Podcasts about Catholic culture

St. Bernard of Claivaux (1090 - 1153 AD) was the founder of the Cistercians, a reform order of the Benedictines, and was one of the Church's true mystics. He opposed the “intentionalism” of the heretic Peter Abelard with his quip: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” He also opposed an anti-pope, corrected a king, brokered peace in Europe, and had to nuance the doctrine of “just war” in the face of Christian losses in the Crusades. Links Check out this article on St. Barnard of Clairvaux and the Active Life: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/bernard-clairvaux-and-active-life/?repos=6&subrepos=0&searchid=2539743 Here's the Classics of Western Spirituality volume on St. Bernard: https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/2917-5/bernard-of-clairvaux.aspx SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/

Fr. John Nepil, priest and mountaineer, joins the podcast to discuss his book To Heights and Unto Depths: Letters from the Colorado Trail. Topics discussed include: The modern view of "nature" vs. God's creation A morally responsible approach to risk-taking The modern origins of hiking as a secular activity "Wilderness" vs. "garden" - Catholic attitudes toward the wild places To Heights and Unto Depths https://ignatius.com/to-heights-and-unto-depths-thudp/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

"Prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And may He bring us all together to life everlasting!" The Rule of St. Benedict is a foundational spiritual guide composed by St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, around 530 AD. In this third episode, covering Chapters 39–73, Benedict details daily routines like meals and work, outlines hospitality and simplicity in possessions, and establishes the monastery's governance. These final chapters conclude Benedict's Rule, presenting a vision of disciplined living, generous welcome, and unity centered on Christ. Episode 3: Ch. 39 - 73 00:00 Intro 00:38 Food, Work, and Silence (Chapters 39–47)   12:28 Labor, Hospitality, and Possessions (Chapters 48–57)   27:04 Entry and Community Structure (Chapters 58–62)   37:19 Leadership and Communal Unity (Chapters 63–73) This work released in its entirety in episodic format. Links St. Benedict's Rule for Monasteries full text: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/50040/pg50040-images.html#chapter-1 SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

Good morning! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell continue their discussion with Andrew Petiprin about how the Church is bigger on the inside than she appears from the outside. Other guests include Bobby Schindler from the Life and Hope Network, and Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more...

00:00 Introduction 12:44 Form 1:04:15 Themes 1:28:17 Moral problems 1:52:00 Favorite sequences After the artistic triumph of his magnum opus The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick had an unwontedly prolific period, releasing To the Wonder (2012), Knight of Cups (2015), and Song to Song (2017). In these films, known informally as the "Weightless Trilogy", Malick took his previous formal experimentation even further, relying heavily on improvisation stitched together with a stream-of-consciousness editing style evoking the fragments of memory. The results are undeniably aesthetically exciting, but also critically divisive, as many viewers find the latter two films particularly to lack narrative substance. The films have been of special interest to many Christians because of their explicit allusions to faith and their depiction of the emptiness of worldly pleasures as the characters search for something more. To the Wonder in particular is noteworthy for its priest character played by Javier Bardem, and because it deals with the issue of contraception and how being closed off to children destroys a relationship (the importance of children being a theme in all three films). Across the trilogy, Malick deals with the topic of sexuality in a way seen nowhere else in modern Hollywood, consistently showing the breakdown of sexuality in excess, deviance, and using others as destructive and even sinful. In that and in other respects, the films are profoundly countercultural. However, this is dangerous material to handle in any medium, cinema above all. Malick is not always successful in threading the needle with moral purity in execution, however praiseworthy his thematic intentions. This makes it impossible to recommend these films for a wide viewership, or to anyone without caveats. Nonetheless, a discussion of these films, with all their strengths and weaknesses, is essential in considering the direction of religious cinema today - and in this episode Thomas Mirus, James Majewski, and Nathan Douglas do just that.  Note: YouTube has censored versions (TV-14, blurred nudity and bleeped profanity) of Knight of Cups and Song to Song, for free with ads. SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to keep this podcast going: https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com

St. Bernard of Claivaux (1090 - 1153 AD) was born to be a knight, and grew up in a castle, but he chose to be a different kind of knight - a true prayer warrior - and he supported the invention of the Christian knight by endorsing the Knights Templar. He would be the founder of the Cistercians, a reform order of the Benedictines. He was a strong advocate of devotion to Our Lady, and of orthodox doctrine, and he would turn down the office of bishop in six different cities. Listen in to find out what “mellifluous” means!  Links SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

"We believe that the divine presence is everywhere... But we should believe this especially without any doubt when we are assisting at the Work of God." The Rule of St. Benedict is a foundational spiritual guide composed by St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, around 530 AD. In the chapters comprising this second episode, Benedict details the structure of the Divine Office, establishes the rhythms and roles of community life, and provides guidelines for the disciplinary measures to be taken against erring brothers. Episode 1: Ch. 1 - 7, with Prologue 00:00 Intro 00:38 Structuring Prayer (Chapters 8 - 20)   16:32 Order and Discipline (Chapters 21 - 30)   25:15 Community Life and Roles (Chapter 31 - 38) This work will be released in its entirety in episodic format. Links St. Benedict's Rule for Monasteries full text: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/50040/pg50040-images.html#chapter-1 SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

Happy feast of St. Athanasius of Alexandria! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell discuss his role in implementing the Council of Nicea. Guests include Dr. Matthew Bunson with more insights into the cardinal electors, Andrew Petiprin with more thoughts on how the Catholic Faith is not a mere ideology, and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast and Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more...

