Visitation Sessions (A Podcast)

Before Easter, we recorded a podcast for this week. And then some things happened. We're still sharing this episode, as recorded, but we'll be back later in the week with a new episode about the passing of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, plus the upcoming conclave, the nine days of mourning, and more. We're bringing on a special guest who is way more up on his Church history and conclave procedures than we are, so if you have questions, drop them in the comments or send them along in the dms, and we'll put them to our expert when we record tomorrow (Thursday, 4/24/25). This episode was made possible by the support of The Catholic Balm Company, makers of clean, non-toxic personal care products for men, with scents inspired by our Catholic Faith. We love, use, and have been spending our own money on these products for years, and think you will will love them, too. So, if you're looking for beard balms, face lotions, lip balms, soaps, and colognes that work as great as they smell and aren't loaded up with ingredients you can't pronounce, check them out at catholicbalm.co.Show NotesJohn Henry Newman on Difficulties versus DoubtsThe Catholic Table by Emily Stimpson ChapmanFarrow and Ball PaintsThe Inner Seas, a documentary by Kate StapletonHomeschool Connections Classes with Christopher Chapman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

With Good Friday soon upon us, we're talking through fasting and abstinence, the good of penance, and the penance of Palm Sunday with small children. Mentioned on today's episode:St. Michael's AbbeyThe Rule of St. Augustine (as it pertains to fasting)“Fasting: A Source of Trial,” Sermons of Saint John Henry Newman“All About Lent: The Fast,” Emily Stimpson Chapman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

If Chappell Roan is good at anything besides singing, it's inspiring lively conversation. Buckle up for a free flowing and wide ranging conversation about parenting, influencers, community, country music, the Diocese of Pittsburgh's shameful maternity leave policy, and mimetic desire (because why not).P.S. This week, a little over 13 months after we launched this podcast, we crossed the 130,000 download mark! That is an amazing feat for a little podcast like ours, and we are so grateful to all of you who are listening and sharing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!Show Notes:Call Her Daddy with Chappell Roan“The Weeds and Wheat of Motherhood,” by Emily Stimpson ChapmanRenee Girard and Mimetic Desire“Study: The Experiences of U.S. Adults Who Don't Have Children,” Pew Research CenterAnne Hathaway: “Abortion is another word for mercy.”Drunkard's Prayer, Over the RhineMetallica: Some Kind of MonsterGabby BarrettAll Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit visitationsessions.substack.comAfter we finished “Let's Talk About Sex,” our most recent conversation with Monica and Renzo Ortega of Two Become Family , we kept recording as we discussed the Manosphere's obsession with the marital debt, what they get wrong, and what they get right. This episode is available for full subscribers only. Not a subscriber? We would love for you to become one today. For …

How do you talk with your spouse about sex? How do you communicate your fears, struggles, needs, and love to them? Why are these conversations so very hard? And why also are they so very important? This week, we're talking about those questions and more, with our friends Renzo and Monica Ortega, authors of the new book: Lovemaking: How To Talk About Sex With Your Spouse and hosts of the podcast and Substack, Two Become Family. You'll hear about how struggles with sex and communication almost destroyed their marriage, how they overcame those struggles and past sexual sin, how they leaned into discernment as a family, and how discernment, mentorship, and a mature approach to NFP can help your marriage, too. PS. Full subscribers, a bonus episode will be coming your way later this week, where we continue our conversation with the Ortegas, focusing on the Manosphere and the marital debt. Not a full subscriber? Just click the button below. Show Notes:Lovemaking: How to Talk About Sex With Your Spouse by Renzo and Monica OrtegaLove and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (Pope Saint John Paul II)Man and Woman He Created Them by Karol Wojtyla (Pope Saint John Paul II)Humanae Vitae by Pope Saint Paul VIThese Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body by Emily Stimpson Chapman“Battles of the Sexes: Duals Between Men and Women in 1400s Fectbucher,” The Public Domain Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us, so this week we're talking about heavenly visions of lakes of beer, the goodness of alcohol, the badness of drunkenness, and bizarre stories about St. Patrick himself (courtesy of Casey, of course).Show NotesSt. Brigid's Fire by Kevin HeiderCorned Beef and Cabbage RecipeDrinking with the Saints by Michael FoleySt. Thomas on BoorishnessSt. Thomas on sobriety and drunkennessThe Communion of Saints and the Consumption of AlcoholWhat the Church Says About DrunkennessCatholics, Alcohol, and DrinkingIf you're enjoying this podcast, consider buying us a virtual cup of coffee each month. Your $5 pledge helps keep the podcasts coming by paying for equipment, babysitting, travel costs, and the time it takes to pull this off (almost) every week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Recently, in The Free Press, the writer Chris Arnade penned an essay asserting that “Every Man Wants to Be a Hero.” So, this week, we're discussing if that's true, along with what heroism means, the attraction of the anti-hero, forming little boys to be heroes, and why or why not women have the same desire for heroism. Nazis, video games, the Manosphere, and mermen also somehow figure in to the conversation. Because why not!Show Notes:Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America by Chris Arnade“All Men Want to Be Heroes,” by Chris ArnadeInterview with Louise Perry on Honestly (February 14, 2025)“Warbloods”Childcraft 1984: Great Myths and LegendsWall-E This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

