Podcasts about jpii

IMAGE CREDIT Yohanes Kwirinus Steviean, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons LINKS Vatican bio of Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo HARDJOATMODJO: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_suharyohardjomatmodjo_i.html       Ignatius Suharyo HARDJOATMODJO on FIU's Cardinals Database (by Salvador Miranda): https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios2019.htm#Hardjoatmodjo   2012 Synod of Bishops notes (via Zenit): https://zenit.org/2012/10/17/full-text-of-tuesday-morning-interventions-at-synod-of-bishops/    Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo HARDJOATMODJO on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/p/3272                       Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo HARDJOATMODJO on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsuharyo.html  Archdiocese of Jakarta on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/jaka0.htm?tab=info          Archdiocese of Jakarta on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/djaka.html 2013 Infovaticana profile of Cardinal-elect: https://infovaticana.com/2013/12/10/10373/  2023 Time article on Nusantara: https://time.com/6329063/indonesia-nusantara-jokowi-democratic-decline/    Thank you for listening, and thank my family and friends for putting up with the time investment and for helping me out as needed. As always, feel free to email the show at Popeularhistory@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support Popeular history, go to www.patreon.com/Popeular. If you don't have any money to spare but still want to give back, pray and tell others– prayers and listeners are worth more than gold!   TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights.   Check out the show notes for sources, further reading, and a transcript.   Today we're discussing another current Cardinal of the Catholic Church, one of the 120 or so people who will choose the next Pope when the time comes.   Ignatius Suharyo HARDJOATMODJO, who is generally addressed with the Suharyo part, was born on July 9, 1950 in Sedayu, a community right near the middle of the southern shore of the Island of Java. Home to over 150 million souls and therefore the most populated island in the world, Java hosts over half of Indonesia's population, with the remainder spread out across the other 17,000-odd islands that together make up the archipelagic nation, which was newly independent from the Dutch colonizers when Ignatius was born.   More Muslims live in Indonesia than in any other country, leaving relatively little room for any other faith. Christians Make up about 10% of the population, with Catholics in particular being about 3% of the overall total. Ignatius' father had come from a Muslim family, being the only Catholic in the lot, while Ignatius' mother had originally practiced Javanese folk religion with her family, though she later became Catholic.   When Ignatius' convert parents embraced Catholicism, they ran with it, resulting in four of their ten Children entring the Church: two of his sisters became nuns; one of his brothers entered a Trappist hermitage, and of course Ignatius himself, who will be our focus today.   Ignatius' seminary studies were done locally, first at the St. Peter Canisius Minor Seminary in Mertoyudan, then at the Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, where he got a degree in theology and philosophy in 1971.   In 1976, Ignatius Suharyo was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Semarang by Cardinal Darmojuwono, who incidentally was the first Indonesian Cardinal. My sources are pretty thin after that, but I assume he did priest stuff in Indonesia until he went off to study in Rome, which I guess still falls under the umbrella of priest stuff. in any event, he wound up with a doctorate in Biblical Studies from the Urbaniana in 1981. When he came back to Java he took on several teaching roles at various institutions in Yogyakarta, eventually becoming dean of Theology at Holy Dharma University from 1993 till 1997.   I did a double take when I saw that name, Holy Dharma. Dharma is definitely more of a Hindu and Buddhist concept. So I took a closer look, and as near as I can tell–there are some discrepancies so take this with a grain of salt– but certainly it looks like the Jesuits are involved, which makes all the sense in the world if you know the Jesuits.   Speaking of Jesuits, in 1997 when Father Suharyo's white phone rang and JPII appointed him the Archbishop of Semarang, it was the Jesuit Cardinal Darmaatmadja, Indonesia's second Cardinal, who consecrated him.   In 2006, Archbishop Suharyo got a second hat when he was made the Military Ordinary for Indonesia, a post he still holds at time of recording. Not much later, in 2009, he was made the coadjutor Archbishop of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, a city larger than New York.   The following year, his predecessor retired and Archbishop Suharyo dropped the coadjutor part of his title, and from here on out he's Archbishop of Jakarta.   There's a bit of an interesting wrinkle though, as Indonesia is actually in the process of moving its capital entirely, off the crowded island of Java–and away from polluted Jakarta–onto the roomier and healthier island of Borneo. Seriously, Borneo is about 40 times less densely populated than Java, though of course the plan is to draw about 1.9 million people to the new scene there, so that's going to put a dent in the ratio.   The new capital, Nusantara, is set to be opened on August 17th, 2024, which is, incidentally, after I'm writing this but before this gets released, so you can let me know how that went. It'll be interesting to see how the Church handles the new arrangement, I expect the new Capital will get its own Diocese in time, but the Church isn't known for turning on a dime, and even after the transition is complete, smoggy Jakarta will still be Indonesia's largest city by far.   In 2012, Archbishop Suharyo was elected President of the Episcopal Conference of Indonesia, a post which he held until 2022, and in 2014 he was made a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.   Archbishop Suharyo, who had been ordained by Indonesia's first cardinal and consecrated by its second, was made Indonesia's third cardinal in October 2019, though he didn't take formal possession of his titular church until August 28th 2022, the day after that year's consistory. Something something COVID, something else something else, when in Rome.   In 2020, Cardinal Suharyo was added to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog, which makes sense, given his placement in a country where the majority of the population is Muslim. Speaking of, the Cardinal has noted that having prayers available in the vernacular language has a special appeal to Indonesians, as the local Muslims pray in Arabic even though they don't speak it.   Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo is eligible to participate in future conclaves until he turns 80 in 2030.   Today's episode is part of Cardinal Numbers. Stay tuned to see if today's Cardinal gets selected for a deeper dive in the next round! Thank you for listening; God bless you all!