The standard textbook of theology in medieval universities was the Sentences by Peter Lombard, bishop of Paris from 1095-1160. This collection systematically arranged the theological judgments of Scripture and the Church Fathers on various topics. For almost four centuries, those seeking higher credentials in theology had to study, teach, and comment on Lombard's Sentences. It was formative for the likes of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure. Over time, the genre of commentaries on the Sentences became its own vehicle for new developments in theology. The Sentences was not replaced by Aquinas's Summa as a standard textbook until the 16th century. Philosopher Philipp Rosemann has written two books on the Sentences and its significance for the development of theology. The first, Peter Lombard (2004), is about Lombard and his book. The second, The Story of a Great Medieval Book: Peter Lombard's “Sentences” (2007), is about the commentary tradition on the Sentences. Rosemann gives fascinating insights into the development as theology as a systematic science, which had profound ramifications for Catholic spiritual life and the history of the West. DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

St. Anselm (1033 - 1109 AD) was Abbot of the monastery of Bec, and later, Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the first of the medieval scholastics, and the first real systematic theologian. His treatise, Cur Deus Homo brought together biblical and patristic themes related to salvation and the atonement to provide the Church with a comprehensive (up to that point) teaching on the Incarnation and the Atonement, known as the Satisfaction Theory of Atonement.  Links To read Anselm's Cur Deus Homo online: https://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/ans/ans117.htm To read several of the most important works of St. Anselm, get the book Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works:  https://global.oup.com/academic/product/anselm-of-canterbury-the-major-works-9780199540082?q=Anselm%20major%20works&lang=en&cc=us For more on the medieval scholastics, the atonement, and St. Anselm, see the book Reading the Church Fathers: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/  SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

This lecture is entitled A Philosophy of Work, Leisure, and Catholic Culture It was given by Paul Blaschko of the University of Notre Dame on March 20th, 2025 at the Butterfield Country Club .

A great spiritual master of our time, Fr. Donald Haggerty, joins the podcast to discuss his important new book, The Hour of Testing: Spiritual Depth and Insight in a Time of Ecclesial Uncertainty. He offers profound reflections on the ongoing, and perhaps future, crisis within the Church, with an eye to arousing an appetite for the greater spiritual intensity God desires his faithful to live out in this time. It is essential that we see that our Lord Himself is reliving His Passion in His Mystical Body, when the Church suffers betrayal and humiliation at a high institutional level. It is also essential that we see the high stakes in the great loss of souls in this time, so that we may be spurred to a deeper and more sacrificial prayer life. Fr. Haggerty offers spiritual sobriety and counsels for holiness that should not be missed. Buy The Hour of Testing https://ignatius.com/the-hour-of-testing-htp/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

St. Anselm (1033 - 1109 AD) was Abbot of the monastery of Bec, and later, Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the first of the medieval scholastics, and the first real systematic theologian. In many ways, St. Anselm is the bridge between St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. Links To read Anselm's Cur Deus Homo online: https://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/ans/ans117.htm To read several of the most important works of St. Anselm, get the book Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works:  https://global.oup.com/academic/product/anselm-of-canterbury-the-major-works-9780199540082?q=Anselm%20major%20works&lang=en&cc=us For more on the medieval scholastics, the atonement, and St. Anselm, see the book Reading the Church Fathers: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/  SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

"And so we are going to establish a school for the service of the Lord. In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome. But if a certain strictness results… do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation, whose entrance cannot but be narrow." In this first of five episodes, we begin The Rule of St. Benedict, a foundational spiritual guide composed around 530 AD by St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism. In the Prologue, St. Benedict sets forth the Rule's purpose, followed by Chapters 1–7, in which he outlines the kinds of monks, the qualities of an abbot, the Instruments of Good Works as a monk's daily guide, and the Rule's core principles of obedience, silence, and humility. Episode 1: Ch. 1 - 7, with Prologue 00:00 Intro 00:38 Prologue    07:43 Chapter 1 - On the Kinds of Monks   09:51 Chapter 2 - What Kind of Man the Abbot Ought to Be   16:43 Chapter 3 - On Calling the Brethren for Counsel   18:37 Chapter 4 - What Are the Instruments of Good Works   23:44 Chapter 5 - On Obedience   26:18 Chapter 6 - On the Spirit of Silence   27:50 Chapter 7 - On Humility This work will be released in its entirety in episodic format. Links St. Benedict's Rule for Monasteries full text: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/50040/pg50040-images.html#chapter-1 SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

Barabbas is an unusual specimen of the midcentury Hollywood Biblical epic, more spiritually searching (and edgier) than its peers. Starring Anthony Quinn as the criminal released by Pilate in place of Christ, Barabbas is based on a 1950 novel by Nobel winner Pär Lagerkvist (recently listed by Anthony Esolen among the greatest religious novels of the 20th century). It follows Barabbas through a long life in the shadow of the Cross, haunted and struggling to comprehend the meaning of having had his life exchanged for Christ's. He becomes almost an archetype of human resistance to grace – but in the end, does he nonetheless surrender himself to what he doesn't understand? Br. Joshua Vargas, Cong.Orat., returns to the show to discuss this intriguing film. SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to keep this podcast going: https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com