What is IVF? Why does the Church oppose it? Why do we hear so little about it in our parishes?How does the conversation need to change? What does the Catholic tradition of celibacy have to teach us about sex, marriage, and babies? We're talking about all this and more, this week?Show NotesRevelations (Alvin Ailey Ballet)Donum Vitae Congregation for the Doctrine of the FaithDignitas Personae Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith“Begotten, Not Made: A Catholic View of Reproductive Technology” by Dr. John HaasConceived by Science: Thinking Compassionately and Carefully About IVF by Stephanie Grey ConnorsIVF Is Not the Way: The False Promises of Artificial Procreation by Dr. Stacy Trasancos (Pre-Order This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit visitationsessions.substack.comMea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa for this delayed bonus episode! Between talks … and film festivals … and photo shoots … and deadlines … and snow days … and all the kids, the four of us are stretched way too thin right now. We are working on a plan to help with that. Until then, we ask for your mercy. Here, though, as promised last week, is a litt…

Sorry for the repost! We had a little error that needed fixing!So many of you have asked us to do a more thorough discussion of the Four Temperaments and why this is is such a deeply Catholic (and helpful) understanding of the human person. It turned out to be more of a conversation than we could tackle in an hour, so consider this a solid start.(Also, if you're a full subscriber, keep an eye on your inbox for a bonus episode tomorrow, in which we talk about how our temperaments play out in our own marriages.)Show NotesSpiritual Theology by Jordan AumanThe Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine BennetA Temperament Quiz This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

What possesses a man to turn the hardest, saddest, most humiliating chapter of his life into a book? How do you write about your wife's infidelity without losing your wife all over again? What does life look like afterwards?This week, we're talking about those questions and more with author and humorist, Harrison Scott Key. Back in October, we discussed his book, "How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told. It's a doozy of a book and it was a doozy of an episode. It was, in fact, our most listened to, most talked about episode to date, which is why we were thrilled when Harrison offered to come on the show and chat with us. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, you can find it here. And if you haven't read the book yet, you really should. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

It's been the winter of non-stop sickness around here, so with germs on all our brains, we decided to unpack what the Church has to say about sickness and suffering and what we learn about ourselves when confronted with our own and other's weakness.Also, for those of you in or near Wisconsin, the Stapletons are traveling to Door County next week for the world premiere of their documentary film, The Inner Sea. If you are in the area, you can purchase tickets to see the movie on Saturday, February 15 at 5 pm. You can also follow their film and story on Instagram.Show Notes:Some of these documents and books we mentioned on the show. Others are important reads for anyone wanting to know more about the Church's understanding of sufferingSalvifici Doloris by John Paul IISalvifici Doloris (Endow Study Guide) by Emily Stimpson ChapmanHope to Die by Scott Hahn and Emily Stimpson ChapmanGod's Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine by Rose SweetThe Problem of Pain by CS LewisMaking Sense Out of Suffering by Peter KreeftOffer It Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering by Megan HjelmstadThis post contains affiliate links. When books are purchased through these links, we may earn a few pennies. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