IMAGE CREDIT: Peciul, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons LINKS: Vatican bio of Cardinal Oscar CANTONI: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_cantoni_o.html      Oscar CANTONI on FIU's Cardinals Database (by Salvador Miranda): https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios2022.htm#Cantoni    Cardinal Oscar CANTONI on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/p/4928                      Cardinal Oscar CANTONI on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcantoni.html Diocese of Como on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/como0.htm?tab=info         Diocese of Como on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dcomi.html   2022 Aleteia.org profile of Cardinal-elect Cantoni and the Diocese of Como: https://aleteia.org/2022/08/27/cardinal-cantoni-an-italian-in-red-for-a-martyred-diocese/  Telegraph.co.uk 2024 reporting on Fr. Martinelli case: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/24/priest-jailed-abuse-altar-boy-popes-choirboys/ Catholic News Agency reporting on the 2021 Fr. Martinelli trial: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/246626/vatican-abuse-trial-witnesses-say-allegations-about-youth-seminary-were-ignored National Catholic Reporter 2024 reporting on Fr. Martinelli case: https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/vatican-appeals-court-finds-priest-guilty-corrupting-minor  Reuters 2024 reporting on Fr. Martinelli case: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vatican-convicts-priest-accused-abuse-papal-altar-boys-school-2024-01-23/   Thank you for listening, and thank my family and friends for putting up with the time investment and for helping me out as needed.  As always, feel free to email the show at Popeularhistory@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support Popeular history, go to www.patreon.com/Popeular. If you don't have any money to spare but still want to give back, pray and tell others– prayers and listeners are worth more than gold!   TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights.   Check out the show notes for sources, further reading, and a transcript.   Please note that this episode includes discussion of sexual crimes and allegations, and may not be appropriate for all audiences.   Today we're discussing another current Cardinal o f the Catholic Church, one of the 120 or so people who will choose the next Pope when the time comes..   Oscar CANTONI was born on September 1, 1950, in Lenno, a small town in the Como Province of the Lombardy Region of northern Italy.   We've had several Italian Cardinals before- nine, to be exact, and we've even had another Cardinal from Lombardy–Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and I count myself blessed every time I have the chance to say the name of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.   In any event, Oscar had the most surprising educational history out of all the Cardinals so far: while by all accounts he did well at school, and he's actually published several books, *and* he's taught in various capacities for decades, he doesn't have any academic degrees.   Nevertheless, in 1975 he was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Como. From 1985 to 1999 he was actively involved in promoting vocations, becoming director of the Vocational Diocesan Center in 1986. From 1990 to 2005, Father Cantoni served as a Spiritual Director at the diocesan seminary.    One more unique project came along in 2000, when he re-founded the Ordo Virginum in the Diocese, the Ordo Virginum being an association of consecrated virgins that had fallen into obscurity until it was restored by the Second Vatican Council.   From 2003 to 2005, Father Cantoni was episcopal vicar for the clergy of Como, and it's time that I admit that for a while I thought each Diocese could only have one Episcopal Vicar but I have since come to understand that while each Episcopal Vicar has their own distinct mandate, there can nevertheless be several, if that's what the Bishop wants.   In 2005, the trusty old white phone rang, and it was Pope Saint John Paul II, looking to make Father Cantoni Bishop of Crema.   Now, you don't say no to JPII, or at least Father Cantoni didn't, and so on March 5th, he was consecrated by his former ordinary, the Bishop of Como, and, well, his other former ordinary, the Bishop Emeritus of Como. The third spot was filled by the Italian Nuncio, a fairly standard arrangement. The previous Bishop of Crema had died in office a few months before, if you're wondering what he was up to.   In 2016, Bishop Cantoni was transferred to the Diocese of Como, where he had grown up and served as a priest. In 2017, he ordained Gabriele Martinelli, despite having received some reports of sexual misconduct connected to Matinelli over the years, which Bishop Cantoni later said he had dismissed as quote “transitory homosexual tendency linked to adolescence”.   Both the future Father Martinelli and his alleged victim, identified as “L.G.” were teenagers at the time, with Martinelli being about a year older.    The alleged sexual relationship took place over several years in a pre-seminary that was actually on Vatican grounds, tasked with supplying altar servers for Saint Peter's Basilica. The pre-seminary was sponsored by the Diocese of Como, hence Bishop Cantoni's connection.   In 2021, Father Martinelli, who has consistently denied everything, was cleared due to a combination of his youth at the time and insufficient evidence, and it was after that ruling that Pope Francis elevated Bishop Cantoni to the Cardinalate, which we'll circle back to.   The Martinelli case has a coda, because under Vatican Law the prosecution can appeal cases and earlier this year, that's 2024, Father Martinelli was found guilty of corrupting a minor, that is, L.G., the same accuser as in the 2021 trial.   In September 2020, one of Bishop Cantoni's priests, Father Robero Malgesini, was murdered by a homeless person he was caring for. The event was widely covered in the press and prompted Pope Francis to praise God for quote “the martyrdom of this witness of charity toward the poorest”.   It should be noted that by all accounts Father Malgesini knew the risks associated with serving the outcasts, who often suffer mental illness. It should also be noted that in 2019, he was fined by local police for feeding people living under the portico of a former church, which, allow me to say, as the only official public policy position of Popeular History, **** such fines.   In 2022, in a somewhat surprising move, Pope Francis elevated Bishop Cantoni to the college of Cardinals and added him to the Dicastery for Bishops. I say somewhat sur prising because Como hasn't been headed by a Cardinal since 1694, so it's surprising in that sense, but people knew to expect surprises from Pope Francis by that point, it being his 8th consistory and all, so it  would have been surprising if there had been no surprises on the list. Still, it's fair to ask, why Como?   This is always a matter of speculation, because Popes are absolute monarchs and are never expected to give reasons for choosing one possible Cardinal over another. But my guess is the safest one for any analysis: it's a combination of factors. The fluffiest is one I've seen elsewhere, namely leaning into the crimson of the martyrs worn by the Cardinals and seeking to honor a Diocese that had seen more martyrdom in the last generation than most in Italy, not just Father Malgesini, but also Bl. Sr. Maria Laura Mainetti, who was murdered by three teenage girls in a satanic ritual in 2000, dying while asking God to forgive her murderers, certainly a death more on the classic end of the martyrdom spectrum.   I think it's likely the Martinelli case also played a role, certainly in the form of delaying Bishop Cantoni's elevation, but also, well, hear me out here.   Pope Francis *really* likes to reach out to the marginalized. Like, it's a whole thing for him, and he has absolutely used his cardinatial appointments to do just that–Cardinal Cantoni was sandwiched between a Pacific Islander and an African American in the 2022 consistory. I'm by no means confident in this assessment, but I don't think the fact that Cardinal Cantoni had been recently facing criticism for his handling o f Father Martinelli's case hurt his standings in Pope Francis' assessment. Especially fresh off Martinelli's initial acquittal, Pope Francis may have seen in Bishop Cantoni another marginalized individual.    One way or another, Cardinal Oscar CANTONI is eligible to participate in future conclaves until he turns 80 in 2030.   Today's episode is part of Cardinal Numbers. Stay tuned to see if today's Cardinal gets selected for a deeper dive in the next round! Thank you for listening; God bless you all!