Happy feast of St. Isidore of Seville! On today's show, we look more at the story behind the Doctor of the Church who's known as the patron saint of the internet. Guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Mass readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent. Plus news, weather, sports, and more

Mimetic desire, scapegoating: if you've been hearing these terms thrown around lately, it's because the French Catholic philosopher René Girard (1923-2015) is having a renaissance, with powerful people like J.D. Vance and Peter Thiel citing his influence on their thought. Trevor Cribben Merrill, producer of the new documentary Things Hidden: The Life and Legacy of René Girard, joins the podcast to discuss Girard's principal ideas, and reflect on aspects of his thought which seem difficult to reconcile with Catholic doctrine. Watch Things Hidden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-vB1HaBsog SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Good morning! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Fr. Philip Larrey to share more thoughts on what the Vatican has to say about artificial intelligence.. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more...

Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Fr. Philip Larrey to share more thoughts on what the Vatican has to say about artificial intelligence.. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** Prayer of St. Vincent Pallotti Eternal Father,it is Your will that all should be saved.Great is Your mercy.Your Son, Jesus Christ died for all.Teach all people to recognize You and love You.With deep faith in Christ’s deathand resurrection we pray:‘Send Forth, O Lord, laborers into Your vineyardand spare Your people.’Eternal Word, Redeemer of all creation,convert all souls to You.You have been obedient for all,even to death on the cross.Look upon the merits of Your Motherand of all the angels and saintswho intercede for us.Send forth, O Lord, laborers into Your vineyardand spare Your people.O Holy Spirit,through the infinite merits of our Lord, Jesus Christ,enkindle in all heartsYour ardent love that can do all things,that all may be one fold and one Shepherd,and that all may arrive in heavento sing Your Divine mercy.Queen of Apostles and all the angels and saints,pray to the Lord of the harvest:Send forth, O Lord, laborers into Your vineyardand spare your people,that united with you,and the Father and the Holy Spirit,we may all rejoice forever. ***** Fr. Philip Larrey is online at philiplarrey.com. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

St. Peter Damian (1007 - 1072 AD) was an advisor to, and sometimes corrector of, Popes, Emperors, and Kings. Through his writings he was a reformer of the clergy, and the monasteries, especially calling out and confronting immorality among the clergy. He was a member of the first college of cardinals as we know it today, and took part in wrestling away from royals and nobles the power to appoint Popes, restoring the process of papal elections.  Links Listen to the Catholic Culture audio book of St. Peter Damian's The Lord Be With You: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-peter-damian-lord-be-with-you/ Listen to previous episodes of The Way of the Fathers on the subject of the validity of the Sacraments: Episode 4.8 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 1: The Good): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/48-novatian-good-bad-ugly-pt-1-good/ Episode 4.9 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 2: The Bad and the Ugly): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/49-novatian-part-2-bad-and-ugly/ Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-stephen-and-sacraments/ Fr. Owen J. Blum's Dissertation - St. Peter Damian: His Teaching on the Spiritual Life: https://www.faithandfamily.pub/st-peter-damian-his-teaching-on-the-spiritual-life/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

Good morning! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Br. Guy Consolmagno from the Vatican Observatory to share thoughts from his new book, A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus all the latest news, weather, sports and more...

We still need help to hit our Lenten Membership Drive goal; if you didn’t have a chance to give yet, there’s still time! If you appreciate all that you’ve received through Sacred Heart Radio over the past 24 years, including a live daily Catholic morning radio show to help you start your day a better way, please consider making a one-time or persevering gift to help us keep spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ across multiple media platforms! Make your gift now to support Sacred Heart Radio and the Son Rise Morning Show ***** Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Bobby Schindler from the Life and Hope Network to share more ways to protect the dignity of the medically vulnerable. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus all the latest news, weather, sports and more… ***** Br. Guy Consolmagno, author of A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars John Zaller discussed Catholic stories from the Titanic. Fr. Philip Larrey is online at philiplarrey.com. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It is not for Demophilus to set these things straight. For if the Word of God commands us to pursue just things justly... this must be pursued by all justly, not beyond their own fitness." This letter—historically attributed to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, a 1st-century convert of Saint Paul from Acts, but now considered the work of an anonymous 5th-century author known as 'Pseudo-Dionysius'—delivers a stern yet compassionate rebuke to a monk named Demophilus. Dionysius challenges the monk's rash condemnation of a priest for absolving a repentant sinner, and urges mercy, humility and respect for the Church's hierarchy. Adapted from an 1897 translation, this version retains the work's rhetorical and theological depth while rendering the language more accessible to contemporary listeners. Links Letter VIII: About minding one's own business, and kindness full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/areopagite_08_letters.htm#letter8 SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

James and Thomas discuss a minor classic of religious cinema, the spiritually edifying (and humorous!) Russian film The Island, about a fictional Orthodox monk and “holy fool” who has special spiritual gifts, but remains racked with guilt over a terrible crime he committed in his youth. The Island can be viewed on YouTube (the subtitles are a different translation from the ones on Amazon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz-vegualMg&ab_channel=SergeyKorsakov SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to keep this podcast going: https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com