The Russians are on the march in Ukraine. The Chinese are rattling sabers in the direction of Thailand. The Middle East is …the Middle East. California is in flames. Snow is falling on beaches in Florida. And Tik Tok may or may not be going dark (please, God, please). Is it the end of the world? Or just another week on earth?This week we're talking about the end of the world and how Christians are called to prepare for whatever comes next.Show Notes:* “Every Man Should Be Able to Save His Own Life,” The Art of Manlines* Where is the Ark of the Covenant?* “Christians Die Defending Ark of the Covenant”* “Sorry Indiana Jones, the Ark of the Covenant Is Not Inside an Ethiopian Church”* German Boy: A Child in War by Wolfgang W.E. Samuel* “How Not to Die in 2025” (Bari Weiss interviews Bryan Johnson)* Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever (Netflix Documentary)* Nick Cave on “Cynicism”* The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher* Catastrophe by David Keys* The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukiyama * Feminism Against Progress by Mary Harrington* Everything is Broken by Bob Dylan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

We're kicking off the New Year by talking about the importance (and pitfalls) of making resolutions, setting goals, and crafting a vision for the year. How, as Catholics, should we approach these things? And how, as Catholics, do we make sense of God having different plans for our year than our own?Show Notes:Catechism of the Catholic Church 1500: “Illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude. Every illness can make us glimpse death.”Steubenville's Nutcracker VillageOn the Unseriousness of Human Affairs: Teaching, Writing, Playing, Believing, Lecturing, Philosophizing, , Singing, Dancing by Father James Schall, SJSt. Thomas Aquinas on Smell (Summa, Prima Pars, Q. 91)“Will Video Kill the Audio Star in 2025?” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Sorry friends, we have all had various versions of the plague these last few weeks, plus Chris and Casey had mountains of finals to grade, so getting this last podcast edited has proven challenging. But we made it, 24 hours before Christmas, so as you finish your wrapping and ready your house for the great feast, you now have something to keep you occupied. It's basically a bunch of Catholics, trying to remember the details of Bible stores, so Catholics be prepared to be impressed and Protestants be prepared for a good laugh. We hope you all have the merriest of Christmases, and hope you enjoy this Christmas Carol from Kate and Casey (which full subscribers got to hear last week, before the rest of the world). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Over the next two weeks, we're talking about the heroes of the Christmas story, from the ancestors of Christ to Mary and Joseph, St. Nick, St. Lucy, St. Juan Diego, and John McClane. This week's episode focuses on St. Nick—the man, the myth, the legend—and how we approach talking about him in our families (so if you're listening with Santa loving little ones around, definitely use those earbuds!),Show Notes“How to Do Santa Without Lying to Your Kids” by Kendra Tierney“Not Believing in Santa Claus is Like Not Believing in Jesus…or George Washington,” by Kendra Tierney“Yes, Jesus Really Existed and He was Born on December 25,” Father Dwight Longenecker“What's Wrong with Santa” by Father Dwight LongeneckerThe Wiggles Christmas SpecialThe Toronto gay mall santa serial killer This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we're discussing pressing questions like: should we play Christmas music during Advent? Listen and find out.“Astrology, Politics, and Parenting, Oh My,” by Emily ChapmanThe Simplest of Advent RetreatsNicholas: the boy who became Santariu riu chiu by chanticleer huron carol by the stapletons. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This week, as the world cooks and cleans and barrels along highways to grandmother's house, we're talking about feasting—what it is, what it's not, what the culture gets wrong with it, and what the Church gets right. Show NotesThe Catholic Table: Finding Joy Where Food and Faith Meet by Emily Stimpson ChapmanBabette's FeastMy 600 Pound Life. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Why does dating have to be so hard? What's up with men in their forties dating women decades their junior? And is there any such thing as a single vocation? We're tackling all these questions and so, so much more this week, with the help Kate's very lovely, very accomplished, and very single sister Clare. Come on guys, get with it. Show Notes:The Catholic Girl's Survival Guide to the Single Years by Emily Stimpson ChapmanThe Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1658The Dating ProjectWhen Harry Met SallyWhen Harry Met Sally 2 (The Vampire One) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit visitationsessions.substack.comFor the past few months we have been trying to think of a way to thank those of you who have signed up to become full subscribers to this podcast. As fun as it is to get together to record them, it also has become a part-time job for all of us, and the expense of upgrading equipment and finding the time to record a weekly episode, then do the editing an…