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: By Pufui Pc Pifpef I - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31309211 via Wikipedia LINKS Vatican bio of Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_burke_rl.html        Raymond Leo BURKE on FIU's Cardinals Database (by Salvador Miranda): https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios2010.htm#Burke                             Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/p/2334                                                Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bburke.html                            Apostolic Signatura on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/romancuria/d13.htm   Apostolic Signatura on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbgch.html 2003 Catholic News Agency bio of Archbishop Burke: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/286/pope-appoints-bishop-raymond-burke-as-new-archbishop-of-st-louis  Merriam-Webster, “Defender of the Bond”: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defender%20of%20the%20bond#:~:text=The%20meaning%20of%20DEFENDER%20OF%20THE%20BOND,the%20marriage%20bond%20in%20suits%20for%20annulment Dead Theologians Society: https://deadtheologianssociety.com/about/  Catholic Herald analysis of Cardinal Burke's 2014 reassignment: https://web.archive.org/web/20160701214308/http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2014/11/10/thousands-sign-petition-thanking-cardinal-burke/  2013 National Catholic Reporter commentary- “I want a mess” -Pope Francis: https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/pope-i-want-mess  2014 CruxNow “Soap Opera” Synod on the Family coverage: https://web.archive.org/web/20141017055135/http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2014/10/16/synod-is-more-and-more-like-a-soap-opera/ Amoris Laetitia: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia.html  2017 Knights of Malta reshuffle: https://catholicherald.co.uk/pope-names-archbishop-becciu-as-personal-delegate-to-order-of-malta/  2018 National Catholic Register editorial Reflection on Amoris Laetitia controversy https://www.ncregister.com/news/francis-fifth-a-pontificate-of-footnotes  2016 National Catholic Register coverage of the Dubia: https://www.ncregister.com/news/four-cardinals-formally-ask-pope-for-clarity-on-amoris-laetitia Traditionis custodes: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/20210716-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes.html  Cardinal Burke's Statement on Traditionis Custodes: https://www.cardinalburke.com/presentations/traditionis-custodes The 2023 Dubia (w/Pope Francis' responses): https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-10/pope-francis-responds-to-dubia-of-five-cardinals.html  National Catholic Reporter coverage of removal of Cardinal Burke's Vatican apartment and salary: https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-francis-remove-cardinal-burkes-vatican-apartment-and-salary-sources-say Anonymous “Cardinal Burke is my enemy” report: https://catholicherald.co.uk/pope-calls-cardinal-burke-his-enemy-and-threatens-to-strip-him-of-privileges-reports-claim/  Where Peter Is coverage of Cardinal Burke's 2024 private meeting with Pope Francis https://wherepeteris.com/cardinal-burkes-meeting-withĥhh-pope-francis/    Thank you for listening, and thank my family and friends for putting up with the time investment and for helping me out as needed. As always, feel free to email the show at Popeularhistory@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support Popeular history, go to www.patreon.com/Popeular. If you don't have any money to spare but still want to give back, pray and tell others– prayers and listeners are worth more than gold!   TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights.   Check out the show notes for sources, further reading, and a transcript.   Today we're discussing another current Cardinal of the Catholic Church, one of the 120 or so people who will choose the next Pope when the time comes. The youngest of six, Raymond Leo Burke was born on June 30, 1948, in Richland Center, a small town in sparsely populated Richland County, Wisconsin.   Not too much later, the family moved north to tiny Stratford, Wisconsin, where he grew up.   We've had a *lot*, of midwestern Cardinals, in fact all but one of our 8 American Cardinals so far has been born in the midwest, a percentage I would probably consider shocking if I didn't identify as a midwesterner myself, though technically I'm about as much of a northern southerner as you can get, considering my parents basically moved to Virginia to have their kids and immediately moved back to Ohio once that was accomplished. But enough about me, this is about Raymond Leo Burke, who signed up for Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse in 1962. Later he went to The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he wound up with a masters in philosophy in 1971. After that he was sent to Rome for his theology studies, getting a second masters, this time from the Gregorian. He was ordained by Pope Paul VI–yes, *before* JPII, crazy I know, in 1975 on June 29th, which longtime listeners will probably clock as the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and more importantly the Popeular History podcasts' official anniversary date.   Returning to Wisconsin as a priest for the Diocese of La Crosse, Father Burke served as an associate rector for the cathedral, then as a religion teacher at Aquinas High School in town.   Making his way back to Rome, Father Burke returned to the Gregorian to study Canon Law, by 1984 he had a doctorate in the topic with a specialization in jurisprudence.   He came back stateside long enough to pick up a couple diocesan roles back in La Crosse, but soon enough he went back to the Gregorian for a third time, this time not as a student but as a teacher, namely as a Visiting professor of Canonical Jurisprudence, a post which he held for nearly a decade from ‘85 to ‘94.   He wound up becoming the first American to hold the position of Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, as a reminder that's basically the Vatican's Supreme Court.   As for what being a Defender of the Bond entails, it's basically the guy in charge of proving the validity of a disputed marriage, typically–I'd imagine--oversomeone's objections, or else, you know, the case wouldn't have wound up in court.   In 1994, his white phone rang, and it was Pope John Paul II, calling to make him bishop of his home Diocese of La Crosse. Father Burke was personally consecrated by His Holiness in the Vatican.   In ‘97, Bishop Burke became a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, ranking as a Knight Commander with Star automatically by virtue of his being a bishop. The Order traces its origins to the First Crusade, making it one of the oldest chivalric Orders in the world–and it's not the only such order Bishop Burke will get involved in.   In 2000, bishop Burke became National Director of the Marian Catechist Apostolate, something which certainly seems near to his heart considering he's still in the role. Well, international director now, as things have grown.   In 2002, Bishop Burke invited a fairly new apostolate named the Dead Theologians Society to the diocese, which isn't something I'd normally include, but I wanted to make sure it got a shoutout because it started at my parish. Oriented towards high school and college students, they study the lives of the saints, and Cardinal Burke is a fan, saying: “I am happy to commend the Dead Theologians Society to individual families and to parishes, as a most effective form of Catholic youth ministry.”   In 2003, Bishop Burke became Archbishop Burke when he was transferred to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis, where he served until 2008, when he was called up to Rome, to serve as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, there's that Vatican Supreme Court again, and this time he's running it. And if you're making assumptions based on that appointment, yes, he's absolutely considered one of the foremost experts on canon law worldwide, having published numerous books and articles.   In 2010, Pope Benedict raised Archbishop Burke to the rank of Cardinal Deacon and assigned him the deaconry of S. Agata de 'Goti. Naturally he participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, where I am prepared to guess he was in the minority given subsequent events.   The next year, so 2014, Cardinal Burke was transferred from his top judicial spot to serve as the patron of the Sovereign Order of Malta, aka the Knights of Malta, a reassignment that was generally interpreted as a demotion, given he was going from his dream job for canon law geek that made him the highest ranking American in the Vatican at the time to a largely ceremonial post that was, well, not that.   [All that is nothing against the Knights of Malta, which these days are a solid humanitarian resource and quasi-state trivia machine I'll give their own episode at some point.]   The tension between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis has been fairly clear from the start. They have fundamentally different approaches and styles, and frankly different goals. Cardinal Burke is dedicated to maintaining tradition as the safest route, while Pope Francis has famously called for shaking things up, for example saying:   “What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!”   That's Pope Francis, of course. Just before his transfer out of his top spot at the Vatican's court, Cardinal Burke noted that many Catholics, quote:   “feel a bit of seasickness, because it seems to them that the ship of the Church has lost its compass.”   End quote.   To his credit, Cardinal Burke took the move in stride, which matches up well with his general view that authority should be respected and that, as a canonist, the Pope is the ultimate authority.   Deference to such authority in the context of the Catholic Church is known as Clericalism, and being pro or anti Clericalism is another point of disagreement between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis, who said “I want to get rid of clericalism” in the same early interview I mentioned before.   Part of what Cardinal Burke was responding to with his “lost compass” quote was the first stages of the Synod on the Family, which veteran Vatican reporter John Allen Jr described as like a “soap opera”, with working notes that were released to the public speaking positively about things like same-sex unions and other relationships the Vatican tends to describe as “irregular”. After the Synod on the Family wrapped up, in 2016 Pope Francis produced a post-synodal apostolic exhortation called Amoris Laetitia, or “The Joy of Love”, which I saw one of my sources described the longest document in the history of the Papacy, a hell of a claim I am not immediately able to refute because it sure *is* a long one, which is primarily known for the controversy of just one of its footnotes, footnote 351.   