has a universal scope and does not look for recompense. The parables function either to instruct or to shock. This parable was to jolt peoples' imagination, to provoke, to challenge. The usual criteria for evaluating a person's worth are replaced by that of unselfish attention to human need wherever one encounters it. We come to the desert today because it is the road to Jericho; it is traveled by many trying to reach the metropolis of Jerusalem. We come here today to be a neighbor and to find a neighbor in each of the suffering people who risk their lives and at times lose their lives in the desert. Pope Francis encourages us to go to the periphery to seek our neighbor in places of pain and darkness. We are here to discover our own identity as God's children so that we can discover who our neighbor is, who is our brother and sister. As a nation of immigrants we should feel a sense of identification with other immigrant groups seeking to enter our country. The United States is a nation of immigrants. Only the indigenous Native Americans are not from somewhere else. So the word of God reminds us today that our God wants justice for the orphan and the widow and our God loves the foreigners, the aliens and reminds us that we were aliens in Egypt. Because of the potato famine and political oppression, my people came from Ireland. Thousands upon thousands perished of starvation. On the coffin ships that brought the Irish immigrants, one third of the passengers starved. The sharks followed the ships waiting to devour the bodies of those “buried at sea”. I suspect that only the Africans brought on the slave ships had a worse passage. Frank McCourt of Angelas' Ashes fame wrote a play called: “The Irish… how they got that way.” In one of the scenes the Irish immigrants are reminiscing saying: “We came to America because we thought the streets were paved in gold. And when we got here we discovered the streets were not paved in gold, in fact they were not paved at all, and we found out we had to pave them.” The hard work and sacrifices of so many immigrant peoples is the secret of the success of this country. Despite the xenophobic ranting of a segment of the population, our immigrant population contributes mightily to the economy and well being of the United States. Here in the desert of Arizona, we come to mourn the countless immigrants who risk their lives at the hands of the coyotes and the forces of nature to come to the United States. Every year four hundred bodies are found here at the border, bodies of men, women and children seeking to enter the United States. Those are only the bodies that are found. As the border crossings become more difficult, people take greater risks and more are perishing. Last year about 25,000 children, mostly from Central America arrived in the US, unaccompanied by an adult. Tens of thousands of families are separated in the midst of migration patterns. More than 10 million undocumented immigrants are exposed to exploitation and lack access to basic human services, and are living in constant fear. They contribute to our economy by their hard work, often by contributing billions of dollars each year to the social security fund and to Medicare programs that will never benefit them. The author of Hebrews urges us to practice hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. He urges us to be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment. We have presently over 30,000 detainees, most of whom have no criminal connections. The cost of these detentions is about $2 billion a year. The system is broken and is causing untold suffering and a tenable waste of resources, human and material. We find in those prisoners, neighbors, fellow human beings who are separated from their families and communities. The sheer volume of the cases has led to many due process violations and arbitrary detentions. At Lampedusa Pope Francis warned of the globalization of indifference. Pope Francis, speaking at the borders of Europe, not a desert, but a sea, said: “We have lost a sense of responsibility for our brothers and sisters. We have fallen into the hypocrisy of the Priest and Levite whom Jesus described in the parable of the Good Samaritan: we see our brother half dead on the side of the road and perhaps we say to ourselves: ‘Poor soul' and then go our way. It is not our responsibility, and with that we feel reassured, assuaged. The culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people living in a soap bubble, indifference to others.” (burbujas, pompas de jabón) Our country has been the beneficiary of so many immigrant groups that had the courage and the fortitude to come to America. They came fleeing horrific conditions and harboring a dream of a better life for the children. They were some of the most industrious, ambitious and enterprising citizens of their own countries and brought enormous energy and good will to their new homeland. Their hard work and sacrifices have made this country great. Often these immigrants have been met with suspicion and discrimination. The Irish were told “they need not apply”; our ethnicity and religion made us undesirable. But America at its best is not the bigotry and xenophobia of the no nothings, but the generous welcome of the New Colossus, that mighty woman with a Torah, the Statue of Liberty, the Mother of Exiles who proclaims to the world: “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp,” cries she with silent lips, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (Emma Lazarus) We must be vigilant that that lamp continues to burn brightly. Who is the neighbor? The one that treated the man with compassion. He tells us to go and do likewise.

Today's topics: Books About Pope Francis for Children and Adults Summary of today's show: Pope Francis has become an international sensation in among both Catholics and non-Catholics alike and Pauline Books and Media is serving the hunger to know more about him with books for children and adults. Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli are joined by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe and Sr. Marlyn Monge, FSP, authors of “Jorge from Argentina”, and Sr. Anne Flanagan, FSP, author of “Five Keys to Understanding Pope Francis” to discuss their books and the incredible interest in the Holy Father. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Michael Lavigne and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Sr. Marlyn Monge, FSP, Sr. Anne Flanagan, FSP, and Jaymie Stuart Wolfe Links from today's show:

Today's topics: Nothing Short of a Miracle: God's Healing Power in Modern Saints Summary of today's show: Miracles aren't just something that happened centuries ago, but the Church relies on them even today. Patricia Treece joins Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli today to discuss her book “Nothing Short of a Miracle”, which presents the stories of saints and the miracles attributed to them in life and after death, especially those that have occurred in our lifetime. From the stringent criteria the Church applies to any miracle before approval to sanctity of even “surly” saints, they cover the whole story of the wonderful saints that intercede for us, including Bl. John Paul II, Fulton Sheen, Solanus Casey, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Fr. Chip Hines and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Patricia Treece Links from today's show: at Amazon