This podcast is late, late, late, and we are sorry, sorry, sorry. The blame falls solely on my (Emily's) shoulders. I have had the most insane conflagration of deadlines and events the past two weeks, and that, combined with the normal work of mothering three small children and running a household, pretty much broke me. So, mea culpa, mea cupla, mea maxima culpa. As my penance I will unlock an essay I wrote a couple years back on parish switching and post it below. All that being said, here is the much overdue latest episode, where we discuss the merits of parish shopping—why you might want to do it or not want to do it, when you should do leave when you should stay, and how we have all made those decisions over the years. If you are a canon lawyer, we ask that you kindly skip this episode, because we probably made about a dozen canonical errors regarding the nature of parishes and our obligations, and you will not be able to handle our lack of precisions. But hopefully nobody else is listening to us for canonically precise definitions of parishes. That's what The Pillar is for!Show Notes::A Faith Like Honey: On Parish Switching, Liturgical Living, and Helping Children Become Disciples” by Emily Stimpson ChapmanThe Catholic Table by Emily Stimpson ChapmanThe Benedict Option by Rod DreherBuilding the Benedict Option: A Guide to Gathering Two or Three in His Name This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Is “How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told,” by Harrison Scott Key, really the best book ever written about marriage? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's absolutely one of the best. It's honest, real, and—in its own way—profoundly faithful. If you or someone you love is struggling in your marriage, we recommend putting it at the top of your reading list. Today, we're talking about the book, about marriage, and about how all couples can learn to love their spouse better. Next week, we plan on continuing the conversation about marriage in a bonus episode, where we'll answer whatever questions you have for us about marriage. The bonus episode will be for our full subscribers only, whose support helps us pay for the equipment (and the babysitting) necessary to do this podcast. So, please send us your questions via dm and, if you're not already a full subscriber, we hope you will become one! Exit Music: “Walk With Me” from The Stapleton's first album, Ballads and BattlesPrograms for Marriage Enrichment and/or Struggling MarriagesRetrovailleRestoreThe Alexander HouseCana FeastMessy Family ProjectDomestic ChurchBelovedJoyful Ever AfterWorldwide Marriage Encounter Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