I'm still making *some* effort to make these first round episodes be brief, but it's important to keep things in context, so let's go ahead and look at the sentence the footnote is attached to, which is in paragraph 305, and Then the footnote itself. If you want even more context, the entirety of Amoris Laetitia is, of course, linked in the show notes.   Here we go:   “Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God's grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church's help to this end.”   And yes, that is one sentence. Popes are almost as bad about sentence length as I am.   Without the footnote, this probably would have gone relatively unnoticed, the Church accompanying sinners is not a fundamentally revolutionary idea. But the footnote in question gets specific and brings in the Sacraments, which is where things get touchy:   “In certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments. Hence, “I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber, but rather an encounter with the Lord's mercy” I would also point out that the Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak”.   For one thing, just to get this out of the way, some of that is in quotation marks with citations. In a document like this that's pretty normal, showing how your argument is based on precedent and authority. Except in this case the precedent and the authority being cited is literally Pope Francis himself. To be clear, this is a normal Pope thing, I found multiple examples of JPII and Pope Benedict doing the same thing, it just amuses me.   Anyways, the idea of people in objectively sinful states receiving communion is hyper-controversial. After all, even as far back as Saint Paul, receiving Communion “unworthily” is an awful thing. Of course, questions have long followed about how anyone can be truly worthy of the Eucharist, with the basic answer there being “with God's help”, but yeah, it's tricky.   We can have an educated guess how Cardinal Burke felt about all this, because he and three other Cardinals--it'll be a while before we get to any of the others–anyways Cardinal Burke and three other Cardinals asked Pope Francis some fairly pointed questions about this in a format called a dubia, traditionally a yes/no format where the Holy Father affirms or denies potential implications drawn from one of their teachings to clarify areas of doubt. In this case, there were five questions submitted, with the first and I daresay the most sincerely debated being the question of whether footnote 351 means divorced and subsequently remarried Catholics can receive communion. There's lots of subtext here, but as a reminder this is actually the *short* version of this episode, so pardon the abbreviation. The next four questions are, to put it snarkily, variations on the obviously very sincere question of “does the truth matter anymore?”   Pope Francis decided not to answer these dubia, which the Cardinals took as an invitation to make them–and his lack of a response–public. Not as a way of outing him after his refusal to answer gotcha questions with a yes/no, not by any means, but because clearly that's what not getting an answer meant Pope Francis wanted them to do.   Now, there's something of an issue here, because we're nearing record word count for Cardinal Numbers, and that's without any real long diversions about the history of Catholicism in Cardinal Burke's area or his interactions with the local secular ruler. It's all been Church stuff. And we're nowhere near the end.   The reality is that I'm painfully aware my own discipline is the only thing that keeps me from going longer on these episodes when appropriate, and the major driving force for keeping them short was to keep things manageable. But now that I'm no longer committed to a daily format, “manageable” has very different implications. And even my secondary driver, a general sense of fairness, not making one Cardinal's episode too much longer than the others, well, the other Cardinals in this batch have had longer episodes too, so it's not as much of a lopsided battle for the First Judgment, and it's not like longer automatically means more interesting.   In the end, with those inhibitions gone, and a sense that this stuff is important and it would be a shame to skip big chunks of it if Cardinal Burke *doesn't* make it to the next round, I'm going to go ahead and keep walking through this so it gets said, and let it take what time it takes. My best guess is we're about halfway through. That way there's no special pressure to make Cardinal Burke advance just to cover anything I felt was too rushed. Don't worry, there's still plenty being left out. Fair?   Fair or not, Let's resume.   In 2015, so after his relegation to the Knights of Malta but before Amoris Laetitia and the Dubia, Cardinal Burke was added to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which is still one of his roles though like other Vatican offices it has since been rebranded as a Dicastery.   In 2017, Burke's posting as Patron of the Knights of Malta, the one I described as largely ceremonial, threatened to become interesting when Pope Francis forced the head of the order to resign over, well, condoms, basically. But as soon as things started looking interesting Pope Francis helicoptered in an archbishop to serve as his “special delegate” and more importantly his “exclusive spokesman” to the Order, which effectively sidelined Burke from a gig he had been sidelined *to* a few years earlier.   Nevertheless, 2017 also actually saw Burke start to bounce back some. I want to re emphasize this is notably *after* the Dubia, when later in the year Pope Francis picked Cardinal Burke as the judge in the case of an Archbishop who had been accused of sexully abusing his altar servers. The Archbishop was found guilty and deposed, and by the end of the year, having gotten his feet wet again, Cardinal Burke was back on as a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, though, notably, not as its head anymore.   The next major flashpoint came In 2021, when Pope Francis published Traditionis Custodes, a document that severely restricted the celebration of the old Latin Mass.    Long story short, what's colloquially called Latin Mass is the version of Mass that was the main liturgy for Latin rite Catholics for hundreds of years until the Second Vatican Council kicked off serious updates in the 1960s, the most obvious of which is the general shift from Latin to the use of local aka vernacular languages, and the second most obvious is the direction the priest is facing for the majority of the liturgy. There's obviously more detail available on everything I just said, and people have *opinions*, I'll tell you that for sure.   Cardinal Burke's fundamental opinion was and is that the Latin Mass is great and should be maintained and that, in short, Pope Francis may even be overstepping his bounds in restricting it as much as he is with Traditionis Custodes, which is a strong claim given the whole, you know, general idea of the Papacy.   A few weeks after the Traditionis Custodes stuff went down, Cardinal Burke was on a ventilator fighting for his life. We're only doing living Cardinals at this time, so no suspense there for us, but his bout with COVID was touch-and-go for a while there.   In June 2023, notably a few weeks before his 75th birthday and that customary retirement age, Pope Francis replaced Cardinal Burke as the Patron of the Knights of Malta with an 80 year old Jesuit Cardinal. If you're noticing that Burke was relaced by someone who was themselves a fair bit older and also well past retirement age, yeah, you're not alone in noticing that, and you wouldn't be alone in thinking that some kind of point was being made here.   Just a few weeks after that retirement, Cardinal Burke attached his name to another dubia document, this one covering a larger variety of topics and appearing and in the context of the ongoing Synod on Synodality.   Cardinal Burke was again joined by one of his fellow signers of the first dubia, the other two having passed away in 2017, may they rest in peace. They were also joined by three Cardinals who had not cosigned the previous Dubia, though all of those are over 80 and so we won't be covering them for a while.   In any event, this second set of dubia covered a wider range of topics in its five questions, including two particularly hot-button issues, namely the question of blessings for same sex unions, which is something I will refer you to my Fiducia Supplicans anniversary coverage (oops, didn't get that out yet) on for fuller detail, and notion of women serving as deacons, which is still an open question at the time of this writing: as we've discussed previously, ordination has been pretty firmly ruled out, but there may be room for an unordained diaconate. After all, Saint Paul entrusted the letter to the Romans to a woman he described as a deacon.   Pope Francis actually responded to this second dubia the day after the dubious Cardinals submitted it, giving lengthy and detailed answers to all of their questions. Naturally this seems to have annoyed Cardinal Burke and his compatriots, because remember, traditionally answers to Dubia have been yes or no, and so they reframed their questions and asked Pope Francis to respond just with “yes” or “no”. When it was evident His Holiness was not going to reply further, the Cardinals once again took the lack of an answer- or rather the lack of yes/no format answers- as encouragement to publish everything, which was an interesting move since that seems to have essentially set Fiducia Supplicans in motion, as Pope Francis indicated an openness to informal blessings for homosexuals in one of his dubia responses. All of that is in the show notes.   Later in 2023, Pope Francis stripped Cardinal Burke of his Vatican apartment and retirement salary, which I have been tempted to call a pension but everyone I've seen calls it a retirement salary so it's probably safest to follow suit. Officially no reason was given, but I mean, you've listened to this episode, take your pick of tension points and believe it or not I've skipped several chapters of drama real or alleged. Speaking of alleged, this is the Vatican, so anonymous sources are happy to weigh in, including alleging that Pope Francis straight up said “Cardinal Burke is my enemy”. I don't think I buy that he was so plain about it, but I also don't expect Cardinal Burke is Pope Francis' favorite guy.   On December 29, 2023, Cardinal Burke had a private audience with Pope Francis for the first time in over seven years. Cardinal Burke's last private audience with Pope Francis had been back in 2016, four days before the first dubia was made public.   The idea of the two having a little chat grabbed media attention more than any other meeting between a Cardinal and a Pope that I can recall. As is typical for such one-on-ones, no official reason or agenda was given, and it's not likely we'll ever know what exactly was said, but I've got to hand it to Cardinal Burke for his response when Reuters asked him about it:   ‘Well, I'm still alive.'”   Raymond Leo Cardinal BURKE is eligible to participate in future conclaves until he turns 80 in 2028. “AM I THE DRAMA”? Today's episode is part of Cardinal Numbers,  and there will be more Cardinal Numbers next week. Thank you for listening; God bless you all!