Today is the last day of our Lenten Membership Drive! We have a long way to go to hit our goal, and we need your help today to do it! If you appreciate all that you’ve received through Sacred Heart Radio over the past 24 years, including a live daily Catholic morning radio show to help you start your day a better way, please consider making a one-time or persevering gift to help us keep spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ across multiple media platforms! Make your gift now to support Sacred Heart Radio and the Son Rise Morning Show ***** Happy feast of St. Joseph! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Dr. Benjamin Lewis from ICEL to unpack a hymn to St. Joseph from the Liturgy of the Hours. Other guests include Gary Zimak with more ideas on how to give up worry for Lent, and Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe to discuss a free talk on Confession he’s giving through the Institute of Catholic Culture. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** Prayer to St. Joseph by Pope Pius X Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity. Amen. ***** Cincinnati Right to Life is online at cincinnatirighttolife.org. Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe’s talk on Confession will be available through instituteofcatholicculture.org. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good morning! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome actress Joelle Maryn to discuss her new book, "Become the Fire." Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Mass readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent. Plus news, weather, sports and more...

Switch to Catholic Radio for Lent! Download our PDF, cut up the cards, and hand them out to your friends who are looking for something edifying to listen to during Lent… Switch to Catholic Radio for Lent – Download and Print ***** Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome actress Joelle Maryn to discuss her new book, “Become the Fire.” Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Mass readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent. Plus news, weather, sports and more… ***** Morning prayer of John Henry Newman May the Lord support us all the day long,Till the shades lengthen and the evening comes,and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over,and our work is done.Then in his mercy may he give us a safe lodging,and holy rest, and peace at the last. ***** Joelle Maryn, author of Become the Fire Fr. Tad Pacholczyk is online at ncbcenter.org. Fr. William Slattery, author of Enchanted by Eternity Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

St. Peter Damian (1007 - 1072 AD) is another one of our lesser-known Doctors of the Church, and yet he was, in his time, a man who could give advice to the Popes, and call for reform in the clergy and in the monasteries. Known as a Catholic reformer (long before the Protestant Reformation), he confronted clergy immorality, simony and lay investiture, as well as corruption in the process of the election of Popes, and he was a member of the first college of cardinals, as we know it today.  Links Listen to the Catholic Culture audio book of St. Peter Damian's The Lord Be With You: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-peter-damian-lord-be-with-you/ Listen to previous episodes of The Way of the Fathers on the subject of the validity of the Sacraments: Episode 4.8 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 1: The Good): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/48-novatian-good-bad-ugly-pt-1-good/ Episode 4.9 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 2: The Bad and the Ugly): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/49-novatian-part-2-bad-and-ugly/ Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-stephen-and-sacraments/ Fr. Owen J. Blum's Dissertation - St. Peter Damian: His Teaching on the Spiritual Life: https://www.faithandfamily.pub/st-peter-damian-his-teaching-on-the-spiritual-life/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

Ryan Hammill of the Ancient Language Institute joins Thomas for a practical discussion about how to learn Latin, as well as the central place of the classical languages (Latin and Greek) in classical Christian education, and the various schools of thought in today's classical Christian education movement. Links Thomas's article about learning Latin https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/dreamt-learning-latin-heres-how-youll-finally-do-it/ Ancient Language Institute https://ancientlanguage.com/ New Humanists Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-humanists/id1570296135 Jonathan Roberts, “Classical Schools Are Not Really Classical” https://ancientlanguage.com/classical-schools-not-classical/ Micah Meadowcroft, “Classical Education's Aristocracy of Anyone” https://nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/classical-educations-aristocracy-of-anyone DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio  SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

Happy feast of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Mike Aquilina to discuss how their witness of martyrdom took the Roman world by storm. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Mass readings for the First Sunday of Lent. Plus news, weather, sports, and more

Switch to Catholic Radio for Lent! Download our PDF, cut up the cards, and hand them out to your friends who are looking for something edifying to listen to during Lent… Switch to Catholic Radio for Lent – Download and Print ***** Happy feast of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Mike Aquilina to discuss how their witness of martyrdom took the Roman world by storm. Other guests include Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Mass readings for the First Sunday of Lent. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** A Prayer of St. Thomas More Give me Your grace, good Lord, to set the world at nought, to set my mind fast upon You. And not to hang upon the blast of men’s mouths. To be content to be solitary. Not to long for worldly company, little and little utterly to cast off the world, and rid my mind of all the business thereof. Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help, to lean unto the comfort of God, busily to labor to love Him. To have continually in mind the passion that Christ suffered for me; for His benefits incessantly to give Him thanks. To think my most enemies my best friends, for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favor as they did him with their malice and hatred. ***** Joseph Rule, author of Giovanni and the Fava Beans Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Criteria crew continues its series on the films of Terrence Malick, jumping ahead to the experimental documentary Voyage of Time, which was co-produced by the Knights of Columbus! Voyage of Time portrays the history of the cosmos, the Earth, and the living creatures on it from the beginning of the universe to its end. The main point of the film is simply to evoke wonder at creation with its gorgeous photography, sound design and music. The film exists in two versions: a 45-minute version narrated by Brad Pitt (Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience), and a 90-minute version narrated by Cate Blanchett (Voyage of Time: Life's Journey). James, Thomas, and Nathan Douglas all agree that the long version is generally superior. However, they debate over the content of the narration (which, in both films, is of an existential rather than scientific nature). Thomas contends that the narration in the long version, rather than inspiring the viewer to seek the truth about the meaning of the universe, seems to leave us swimming in a muddled and uninspiring metaphysical soup. James defends the narration as a “phenomenological” portrayal of primitive man's varying interpretations of the cosmos, rather than a set of consistent truth propositions. SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com