No folks, we're not endorsing any candidates. We're not even talking candidates. Instead, we try to thread the narrowest needle ever threaded by discussing why elections do and don't matter, what Catholics need to consider every time we head to the polls, how to fund common ground with those who disagree with us, and what matters most the day after Election Day … all without talking about the actual people running in 2024. Do we succeed? You'll have to listen to find out. Show Notes:First, as promised, here is Emily's more succinct and clear answer to one of the questions we discussed on the podcast: Is it a sin to vote for someone who is pro-abortion?The Church's answer is, “It depends.” If you vote for someone who is pro-abortion because they are pro-abortion, yes, it is a sin. The U.S. Catholic Bishops explain:“A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate its essential meaning, or racist behavior, if the voter's intent is to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil,”(Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship—Part 1, 34).On the other hand, if both candidates are pro-abortion, and you vote for the candidate who seems best on other issues, that is not a sin. Your vote wouldn't have made any difference in abortion policy, so other aspects of a candidate's platform can become the deciding factor. Alternately, if the prospect of voting for either candidate violates your conscience, you can make the decision to not vote for either.If, however, one candidate is pro-abortion and one candidate is pro-life, it gets more complicated.In general, under most circumstances, the Church teaches that Catholics should not vote for a politician who supports abortion if they have a pro-life option. But if the candidate who is against abortion is for other policies that are grave moral evils—say, launching a pogrom against the Jewish people or reinstituting Jim Crowe laws—Catholic voters who prudently and prayerfully weigh the moral evils supported by both candidates can decide the pro-abortion candidate is the less horrible option and vote that way in good conscience. They also can take into consideration whether they believe the anti-abortion candidate is sincere in his commitment to oppose abortion and capable of doing anything to effect change in that area. Again, from the U.S. Catholic Bishops:There may be times when a Catholic who rejects a candidate's unacceptable position even on policies promoting an intrinsically evil act may reasonably decide to vote for that candidate for other morally grave reasons. Voting in this way would be permissible only for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental moral evil (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship—Part 1, 35).Note: Your reasons for choosing a pro-abortion candidate over an anti-abortion candidate must be rooted in the anti-abortion candidate's support for other truly grave moral evils that together equal or outweigh the evil of abortion. Not liking a candidate's personality, not liking the candidate's proposed changes to Medicare or student loan financing, not wanting to be associated with a certain candidate or party—none of that is sufficient. Grave moral evil on the level of the slaughter of the innocent in the womb is the measuring stick.Ultimately, though, unless you're supporting a pro-abortion candidate for their views on abortion, the Church trusts you to form your conscience in accord with Church teaching and make the best decision you can, given the knowledge you have. If you think you decided poorly, for the wrong reasons, with insufficient thought, or with disregard for Church teaching, Confession is the quickest way to rectify your situation.Other Important QuotesQuotes: [T]he Church's Magisterium does not wish to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics regarding contingent questions. Instead, it intends—as is its proper function—to instruct and illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those involved in political life, so that their actions may always serve the integral promotion of the human person and the common good (Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, “The Participation of Catholics in Political Life,” 6).“When all candidates hold a position that promotes an intrinsically evil act, the conscientious voter faces a dilemma. The voter may decide to take the extraordinary step of not voting for any candidate or, after careful deliberation, may decide to vote for the candidate deemed less likely to advance such a morally flawed position and more likely to pursue other authentic human goods,”(United States Catholic Bishops Conference, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” 36)“Moral conscience, present at the heart of the person, enjoins him at the appropriate moment to do good and to avoid evil. It also judges particular choices, approving those that are good and denouncing those that are evil. It bears witness to the authority of truth in reference to the supreme Good to which the human person is drawn, and it welcomes the commandments. When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking,” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1777).“Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives and recognizes the prescriptions of the divine law,” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1778). “The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country," (United States Catholic Bishops, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” Introduction, Revised November 2023). Also Mentioned:“The Way Forward After Dobbs,” by Ryan Anderson“Stupid Is As Stupid Does: Politics, Prudence, and Priorities,” by Emily Chapman Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we're joined by a very special guest, our friend Dave VanVickle. Dave is a lay evangelist, spiritual warfare expert, and father of five, who has spent the past 22 years assisting priests and dioceses with exorcisms. Dave is the sanest, most balanced expert we know on this topic, so we were eager to have him share his wisdom on the nature of exorcisms, the dangers of the demonic AND of paying too much attention to the demonic, the problems with “generational curses,” and the best thing all of us can do to protect our families from evil (HINT: It's not praying deliverance prayers). You can learn more about Dave (including how to book him for talks at your parish) on his Website: www.thecatholictruthaboutangelsanddemons.com. You can also tune into hear him weekly on “Every Knee Shall Bow,” a podcast put out by Ascension Press. Mentioned on this PodcastAn Exorcist Tells His Story by Father Gabriel AmorthSpiritual Theology by Jordan Aumann“Can We Heal Our Family Tree and Wipe Out Ancestral Sin?” Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Plenty of opinions, lots of questions, but very few answers is what we have for you this week as we talk about raising kids in the age of cell phones, Internet, and graphic crime shows streaming eternally on TV.Chasing Childhood (Documentary)The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan HaidtThe War Against Boys: How Misguided Policies Are Harming Our Young Men by Christina Hoff Summers“Honoring Our Parents: Weekly Notes” by Emily Stimpson Chapman Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Two weeks ago, Emily answered a question in her newsletter about whether or not a wife should honor her husband's request that she get breast implants. Everyone felt like there was a lot more to talk about than Emily was able to fit into her answer, so we recorded a whole podcast about it. It's a perfectly clean conversation, but if you have any 12-year-old boys around who break out into hysteric laughter at the mention of the word breast, maybe put your headphones on for this one. Show NotesThe Substack that started it all: On Catholic Jobs, Breast Implants, and BooksA Return to Modesty byWendy ShalitThe Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger“Modesty in Outward Apparel” Summa Theologiae, II-IIae Q. 169 Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today, the gang is breaking down Pope Francis' new pastoral letter on literature “On the Role of Literature in Formation.” Why do priests need to read more stories? We do we all need to read stories? What are the very best stories? What do they teach us? And what is wrong with all the people who hate Harry Potter? So. Many. Links. Today. Probably missing a dozen. But here is the best list we could manage.“On the Role of Literature in Formation,” by Pope FrancisThe Catholic Writer Today by Dana GioiaMystery & Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor“Misguided Hope, Questionable Television, and Harry Potter … So Much Harry Potter,” by Emily Chapman Diary of a Country Priest by Georges BernanosUnder Satan's Sun by Georges BernanosThe Power and the Glory by Georges BernanosThe Prince of Darkness & Other Stories by J.F. PowersContemporary Catholic Poets: Jane Greer, Sam Hazos Mike AquilinaLamy of Santa Fe by Paul HorganHumble Powers: Three Novelettes by Paul HorganHannah Coulter by Wendell BerryJayber Crow by Wendell BerryMade for You by Jenna SatterwaiteAnne of Green Gables by L.M. MontgomeryEmily of New Moon by L.M. MontgomeryKristen Lavransdatter by Sigrid UndsetDeath Comes for an Archbishop by Willa CatherShadows on the Rock by Willa CatherGilead by Marilynn Robinson*The above links include affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase after clicking on the link, a few pennies will make their way back to us. Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Chris and Casey are back in the classroom, and everyone's summer vacation is coming to an end, so the Chapmans and Stapletons are officially kicking off the second season of Visitation Sessions by looking back on a summer that was anything but restful and talking about the quest for rest, the purpose of recreation, and the glory of routines. Related to this episode:Leisure as the Basis of Culture by Joseph PieperReasonable Pleasures: The Strange Coherence of Catholicism, Father James Schall“The Forgotten Virtue of Eutrepelia,” Father Jean-Francois Thomas“The English Game” on NetflixBeaver Island“We Need to Talk About Over-Tourism, Part 1: The Cinque Terre,” Chandi Wyant “We Need to Talk About Over-Tourism Part 2: Over-Tourism in Florence, Venice, and Rome,” Chandi Wyant “Is Over-Tourism Killing Florence's Dining Scene,” Emiko Davies The Affordable Floors Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