Bishop Dolan joins us to talk about Sunday's Gospel. Dcn. Bob Evans will get us ready for Holy Week by talking about the differences in the  Passion narratives in the Gospels. Michael Villanueva will share an announcement and you'll get up to date on news and events from around the diocese.   Special thanks to Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Homes for making this show possible.

4/8/25 7am CT Hour - Fr. Francis Hoffman/ William Albrecht John, Glen and Sarah chat about countries around the world working with America to avoid tariffs, Gators win NACC in final seconds and National Empanada Day. Plus special remembrance of JPII Funeral Anniversary. Fr. Rocky talked about the impact JPII had on the papacy and his life in becoming a priest. William shares the many prophecies in the Old Testament that say the Messiah will suffer and be crucified.

April 5th, 2025 - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer that we have. If you could see what happens in the invisible world during the Mass, you would weep with joy and wonder and gratitude. Fr. Sam Medley, SOLT, joins Debbie and Adam to talk about this incredible event where Heaven and Earth touch every single day.  Links: SOLT - https://solt.net  Msgr. Knox - https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Stream-Mysteries-Christian-Faith/dp/089870863X  St. JPII - https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_eccl-de-euch.html  Adam's Site - www.religiousdemonology.com 

As we remember John Paul II on the 20th anniversary of his passing, Helen Alvaré takes us back to all the great riches he offered us especially within Evangelium Vitae, reminding us that the gift of life is the most essential human right. Msgr. Roger Landry also shares his many memories of meeting JPII and how his teachings helped shape his own priestly vocation. A new initiative launched last month, Thank a Priest calls all the faithful to share our love and gratitude for the priests who offer us in persona Christi so selflessly. Matt Haas shares how we can all thank them for their tremendous devotion and countless prayers. Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer that we have. If you could see what happens in the invisible world during the Mass, you would weep with joy and wonder and gratitude. Fr. Sam Medley, SOLT, joins Debbie and Adam to talk about this incredible event where Heaven and Earth touch every single day.  Links: Show Archive - www.GRNonline.com/SpiritWorld  SOLT - https://solt.net  The Quest - https://www.grnonline.com/listen/the-quest  Msgr. Knox - https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Stream-Mysteries-Christian-Faith/dp/089870863X  St. JPII - https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_eccl-de-euch.html  Adam's Site - www.religiousdemonology.com  EWTN Religious Catalog - www.ewtnrc.com  Saint Candles - www.saintcandles.com Promo Code: GUADALUPE GRN 25th Anniversary - www.GRNonline.com/Anniversary   

On today's Take 2 with Jerry & Debbie our topic is: 20 Years Ago Today, Do You Remember How It Felt When Pope St. JPII Died?

4/2/25 7am CT Hour - George Weigal/ Dr. Jim Schroeder John, Glen and Sarah chat about JPII passing anniversary, results of special election, President Trump's tariffs take effect, and National Walking Day. George shares his thoughts on the legacy of JPII on the 20th anniversary of his passing. Did You Know? What is the Newbury Medal? Dr. Jim Schroeder talks about how we need to reframe the way we looks at exercise so we don't hate it and then we can unlock the benefits to our health.

4/2/25 6am CT Hour - Ashley Noronha/ Michael O'Rourke John, Glen and Sarah chat about JPII passing anniversary, results of special election, President Trump's tariffs take effect, and National Walking Day. Ashley reports on the Pope, reflects on the JPII, a drop in Italy's birth rate and more. Did You Know? Origin of Fairy Tales Michael shares the story of a couple who decided to get married even when one had suffered a traumatic brain injury and how that testimony can foster true love and devotion Jesus calls us to.

On today's Take 2 with Jerry & Debbie our topic is: 20 Years Ago Today, Do You Remember How It Felt When Pope St. JPII Died?

Dziś w programie zdamy relację ze spotkania prezydentów Polski i Słowacji; sprawdzimy również na jakim etapie są negocjacje ukraińsko-amerykańskie w sprawie wydobycia zasobów naturalnych; następnie w 20. rocznicę śmierci, wspomnimy papieża Polaka, Jana Pawła II; na koniec, pozostając w temacie, gość programu zaprosi Państwa na wystawę, która ma przypominać o wartości i godności każdego człowieka. Zapraszamy!

Questions answered this episode: Questions answered this episode: 1. My eldest son is nearly 20, and he told us 2 years ago that he doesn't believe in God, which was incredibly heartbreaking for my husband and me. He is, however, respectful of our faith. He has a girlfriend, and they have been dating for about 4 months. She's just moved to another state to study at a university, which is about 4 hours from where we live. He's looking forward to visiting her in the next few weeks. He's planning on staying with her when he visits, which seems to him like a completely practical thing to do. How do I broach the topic of chastity and avoidance of sin with someone who doesn't claim to believe in God? I want to find a way to speak truth to him, even if it only plants a seed for the future. Any ideas or wisdom from your experience as parents and years of ministry would be greatly appreciated. 2. My wife and I are in our mid-40s. We have 4 kids ages 17 to 11. We also have 2 in heaven from a miscarriage and a premature birth. The 11-year-old was our last pregnancy. We've used NFP ever since to avoid pregnancy, but it has been challenging for our relationship with just a few days per month that we feel safe to have sex. All these years, I've been honoring my wife's reluctance and fear of another pregnancy, but I never realized my own until today. We're left to believe it is our responsibility to avoid getting pregnant because God will give us more kids whether he should or not if we give him the opportunity to. I think he's reckless about giving out children and doesn't consider the toll it could take on us. I'm not proud of this confession, and I doubt it is a good way to think of NFP. I guess I'm asking for help to see things more clearly. I should add that my wife has had hard pregnancies and deliveries, and having this 11-year gap only heightens our fears about another pregnancy. But it is not like doctors ever told us we should avoid getting pregnant or risk serious health consequences. We've just been afraid to keep going through the hardships that come with new life. We can keep up the cautious NFP approach, but it feels a lot like we're not trusting God and we're holding back from each other. I don't know the right way to think about this, and it has been a long time of uncertainty. 3. I am a 29-year-old single woman, and I come from a family with a history of sexual abuse. Some of my siblings were sexually abused by my dad. I was also sexually abused, though it was by one of my brothers when we were younger. My brother is sorry for having done this and has sought reconciliation with both me and the church, and I have forgiven him. Growing up, my mom always said that a man and a woman should never be alone together if they're not married because, quote, something could happen. I realize this might be a prudent way to live, and with everything that has happened in my family, I can understand why my mom says this. However, because of all these things, I find myself having a hard time trusting men or knowing how to relate with them without being, I think, overly cautious. Most of the friendships I have with men tend to stay at the surface level because I don't know how to open myself to them. I really want to be able to have deep relationships with men, but I also don't know how deep is too deep. Do you have any advice on how I can learn to trust men and to open myself up to having deep, intimate friendships with them? How do I know if I'm crossing over into a place of going too deep, and would it be best to wait to date a man until I've learned to not have these thoughts of what he might do constantly at the back of my mind? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

3/28/25 7am CT Hour - Mary Hallan Fiorito/ Howard Dvorkin John, Glen and Sarah chat about DOGE, special elections and the results from MLB opening day. Mary joins us from the True Genius Conference where they are discussing the 30th Anniversary of Evangelium Vitae and the Feminine Genius from JPII. 3 Questions with Richard Howard talks about how to make the best use of your paycheck so you can pay for now and plan for the future.