The Holy Father has proclaimed 2025 as a Jubilee year, and pilgrims are already flocking to Rome to cross the thresholds of the major basilicas, and to visit the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul. Original host of the Way of the Fathers podcast, Mike Aquilina, and current host of the podcast, James L. Papandrea, talk about jubilee and pilgrimage, and introduce listeners to the first (of hopefully many) Way of the Fathers pilgrimage. If you're interested in going on pilgrimage to Sicily, December 1-11, 2025, with Mike, and Jim, and Fr. Kevin Barrett, you can find more information at this link:    https://www.206tours.com/cms/stpaulcenter/aquilina/   Why Sicily?    “Sicily,” said Goethe, “is the key to everything.” It was the site where Plato imagined his perfect republic. Sicily gave Rome its first taste of Empire. Homer set much of his Odyssey in Sicily: Scylla and Charybdis, the forge of Hephaestus … It's the land of the Cyclops, the place where Icarus hit the ground when his wings began to melt. St. Paul spent three days there. For St. Augustine it was a land of wonders — a mountain that burned always and was not consumed. For St. Basil it was a synonym for luxury. Sicily was the definition of Hellenic. It was profoundly Latin. It was the land that gave the Church its Greek popes. It was the land that gave the Church its virgin-martyrs, Agatha and Lucy. For those who suffer ailments of the eye or breast, it is a pilgrim destination. It's Byzantine. It's Roman. It's Phoenician and African. It's stubbornly Christian through years of Muslim rule. It's Norman. It's Spanish. It's stunningly beautiful. The food is amazing. It's where the Godfather movies were filmed. In December it will be warm there and offer unusual wares and delights for Christmas shoppers. Consider joining Catholic author Mike Aquilina, historian James L. Papandrea, and Fr. Kevin Barrett on a unique pilgrimage, co-sponsored by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, 206 Tours, and the Apostolate for Family Consecration. (This pilgrimage is not run by CatholicCulture.org.)   SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), was an Armenian saint: a monk, scholar, poet, and hymn writer. Praised as a saint by Pope St. John Paul II, who called by him the “great Marian doctor of the Armenian Church,” St. Gregory of Narek was officially proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis in 2015–one of the most recent additions to the list of the Doctors of the Church. Links Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of Eutyches and monophysitism: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/416-heresieseutyches-monophysitism-drop-in-ocean/  Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of rebaptism: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/410-heresies-rebaptism-and-donatists/ Listen to a lecture by musicologist Dr. Haig Utigjian on St. Gregory's Odes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xleJO1xra08 (The lecturer sings an example of a (later) melody at about minute 36) The book, The Doctor of Mercy: The Sacred Treasures of St. Gregory of Narek, by Michael Papazian: https://litpress.org/Products/8501/The-Doctor-of-Mercy A collection of books about St. Gregory of Narek, including the above: https://litpress.org/Products/SGNSET/The-Works-of-St-Gregory-of-Narek The English translation of St. Gregory's book of prayers: The Book of Lamentations: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9993085340  SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

The Christian West and Its Singers: The First Thousand Years, by the great English musicologist Christopher Page, covers the development of Christian liturgical music from its origins as an elaboration of the role of the lector to its flourishing in the monastic and cathedral singing schools of France, as Roman chant was spread across Europe. One of the most important developments was the gradual development of a system of notation in the late first millennium, culminating in Guido d'Arezzo's invention of the musical staff which allowed singers to learn melodies they had never heard before. Guido was motivated by the desire to reform monastic singing and enable monks to fulfil their duties more easily. This went along with a the development of music theory far beyond anything that could be found in the classical sources. Christopher Page, The Christian West and Its Singers https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300112573/the-christian-west-and-its-singers/ Gothic Voices ensemble https://gothicvoices.co.uk/ Christopher Page playing Renaissance guitar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KW34ucTnhI&ab_channel=GreshamCollege DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio  SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

Happy feast of St. Peter Damian! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell talk to. Dr. Matthew Bunson about his legacy as a Doctor of the Church. They also welcome Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Sunday Mass Readings. Plus news, weather, sports and more...