We crowded into a hot childfree attic on a Sunday night to talk about what everyone else is talking about: Ballerina Farm … and farming … and trad wives … and social media …and minding our own business … and why no matter what we do, the world is going to hate believing Christians (or aspiring Christian as the case may be) who are trying to live our faith. Mentioned in this episode:Meet the Queen of the TradwivesMomforce Podcast with Hannah NeelmanIs There Darkness Behind the Ballerina Farm BrandHow To Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott KeyDrunkards Prayer (Over the Rhine) Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This week, your hosts Chris and Emily Chapman and Casey and KATE Stapleton (not Chris Stapleton

Today, we're talking about homeschooling, the purpose of the domestic Church, why awkwardness matters, and a whole lot more of listener requested topics, in this special Q&A Episode. In This Episode:Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies by Jared DiamondJohn Henry (Tonie character)John Henry (short—Also available on Disney Plus)Future Faithful Families Project“Every Tech Tool in the Classroom Should Be Ruthlessly Evaluated,” by Jessica Gros“To Fight Less About Books in Schools, Have More Books at Home” by Brandon McGinley (Paywalled. Sorry!) Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we dive deeper into the Christian obligation (yes, obligation) to practice hospitality and answer your questions about what that looks like when you're tired, strapped for cash, and would rather just watch Netflix. Mentioned in this episode:Apostolica Acuositatem (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity), Second Vatican Council“Enduring Homelessness Requires More Than Just Survival,” by James DeMasi“Why Dutch People Don't Mind You Peering Into Their Homes” by Katja BrokkeAround the Catholic Table: 77 Recipes for Easy Hospitality and Everyday Dinners (Cookbook) by Emily Stimpson ChapmanThe Catholic Table: Finding Joy Where Food and Friendship Meet (Book), by Emily Stimpson Chapman Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Two high schoolers, a homeschooling mom, and a sleep deprived writer sit down over drinks to talk about learning. It sounds like the beginning of a very boring joke, but it actually was a fascinating late night conversation about learning, education, technology in classrooms, the virtue of studiositas, the vice of curiositas, the wonder of children, and why Emily dislikes the word “educator” almost as much as she dislikes the word “creative” when it's used as a noun. Mentioned on Today's Show“Every Tech Tool in the Classroom Should Be Ruthlessly Evaluated,” by Jessica GrosReal Learning Revisited by Elizabeth Foss“Why I am Not Going to Buy a Computer,” by Wendell BerryMen I Have Chosen for Fathers by Marion MontgomeryAnother Sort of Learning by Father James SchallSt. Michael's Abbey Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