3/27/25 7am CT Hour - Laura DeMaria/ Fr. James Kubicki John, Glen and Sarah chat about Trump freezing money to Planned Parenthood, appeals court stops deportation of Venezuelan gang members, Opening Day for MLB and play What's That Sound. Laura encourages listeners who might be struggling in Lent as we hit the halfway mark to get recharged and not give up. Fr. Kubicki talks to the importance of the JPII encyclical of the Gospel of Life on it's 30th Anniversary and what we are learning from it today.

Questions answered this episode: Dear Christopher and Wendy, thank you for all you do. For context, my husband and I are expecting a baby again for the third time in less than three years, despite our best efforts to practice NFP. I am exhausted and facing potentially serious health concerns. My parents have never understood our stance against contraception, despite being Catholic themselves, and have always tried to persuade us to use it. Things came to a nasty head recently when we announced our latest pregnancy, and we had a major fight. My father says Catholics are not bound by the teachings of Humanae Vitae and are thus free to practice contraception because it is not, quote, ex cathedra doctrine. How do I respond to this? My dad said some very hurtful things about my husband and me. I don't know what to do. I held my ground during the argument, but now I'm starting to doubt myself. Please help. I'm a 20-year-old college student who truly started choosing Christ in my first year of college. In high school, I was in sinful relationships, but when attending a Catholic college, I wanted to stop that. Everything changed when I met a girl who inspired me to pursue sainthood, and I knew I needed to grow in virtue to date her. After seven months of waiting and growing, we began a Christ-centered relationship. But it ended after a month and a half when she chose to discern religious life. Two years later, I still struggle to move on. I've mistakenly entered other relationships hoping to forget her but constantly find myself thinking of her and comparing potential partners and even friends to her. Deep down, I don't want to let her go and feel drawn to reach out, remembering the Christ-filled joy our relationship brought to both of us. My question is, should I let go or should I pursue this relationship? I've been married for 21 years. On our honeymoon, my husband suffered an injury that made sexual intercourse extremely difficult and eventually impossible for him. We have seen doctors for treatments that were unsuccessful and very embarrassing for my husband. In time, we realized it was not going to get better, and it hasn't. By God's grace, we were able to have one child, but marital relations between us have not been possible for over 17 years. My heart aches and longs for this affection from my husband, but I long ago accepted the fact that our marriage is celibate and always will be. In the early days, we fought about this all the time, mostly because he avoided physical contact with me so as not to arouse himself, and I felt very rejected. He's never really liked to talk about this as he finds it very difficult to share his emotions. I used to pressure him to talk, but I've learned that that just isn't his way. I've also learned to see the many other ways that my husband loves me through his acts of service and dedication to our family. He is a wonderful husband, and we love each other deeply. Our strongest connection is our Catholic faith. I experienced a very deep conversion back to my Catholic faith a few years after our marriage, and this has helped me to mature and grow a deep intimacy with God. Even though I have that intimacy with God, I still at times feel so very alone with this cross and have spent most of my marriage feeling as though my husband doesn't desire me, as if he doesn't miss the intimacy because he won't share his pain with me. I have recently begun reading a book, The Cantata of Love, a commentary on the Song of Songs. The imagery in the poem is so beautiful, and it has reawakened in me again the feelings of how much I miss my husband. This part of me I mostly shut down because it's too painful to keep revisiting those unmet desires. It feels a bit like, why torture yourself by reading this? At the same time, I realized that the poem is also an allegory of the love between the bridegroom and the bride, Jesus and my soul. I wonder if you have any experience with people in similar situations and what has helped them. Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. Hi, Christopher and Wendy, thank you for this podcast and your ministry. It has changed my life. I have a rather delicate question, but I guess I don't know whom else to turn to. I can help you. I've been married for a few years now to my wonderful bride. I have struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence issues since childhood, and that is still the case today. My delicate question concerns the marriage bed and sexual intimacy. In the few years we've been married, my wife has only reached climax 3 or 4 times. This hurts my heart deeply. When I ask what I can do or should do to aid in this, she simply says, I don't know, or it's fine. I don't need the climax. My wife loves me deeply, and the same is true of my love for her, but it bothers me greatly that she won't talk to me about it or that she seems to not care. I feel like less of a man. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. 2. My journey to motherhood has been challenging—seven years of infertility due to PCOS leading to surgery, an unexpected C-section, and last October, an ectopic pregnancy. As I tried to cope with the loss of my baby and feelings of helplessness due to emergency surgery and the loss of a damaged fallopian tube, I felt so embraced by our Mother as this loss coincided with the arrival of Advent, a promise of hope. I almost heard my child say, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" I'm truly grateful for the sacraments, as I have personally felt resurrected from this difficult cross through reconciliation and spiritual guidance. Today during Eucharist on the Feast of the Presentation, I felt compelled to actually give my child to God—to present him. Until now, I felt like God had taken him. Though I see the graces the Lord is giving me, even in my suffering, I do continue to struggle with feelings of isolation as I grieve the loss of my baby and my fallopian tube. How can I overcome the tendency to resent other women, and how do I regain the courage to embrace being open to life when, as the Gospel says, a sword has pierced my heart? 3. I'm a 24-year-old man, and I've been discerning a conversion to the Catholic faith for the past two years. I'm currently in the process of getting confirmed, thanks in no small part to your podcast. Thank you for everything you do and the passion with which you do it. Through my journey into Catholicism, one of the most appealing aspects of the Church has been the communion of saints. The friendship of these extraordinary spiritual leaders has been so impactful to me and has been an incredible source of encouragement. As my confirmation approaches and I consider who I'll choose to be my patron, I've realized that almost every saint I've developed a devotion to is a woman. Women like Saint Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, and Joan of Arc are so insanely powerful, with such varying and glorious expressions of femininity. I find I can't help but be drawn to them. I'm wondering if I have an inordinate attraction to female saints over male saints. Should I get more guy time in my devotions? Is it natural to be drawn to attractive women regardless of centuries-long gaps in time? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Father Larry and Msgr. Pope continue to discuss JPII's document Veritatis Splendor