"The philosopher aspires towards a divine principle; the Christian, towards a Divine Agent." St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were isntrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England and ultimately led to many conversions to Catholicism. In addition to the profound influence these sermons had on both Anglican and Catholic theology, they also bore a personal significance for Newman's own conversion to Catholicism years later. These fifteen sermons, though deeply interconnected in theme and insight, are not sequential in nature; rather, each stands on its own as a distinct and self-contained reflection on faith and reason. Newman lays the groundwork for themes developed in later works, such as Grammar of Assent and Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. In this second sermon, Newman illustrates how the foundational awareness of God's existence ascertained by natural religion (human reason and observation of the world) is perfected and deepened by the personal knowledge of God offered by revealed religion (divine revelation, especially in the person of Christ). Links The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon2.html SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

Poet and philosopher James Matthew Wilson joins the podcast to discuss two films by the Marx Brothers (Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera). Wilson also reads one of his poems featuring allusions to the Marx Brothers, and talks about the letters written between Groucho Marx and T.S. Eliot. James Matthew Wilson, The Strangeness of the Good https://angelicopress.com/products/the-strangeness-of-the-good SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters DONATE to keep this podcast going: https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com  

In the first episode on St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), Dr. Papandrea introduces one of the newest additions to the list of Doctors of the Church. Gregory was an Armenian monk, scholar, poet, and saint, who was praised by Pope St. John Paul II. Links Listen to Mike Aquilina's episode on Christianity in Armenia - The Way of the Fathers episode 3.9 Ejmiastin and Christian Armenia: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/39-cities-god-ejmiatsin-and-christian-armenia/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/    

A new biography of Ven. Fulton Sheen gives special attention to his high-profile converts, but reveals many other interesting facets of his life as well. Author Cheryl Hughes joins to discuss Sheen's at times shockingly direct evangelization methods, his outstanding television presence, his lifelong struggle with vanity and ambition, and the mistreatment he suffered from his rival, Cardinal Spellman. Links Cheryl C.D. Hughes, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Convert Maker https://ignatius.com/archbishop-fulton-j-sheen-afsp/ Thomas's review of Cheryl's biography of St. Katharine Drexel https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-katharine-drexel-shows-how-spiritual-poverty-and-submission-to-providence-go-hand-in-hand/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

"The philosopher might speculate, but the theologian must submit to learn." St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were instrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England. In this collection of fifteen sermons, Newman especially explores the relationship between faith and reason, and lays the groundwork for themes he would later develop in works like his Grammar of Assent and Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. In addition to the profound influence these sermons had on both Anglican and Catholic theology, they also bore a personal significance for Newman's own conversion to Catholicism years later. In this first sermon, Newman argues that it was Christianity which first promoted a properly philosophical disposition, by encouraging a mindset and instilling the virtues essential for a truly scientific approach to the pursuit of truth. Links The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospel full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon1.html SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

On the latest episode of Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast, Andrew Petiprin joins James and Thomas to discuss the late David Lynch's most uplifting film, The Elephant Man. The film is based on the real Victorian-era life of Joseph Merrick, a man who suffered terrible abuse because of his extreme deformities, yet whose human dignity was ultimately recognized and allowed to flourish by those who rescued him and cared for him with Christian compassion. Panel on film at Notre Dame with Thomas Mirus, Andrew Petiprin, and Nathan Douglas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7oE8d6RcCw&ab_channel=deNicolaCenterforEthicsandCulture Andrew's book Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/popcorn-with-the-pope DONATE to keep this podcast going: https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters  Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com

“This present feast is one of the greater of the whole year... Because there are three grades of sanctity which we celebrate in this feast.” St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) was a Spanish Dominican friar, theologian, and renowned preacher known for his fiery sermons and missionary work across Europe. He was deeply devoted to calling people to repentance, emphasizing the urgency of salvation and often preaching about the Last Judgment. This earned him the moniker "Angel of the Judgment." In this Candlemas sermon, St. Vincent reflects on the three significant events which this great feast commemorates: the Meeting with Simeon, the Presentation of Christ, and the Purification of Mary. Links: Full text: https://www.svfsermons.org/C117_Purification%20of%20the%20BVM.htm SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio  Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

In this second episode on St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735 AD), Dr. Papandrea talks about the literary legacy of this Doctor of the Church. Bede is not only considered the “father of English history,” but also the “father of English education.” Although he is now most famous for his Ecclesiastical History of England, his contribution to the Church is actually much greater than that. Links The Oxford book - St. Bede: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede's Letter to Egbert - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ecclesiastical-history-of-the-english-people-the-greater-chronicle-bedes-letter-to-egbert-9780199537235?q=978-0199537235&cc=us&lang=en The Classics of Western Spirituality book - The Venerable Bede: On the Song of Songs and Selected Writings - https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/4700-7/the-venerable-bede.aspx The Ancient Christian Texts book - Latin Commentaries on Revelation - https://ivpress.com/latin-commentaries-on-revelation SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community:  https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ For more on the interpretation of the Book of Revelation in the Early Church, see Dr. Papandrea's book, The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Interpretation of the Book of Revelation - https://wipfandstock.com/9781608998067/the-wedding-of-the-lamb/  Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