The Chapmans are counting down the days until they take two three-year-olds and a five-year-old to Italy. The Stapletons are counting down the days until they take six kids on a converted school bus and embark on their summer concert tour. Obviously, when it comes to travel, none of us are sane. But there is a reason for our madness. This week, we're talking about the graces of travel—why we do it, the different ways it can look for different people in different seasons, and why travel, in some form or another, is so integral to the life of faith. Mentioned on “Traveling Mercies”The Miracle ClubWalking the Camino": Six Ways to SantiagoThe Shrines of Pittsburghhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acteal_massacreBike to Mary Pilgrimage (Wisconsin)Faraway by the Stapletons Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we welcome our first guest ever to the show, Dr. Matt Breuninger—associate professor of Psychology at Franciscan University, author of Finding Freedom in Christ: Healing Life's Hurts, and most important, the former owner of Visitation House.We talked for a solid 90 minutes up in the attic about what it means to be a good man, a good father, and a good husband (including an inordinate amount of time discerning if it involves jiu jitsu), and had way too much fun. Maybe a little too much fun. But once you get past the first 15 minutes of nonsense, we promise there is a ton of substance, largely thanks to Matt, who is one of the smartest and best guys any of us know. You should buy his book, follow him on Instagram, and bring him to your diocese to speak. Mentioned on Today's Episode:Known: Embraced By the Heart of the Father (A 12-Week Online Coaching Program led by Matt Breuninger and Isaac Wicker)A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott Hahn The HoldoversTwilight SamuraiThe Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks“Evangelical Sanctity: The Completion of Natural Virtue,” by Saint John Henry Newman (Sermon III of the Oxford Sermons)These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body by Emily Stimpson ChapmanFamiliaris Consortio Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

After a two week Easter break, we're back this week with a new conversation on modesty. Yes, modesty. But we promise, it's not the conversation you had with your mom (unless your mom is Emily or Kate). Links:* The Summa: Modesty (II-IIae Q.160); Adornment in the Creation of the World (I-I Q. 70)* Daily Life in the Time of Jesus by Henri Daniel-Rops* These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body, by Emily Stimpson Chapman* The Family (A Netflix Documentary)* Sacred Heart Church (part of Saint Jude Parish) in Pittsburgh, PA Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we're talking about using our phones, navigating social media, cultivating quiet, and how much Emily misses 2004. Links:Reclaiming Quiet: Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention (Pre-order) by Sarah ClarksonBeauty in the Word: Rethinking the Foundations of Education by Stratford Caldecott“Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer” by Wendell Berry“Why We Can't Read Anymore,” by Hugh McGuireThe Dating ProjectLove on the Spectrum“What Happens to Frozen Embryos When Couples Break Up?” Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Casey shares some terrifying family secrets. Emily reveals her deep dislike of Russian literature. And we chat about women's work—in the home and in the world, why both are important, what the Church has to say about it, how it's changed with time, and how Catholics can be witnesses to creativity in making family the priority for both men and women. Letter to Women, John Paul IIMulieris Dignitatem, John Paul IIWoman, Edith SteinWomen in the Days of the Cathedrals, Regine PernoudThe Feminist Question, Father Francis MartinAre Women Human, Dorothy SayersSpaghetti CarbonaraA recipe adapted from a recipe Stephanie Weinert adapted from someone elseFeeds: 4 adultsPrep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time; 20 minutes* 1 pound Bucatini Pasts (or Spaghetti)* 1 pound bacon, chopped* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed* 3 eggs* 1 cup Parmesan* Pepper* Crushed Red Pepper* In a large bowl, beat three eggs; add parmesan and a lot of fresh pepper (maybe 20 turns of the peppermill)* Bring a large pot of water to boil; when boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente; reserve 1 cup of pasta water; drain and return to pot, covering to keep warm.* While pasta cooks, fry bacon and garlic clove; when cooked, drain about half the grease into a bowl or mason jar; add remaining bacon and drippings into egg mixure; immediately add pasta and stir until coated; if it seems dry, add equal amounts of bacon drippings and pasta water, until you like the consistency (it should be creamy but not watery); add additional pepper and crushed red pepper to taste. Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