Questions answered this episode: 1. I'm a 25-year-old man, called by God to marriage. Two years ago, I met a girl who helped in the same parish as me, and I fell in love with her. After a few months, we spoke about it, but she kindly rejected me. We lost contact, and I went through a deep crisis of faith. I felt abandoned, extremely and hopelessly alone. After a time, I came back to her city, and we served again together in the same parish. Shortly after, she broke up with her boyfriend and asked me to continue our friendship. She made it clear that although she was open to us having a romantic relationship, I should not expect any concrete outcome to the friendship. I accepted the challenge, and for a year, we struggled to learn to love each other as close, tender friends, embracing with all our hearts whatever God would want from us. Together, we tried to follow the example of Francis and Clare of Assisi. Recently, she told me that she felt the call to consecrated virginity and decided to go to another country to discern this more intensely. My heart reacted to this news with immense joy. I experienced my friend's happiness as my own and felt the grace of God flowing from her heart. This friendship has healed the wound of that hopeless loneliness I felt when she first rejected me. My deepest desire is her happiness, and I know she will find it—whether with Christ or even with another man. But somehow, the secondary desire remains—that she would be the mother of my children and the companion of my dreams. I know we've experienced something rare and wonderful, yet I ask myself if any woman will ever fall erotically in love with me. What would your advice be to heal this wound? 2. Is there any Catholic teaching concerning body hair? Is it immoral to be waxed in certain places, considering that it involves exposing oneself to the person doing the waxing? Secondly, I'm in law school and learning about criminal procedure. One of my classes was discussing a rape case and having to collect semen samples from several different suspects. That led to me pondering the morality of collecting semen samples, also like for medical purposes, and what a Catholic approach to that would be in light of our teachings. 3. My husband and I have been married for 20 years, have four kids, and have always used natural family planning. I recently heard on a Catholic podcast that any type of making out is sinful unless it is meant as foreplay and must end in intercourse. I always thought foreplay was morally permissible as long as it does not lead to climax by either person or incomplete sexual intercourse. Could you please clarify? I would hate to think we've been offending God our whole marriage but would rather be corrected now than never. Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. I recently gave birth to our first baby. My plan going in was to have a natural, unmedicated birth. There's something beautiful, especially from a Catholic perspective, about the pain of childbirth that brings new life into the world, a reflection of Christ's suffering on the cross. Many of my Catholic friends have had this type of birth, and I came across a lot of women on social media who advocate for this type of birth, saying, "Your body was made for this." This was my plan, but of course, nothing goes according to plan, especially when it comes to labor. I ended up getting an epidural and going on Pitocin after a stalled 24-hour labor. I was really disappointed, and when I tell others about my labor and how I got an epidural, I feel a sense of shame and guilt that I took the easy way out, that I couldn't do it without medication, that I did something wrong in not allowing my body to birth on its own. Now I'm one of those moms who had a hospital medicated birth and not a natural birth. Can theology of the body help me come to terms with my medicated birth and see the beauty of my body and what it can do even in this type of birth? 2. If you read this, I am desperate. My wife is so hurt, and I do not know what to do because I'm the one who hurt her. Years of pornography use coming out, facing up to it. We're trying to heal, but I just don't know what to do. I don't know who to talk to about this in my real life. I'm incredibly angry with my parents for not helping me when I was younger. I'm angry with myself for not fessing up to it sooner and being afraid to face it. I stopped masturbation years ago, but it was only more recently that I truly began to be honest with my wife about what was going on in the past. And the hurt is so painful. We have a 2-year-old and another on the way. Please pray for our family. Bless you. 3. My sister purchased your TOB intro video series and has since facilitated the course, bringing it to over 100 people. I've started reading all about John Paul II. He's amazing, and we'd both love to learn theology of the body in more depth and continue to spread it to others. I purchased a few TOB books to circulate among friends. However, it's quite pricey to buy books and to seek studying TOB courses ourselves. So I'm wondering whether you ever have sponsorship available for study or discounts for buying bulk resources such as books. I'm especially thinking about my sister as she's very intelligent and passionate about TOB, as well as being a gifted coordinator. I think she's seriously considering and praying about getting involved in TOB ministry for the future. This year she'll be busy completing her theology bachelor's degree. I know she'd love to hear if you have any advice on where she should complete future study, or if there are any courses which are on the cheaper side of things she could fundraise for. If nothing else, be encouraged by the ripple effects of your ministry. God's brought it all the way to us in New Zealand, and a large group of Protestants and cradle Catholics are captivated by the beauty of TOB, catalyzing them to seek out the Catholic faith with a genuine excitement to know the good news. Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. I'm a woman in my 40's and I've found it difficult to get in the mood with my husband unless I create fantasies in my head. These fantasies are usually of sexual situations I create that don't involve my husband or in many cases even me. I'll picture two nameless people in an intimate act. Sometimes one party is using another party or the other party is cheating on his wife with a beautiful young woman. Before I was serious about my faith I had looked at porn although it was rare, and my sexual history was not good; multiple parters out of wedlock, using and being used, contraception, and other things. I hate that I have these fantasies because I want the union with my husband to be holy. However, either I create the fantasies to get in the mood or if I push those fantasies away I find sex boring and just another item on my to do list. I don't know what I'm supposed to think about when in the marital embrace. I feel like my mind has been so warped by the culture that it is hard to move forward. Can you help my mind and these fantasies during the marital embrace? What should I be thinking about? 2. I've heard you say that it's important not to stop at the window. Meaning not to let the icons in our lives become idols where we expect from them what only God can be for us. I love the emphasis on finding windows to the divine in our life and how many of these can lead us towards rather than detract us from our relationship with God. How can this be applied on a practical day to day basis? 3. For most of my life I've had a warped view of the natural experience of erections. I've been told that it's meant to be immediately relieved, that it's meant to be pleasurable, but most of all that it's shameful and dirty. As I've gotten deep into my faith and discovered TOB I've wrestled with what new redeemed definition this experience could have. Could it be that this rising of my body could be the desire of my heart and soul to rise to the occasion of loving well and the desire to physically give myself to someone else? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. My husband and I have been married for almost 3 years. Shortly after we got married, my husband became verbally and physically abusive. There's such a disconnected between his professed love for me and the lived reality of our marriage. As his abusive behavior has continued, I've found myself walling off my heart more and more. Intellectually I know that a covenantal relationship with God is different and I need to remain open but it feels like my heart has stopped believing it. Many days I feel like if marriage reflects how God loves us then I'm sick of “being loved”. How can I stay open to the beautiful promises of the eternal wedding feast when its early foretaste is ugly and painful? 2. Recently I was in confession and I said that at times I am “lustful”. The priest asked me to be more specific and as a woman I felt very uncomfortable being more specific. After confession I was reflecting on it more and realized maybe I do need to be more specific so the priest understands what exactly I'm confessing. Typically how I feel when I engage in this sin is when I see an attractive man that's not my husband, I may find myself aroused by him and let myself entertain the idea of him to much. Also at times I see my intentions for coming together with my husband are not fully pure and there might be some selfish, lustful desires there. Many times I stop myself and do not suggest coming together with my husband to avoid using him. Is there a more concise yet specific way of confessing these sins without giving all these details? Is there a name for these sins? I want to be accountable but understand that priests are fallen men too and I want to be prudent especially because I'm a young woman. 3. What would your advice be for two catholics with same sex attraction who want to adhere to the teachings of the Church who believe it is their vocation to be life partners romantically but not sexually? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Thirty years ago, in both Evangelium Vitae and his Letter to Women, John Paul II issued a clear call for the genius of women to be “more fully expressed in the life of society as a whole, as well as in the life of the Church” (Letter to Women10). Throughout his papacy, in fact, JPII emphasized women's “prophetic character,” calling on them to be “witnesses” and “sentinels” — guardians of the sacred gift of life and the order of love (Mulieris Dignitatem 29; Homily at Lourdes2004).This vision for women, clarified and proclaimed in the late twentieth century especially, has yet to be fully realized. Catholics in contemporary America face distorted narratives about women from both poles of our divided culture. By revisiting and extending John Paul II's thought we come upon the opportunity to offer a positive countervision to, on the one hand, the growing anti-feminism in some Catholic circles and, on the other hand, the widely-held perception that the Church is anti-woman.The McGrath Institute for Church Life is hosting a conference that aims to help develop that positive countervision.“True Genius: The Mission of Women in Church and Culture” will take place March 26 to March 28, 2025, on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. It boasts a stellar roster of speakers, including Helen Alvare, Sr. Ann Astell, Erika Bachiochi, Angela Franks, Sarah Denny Lorio, Sr. Theresa Alethia Noble, Leah Libresco Sargeant, and my guest today, Abigail Favale. Abigail and I are colleagues in the McGrath Institute, and she is the conference convener and orgranizer.Registration for the “True Genius” conference is now open, and we have links to more conference information and registration available in our show notes. Show Notes:“True Genius: The Mission of Women in Church and Culture” conference information and registration “Can the Feminine Speak?” by Abigail Favale, article in Church Life Journal “Hildegard of Bingen's Vital Contribution to the Concept of Woman,” by Abigail Favale, article in Church Life Journal“No Woman Is Only Woman: Distilling the Feminine Genius from Stereotypes,” interview with Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble on The Catholic WomanChurch Life Today is a partnership between the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and OSV Podcasts from Our Sunday Visitor. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