"Be sure that wherever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life." Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results. Themes include: Pursuing a devout life whole-heartedly Incorporating prayer and sacraments into a busy schedule Growing in virtue Battling wisely against temptation Making spiritual progress through daily, monthly, and yearly exercises Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or are more advanced in the spiritual life, you'll be able to apply this timeless wisdom immediately. Let St. Francis de Sales illumine the path to holiness and strengthen your desire to walk that road with the Lord. St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was the Bishop of Geneva and a renowned spiritual director. Preaching during the Counter-Reformation, he is estimated to have converted 70,000 Calvinists in his lifetime. He was a fervent proponent of the universal call to holiness and spent much of his time guiding lay people on the road to sanctity. Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877, St. Francis is still helping to form saints through his many writings, of which Introduction to the Devout Life is the most famous. —description from the publisher Introduction to the Devout Life full text: https://watch.formed.org/introduction-to-the-devout-life-by-st-francis-de-sales SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio  Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved. Timestamps 00:38 Preface 12:26 Part 1 – Counsels and Exercises for the Guidance of the Soul from Its First Desire After a Devout Life unto a Full Resolution of Pursuing the Same 12:38 True Devotion Explained 18:19 The Nature and Excellence of Devotion 23:17 Devotion is Suitable to Every Vocation and Profession 27:26 The Need of a Guide for those who would Enter Upon and Advance in the Devout Life 33:35 The First Step: Purifying the Soul 38:22 The First Purification: From Mortal Sin 40:56 The Second Purification: From All Sinful Affections 44:17 How to Affect This Second Purification 46:56 First Meditation, On Creation 53:26 Second Meditation, On the End for Which We Were Created 59:26 Third Meditation, On the Gifts of God 1:05:20 Fourth Meditation, On Sin 1:11:39 Fifth Meditation, On Death 1:19:00 Sixth Meditation, On Judgment 1:24:59 Seventh Meditation, On Hell 1:29:02 Eighth Meditation, On Paradise 1:34:05 Ninth Meditation, On the Choice Open to You Between Heaven and Hell 1:39:26 Tenth Meditation, On How the Soul Chooses the Devout Life 1:46:40How to Make a General Confession 1:49:23 A Sincere Protest Made with the Object of Confirming the Soul's Resolution to Serve God as a Cojnclusion to its Acts of Penitence 1:53:58 Conclusion of This First Purification 1:55:53 The Necessity of Purging Away All Tendency to Venial Sins 2:00:35 It Is Necessary to Put Away All Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things 2:03:14 All Evil Inclinations Must Be Purged Away 02:05:29 Part 2 – Counsels as to Uplifting the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments 2:05:38 The Necessity of Prayer 2:11:30 A Short Method of Meditation in the Presence of God: The First Point of Preparation 2:17:05 Invocation: The Second Point of Preparation 2:18:38 Representing the Mystery to Be Meditated to Your Imagination: The Third Point of Preparation 2:20:49 Considerations: The Second Part of Meditation 2:22:16 Affections and Resolutions: The Third Part of Meditation 2:24:01 The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet 2:25:44 Some Useful Hints on Meditation 2:30:40 Concerning Dryness in Meditation 2:33:15 Morning Prayer 2:36:05 Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience 2:38:03 Spiritual Refreshment 2:42:42 Aspirations, Brief Prayer, and Holy Thoughts 2:53:34 Holy Communion, and How to Receive It 2:58:17 The Other Public Offices of the Church 3:00:13 How the Saints Are United to Us 3:02:58 How to Hear and Read God's Word 3:05:05 How to Receive Inspirations 3:10:31 Confession 3:17:35 Frequent Communion 3:23:09 How to Communicate 03:28:01 Part 3 – Counsels Concerning the Practice of Virtue 03:28:08 How to Select That Which We Should Chiefly Practice 03:36:56 The Same Subject Continued 03:43:55 Patience 03:53:08 Greater Humility 03:59:02 Interior Humility 04:08:28 Humility Makes Us Rejoice in Our Own Abjection 04:15:11 How to Combine Due Care for a Good Reputation with Humility 04:22:40 Gentleness Towards Others and Remedies Against Anger 04:31:05 Gentleness Towards Ourselves 04:35:35 We Must Attend to the Business of Life Carefully, but Without Eagerness or Over-Anxiety 04:40:18 Obedience 04:45:43 Purity 04:49:05 How to Maintain Purity 04:52:48 Poverty of Spirit amid Riches 04:58:28 How to Exercise Real Poverty although Actually Rich 05:06:08 How to Possess a Rich Spirit amid Real Poverty 05:09:50 Friendship: Evil and Frivolous Friendship 05:13:31 Frivolous Attachments 05:18:48 Real Friendship 05:24:40 The Difference between True and False Friendship 05:28:57 Remedies against Evil Friendships 05:35:47 Further Advice concerning Intimacies 05:40:22 The Practice of Bodily Mortification 05:50:59 Society and Solitude 05:56:24 Modesty in Dress 06:00:20 Conversation: First, How to Speak of God 06:02:52 Unseemly Words and the Respect Due to Others 06:07:18 Hasty Judgments 06:17:28 Slander 06:28:27 Further Counsels as to Conversation 06:32:24 Amusements and Recreations: What Are Allowable 06:34:56 Forbidden Amusements 06:36:53 Balls and Other Lawful but Dangerous Amusements 06:41:59 When to Use Such Amusements Rightly 06:43:49 We Must Be Faithful in Things Great and Small 06:49:23 - A Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind 06:53:33 - Wishes 06:58:15 - Counsels to Married People 07:11:47 - The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed 07:13:15 - Counsels to Widows 07:22:31 - One Word to Maidens 07:23:51 Part 4 – Counsels Concerning Some Ordinary Temptations 07:23:58 - We Must Not Trifle with the Words of Worldly Wisdom 07:29:29 - The Need of Good Courage 07:32:09 - Temptations and the Difference Between Experiencing Them and Consenting to Them 07:37:19 - Two Striking Illustrations of the Same 07:40:56 - Encouragement for the Tempted Soul 07:43:26 - When Temptation and Pleasure are Sin 07:47:23 - Remedies for Great Occasions 07:50:15 - How to Resist Minor Temptations 07:52:26 - How to Remedy Minor Temptations 07:55:02 - How to Strengthen the Heart Against Temptation 07:57:40 - Anxiety of Mind 08:03:27 - Sadness and Sorrow 08:08:40 - Spiritual and Sensible Consolations and How to Receive Them 08:23:23 - Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness 08:33:49 - An Illustration 08:41:07 Part 5 - Counsels and Practices for Renewing and Confirming the Soul in Devotion 08:41:15 - It Is Well Yearly to Renew Good Resolutions by Means of the Following Exercises 08:43:58 - Meditation on the Benefit Conferred on Us by God in Calling Us to His Service 08:48:55 - Examination of the Soul as to Its Progress in the Devout Life 08:52 :13 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards God 08:56:52 - Examination of Your Condition as Regards Yourself 08:59:16 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards Our Neighbor 09:00:43 - Examination as to the Affectations of the Soul 09:03:10 - The Affections to Be Excited After Such Examination 09:04:36 - Reflections Suitable to the Renewal of Good Resolutions 09:05:23 - First Consideration, On the Worth of Souls 09:08:13 - Second Consideration, On the Excellence of Virtue 09:10:01 - The Example of the Saints 09:11:48 - The Love That Jesus Christ Bears to Us 09:15:05 - The Eternal Love of God for Us 09:16:36 - General Affections That Should Result from These Considerations and Conclusion of the Exercise 09:19:16 - The Impressions That Should Remain After This Exercise 09:20:53 - An Answer to Two Objections That May Be Made to This Book 09:23:45 - Three Important and Final Counsels