What is work? Why is it so hard? What defines success? Can we serve both God and mammon? How do we rightly order our vocations so that first things come first? And does that ordering look different for men and women?Talking about these things and more in the attic, this week on Visitation Sessions.Not a subscriber? Sign up today (it's free). Show Notes:Church Documents* Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Labor)—Pope Leo XIII, 1891* Quadragesimo Anno (After Forty Years)—Pope Pius XI, 1931* Mater et Magistra (Christianity and Social Progress)—St. John XXIII, 1961* Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples)—Blessed Paul VI, 1967* Laborem Exercens (On Human Work)—St. John Paul II, 1981* Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (On Social Concern)—St. John Paul II, 1987* Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year)—St. John Paul II, 1991Shop Craft as Soul Craft by Matthew CrawfordDark Night of the Soul by St. John of the CrossSaint Katharine Drexel The Book of Tobit Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today Chris, Kate, Casey, and I are talking about creativity. What is creativity? What does it mean to be creative? How does pursuing creativity in work, life, marriage, and family make us more alive and help us live more deeply human lives? Also, why does my skin crawl when people use the word “creative” as a noun and not an adjective? (Seriously people, please don't ever call me “a Creative.”)P.S. This is the last day, these podcast episodes will be available on my Substack. After today, all future episodes (and all back episodes) will be available on most major podcast streaming apps, and here on Substack, with a Substack of its own. All podcasts will be free, but Substack will allow us to interact more with listeners, solicit feedback and questions from you, and provide exclusive subscriber content. I'll send out an invite once everything goes live, and I do hope you will join us.Mentioned on Today's EpisodeArticles and BooksJohn Paul II's “Letter to Artists” A Room of Ones Own by Virginia Woolf“Christianity and Poetry,” by Dana GioiaStudying With Miss Bishop by Dana Gioia  Music Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Today, Chris, Kate, Casey, and I are talking all things Lent: the meaning of the season, abstinence and fasting, Fish Fries, practical penances, prayer, almsgiving, loving the poor, living Lent in marriage and with children, and what happens when you fail at it all.Mentioned on today's episode:Approach to Penance by Hubert Van ZellarSt. Michael's AbbeyFriendship RoomThe Red Door Ministry Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe

Introducing Visitation SessionsFor over a year now, I've been toying with the idea of starting a podcast. This is partly because I love good conversations, and those have become almost impossible to have on social media these days. It's also because I've wanted you to know my husband Chris better. He is one of the healthiest, wisest, and most mature Christian men I know, and I think a lot of you would enjoy (and benefit from) hearing more of what he has to say.Up until now, this has remained only an idea because I didn't have the technical knowledge needed to produce a high quality podcast. Then, my good friend Kate Stapleton and I got to talking. Kate and her husband Casey are musicians who are working on their third album together. Every summer, they load their six children into their big blue converted school bus, and travel the country on tour. When they're not touring, Casey, like Chris, teaches theology at a Catholic high school in Pittsburgh. Kate and Casey are two of the most fascinating people you will ever meet, and Casey is a tech wizard, who does all the producing on their albums. How fun would it be, we thought, to do a podcast together, as married couples and friends?And it has been fun. Not just because this is allowing us to have the most uninterrupted conversations we've ever had (something that never happens when nine kids are around), but also because conversations about the things that matter are always life-giving. In conversation with others, we discover not only new dimensions to truth, but also new dimensions to ourselves. Our hope with this podcast is to invite you into these conversations, so you can make those discoveries along with us. We're not here to teach you the Faith, but to share with you how we are living the Faith—and struggling with it, stumbling through it, and being changed by it. This isn't a podcast that aims to give you all the answers, wrapped up in a neat and tidy black and white package. But it is a podcast that aims to show you the beauty of asking questions and listening to others and encountering Christ in the midst of it all.Show Notes:Here are links to books mentioned on the show and the books we're reading.Spiritual Theology by Jordan AumannThe Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine BennettThe Catholic Table: Finding Joy Where Food and Faith Meet by Emily Stimpson ChapmanAround the Catholic Table: 77 Recipes for Easy Hospitality and Everyday Dinners by Emily Stimpson ChapmanThe Political Economy of Distributes: Property, Liberty, and the Common Good by Alexander William SalterAtonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theologyby Margaret M. TurekSHTF Survival Stories: Memories from the Balkan War by Selko BegovicLittle Women Abroad: The Alcott Sisters Letters from Europe by Louisa May AlcottWild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl StrayedAn Incomplete Revenge: A Maisie Dobbs Mystery by Jacqueline Winspear Get full access to Visitation Sessions at visitationsessions.substack.com/subscribe