St. Anicius Manlius Severius Boethius's book The Consolation of Philosophy, which he wrote in prison while awaiting martyrdom around the year 524, is one of the single most influential works for medieval philosophy and theology. But Boethius also owed much to the pagan philosophy that came before him.  Thomas Ward has just written a commentary on Boethius's dialogue for Word on Fire, entitled After Stoicism: Last Words of the Last Roman Philosopher. Topics discussed include: Boethius's debt to Stoic ethics and how he critiques the Stoic view of happiness The influence of neo-Platonist philosophy on Boethius Questions about the account of deification given by Lady Philosophy - is it more Platonist than Christian? Boethius's brilliant arguments about how God's way of knowing differs from ours Links Thomas Ward, After Stoicism: Last Words of the Last Roman Philosopher https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/after-stoicism?srsltid=AfmBOopBRfuMW6DMx_iUEH9u2gjSswySJAZ__JrdTznAIpZ3Ptj9mDMJ Way of the Fathers episode on Boethius https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-boethius-church-father-and-medieval-scholar/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

“Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world—this is the invitation I would like to extend with the present Encyclical.” Deus Caritas Est, or “God is Love,” was the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, released on December 25, 2005. This letter focuses on the nature of Christian love, particularly examining the relationship between God's love for humanity and the love Christians are called to show others. Benedict grounds his reflections in Scripture and tradition, aiming to clarify misunderstandings about Christian love in a contemporary world marked by both cynicism and sentimentality. This episode comprises the second part, titled “Caritas: The Practice of Love by the Church as a Community of Love,” and the encyclical's conclusion. Links: Full text: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio  Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

In this episode, the first in our series on the Doctors of the Church, Dr. Papandrea introduces you to St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735 AD). He lived in a Benedictine monastery from the age of seven, and he wrote the first scholarly history of England and its conversion to Christianity. He is considered the “Father of English History” and the patron saint of historians Links SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Dr. Papandrea's latest book, Praying Like the Early Church: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/praying-like-the-early-church/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

There is increasing speculation and concern about the role of AI in the future of the arts. Surprisingly, many Christians are already embracing the use of AI to produce images of the saints. In this episode, Thomas and Susannah Black Roberts make the argument for why AI art is a contradiction in terms. It is analogous to pornography in that it scratches the itch to “create” without actually achieving the object of the desire in question. We should not use technology to replace the human specialties: “God won't accept worship that we outsource.” Plus, the danger of demonic influence through AI should not be overlooked. Susannah Black Roberts is a senior editor of Plough and has written for publications including First Things, Fare Forward, Front Porch Republic, Mere Orthodoxy, and The American Conservative.  Links Susannah's thread on Twitter https://x.com/suzania/status/1866516737057083862 Plough Quarterly https://www.plough.com/ PloughCast 66: The Technology of Demons w/ Paul Kingsnorth https://www.plough.com/en/topics/life/technology/the-technology-of-demons Robert Cotton, “Augustine, AI, and the Demon Heuristic” https://mereorthodoxy.com/augustine-ai-and-the-demon-heuristic The Anchored Argosy https://argosy.substack.com/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

With this episode, we begin our new series on the Doctors of the Church. What is a Doctor of the Church? Are all Doctors also saints? What makes a person a Doctor of the Church? All these questions, and more, will be answered, as well as some hints at what you can expect from this series. Get ready to sample the fruit of some of the greatest minds the Church has ever produced!  Links To listen to our episode 4.13 on Pelagianism: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/413-heresiespelagianism-and-seeds-calvinism/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Dr. Papandrea's latest book, Praying Like the Early Church: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/praying-like-the-early-church/ Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/