RFK and Tulsi Gabbard get the green light – what does this mean for us? JD Vance is making us proud to be a Catholic, but some a looking down their noses at his “convert” status. Finally, we give an update on DOGE, answer some questions, and show off our valentines! EMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org  SUPPORT LOOPCAST: www.loopcast.org  Did you know… LOOPcast is on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe on Apple, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen! LINKS YOU'LL LOVEHillbilly Thomists!MANufacturing? INCREDIBLE speech by Vance!All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote. 00:00 – Happy Valentine's day LOOPers!2:40 – Divine Providence Press4:13 – St. Mother Teresa! 5:57 – RFK Sworn in!18:29 – Kash Patel20:19 – JD Vance CRUSHING IT36:45 – Hegseth and Trump44:41 – DOGE update49:25 – FAQ Friday58:43 – Twilight Zone

Today, Fr. Buster joins Kate and Fr. Gale and they discuss Valentine's Day and JPII's teaching on the Theology of the Body (Note: topics of pornography are discussed in this episode).

In this week's episode of Catholic ReCon, testimonies from reverts and converts, guest Edmund Weiner from Oxford, England discusses a childhood with virtually no religion, reading Chesterton's Orthodoxy and attending an Anglican church as a teenager, being exposed to charismatic movements and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, struggles in marriage, church scandals, his lovely wife, the beauty of life, JPII, Padre Pio, and much more! Edmund's conversion story is a beautiful testament to God's unending signs of love. #Catholic #Evangelical #Anglican #Testimony #Faith #Death #Love #Holy #Spirit #Spiritual #Christian ▶To support this channel, visit eddietrask.com/sponsorship

Questions answered this episode: 1. In the state of original innocence did Adam & Eve experience bodily functions like defecation and urination? If so, how would these have aligned with their original harmony and the perfection of creation. Sometimes these functions are uncomfortable or even painful. 2. For almost a year now I've been in a beautiful catholic relationship. We both love God and our faith and want to follow the Church's teaching in our relationship. We're discerning marriage at the moment and we're navigating through the obstacles. I'm 21 now and since I was 13 I've had endometriosis with heavy symptoms. I've tried many treatments over the years with little success. One year ago, after a lot of inner battles I started taking a birth control pill. Since them I'm almost symptom free. If we were to get married in the next year, it wouldn't be responsible for us to have children right away because we're both still in college for at least 2 and a half years. If I would stop taking the pill and start NFP that would mean a lot of pain and a great burden for my daily life. I'm extremely afraid of this scenario. Could you shed some light into this confusion? 3. I have a physical disability that prevents me from driving and being handy and limits my ability to provide physical protection. I hear so often about how women want men with these traits so they feel safe to express their femininity. I want to trust that God will help me find someone but I get discouraged thinking about how my disability limits me in fulfilling natural female desires. How should I make myself worthy of a kind, affectionate and loyal woman given my disability. Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. I'm 21, finishing up college soon and have been fighting for the past 6 years to overcome an addiction to porn and masturbation that started when I was first exposed to porn in 4th grade. The past 2 years have been especially tumultuous with lots of victory and defeat. However I believe God has been allowing these setbacks in order to purify me in numerous ways. Recently I started going on dates with a good friend of mine. As a result, I've noticed two particularly concerning things in myself. 1: I feel like I've resigned myself to the fact that God is the only one who would ever accept me. I can't imagine someone knowing everything about me and still loving me fully. I want to be loved by more than just God but I see that as a fantasy. 2: I feel like my battle with porn has left me needing physical therapy for my sexual desire. I feel like I've been so hard against lust that I've lost the ability to experience sexual desire purely. Do you have any recommendations on how to rehabilitate my sexual desire? 2. I'm a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health. I see prenatal and postpartum women, postmenopausal women, and men who also may suffer from pelvic pain or pelvic surgery. This is a wonderful profession which also opens a door to see a lot of suffering and life challenges. In my work I meet people from all walks of life and belief systems who are experiencing pain and sometimes trauma. Lately I've been asking myself how I can best help people when the help they want is not in keeping with my catholic faith. These are matters around sex, gender and all the values and teachings that come with these. How do I practice and stay true to my faith. Can I treat them according to their goals and tell myself is between them and God or am I complicit in their sin? 3. How can I learn to embrace my masculinity in a healthy way when sometimes I do not feel like a complete normal man since I only have 1 testicle. I've always felt a little shy and inadequate even though I've excelled in many areas of life. Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. I'm discerning marriage with a wonderful girl and I discovered a hurt in my heart that I wasn't fully conscious of. While growing up I was always scandalized and nauseated every time I perceived hypocrisy from others, especially in marriage celebrations. I knew that all the display of vanity that society prescribes is about appearance and virtue signaling to others. The spouses are expected to give some sort of public performance showing their great love story and fulfillment of personal projects. At the thought that I will have to live this I still get nauseated and angry. The whole process of preparing the celebration takes more than a year where I live. I wish I felt differently about it and I wish I could be a part of a community that lives and thinks differently about this. How can I heal? 2. A few months ago, I began to go to Confession every time I started my cycle but after attending the Marian Mystery Course, I wonder if there's more truth to that practice than I originally thought. Is there or could there be a connection between a woman's body going through a type of painful purification in order to receive her husband and conceive life to God's church being called to purify their souls in confession in order to receive God's gift of eternal life in the Eucharist. 3. I am a relationship therapist. I struggle when couples come to me regarding discrepancies in sex drive. Most often, the issue is that the man wants sex, the woman denies it and the man pouts and potentially becomes very upset. Do you have any thoughts about how I can help these couples? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it's an act of will that helps us face life's challenges with courage. Inspired by the life and teachings of St. John Paul II, this episode explores how hope can be the antidote to fear and despair, empowering us to choose joy and action even in the darkest moments. Key Takeaways:• ✅ Hope is a choice and an act of faith.• ✅ Fearlessness grows from confronting challenges with trust in something greater.• ✅ Joy and hope often coexist with suffering and uncertainty.• ✅ Hope allows us to embrace life with courage and purpose.  Make sure to subscribe and follow me for updates, tips, and more ways to stay in the flow! You can connect with me on:• Instagram: @flow_network__• YouTube: @flow_network__• TikTok: @theflownetwork• LinkedIn Newsletter: Daily Flow Stay tuned for more great content, and as always, stay in the flow!

Fr. Steve helps the High School kids come to know that they are wanted by God.  In a time where young people don't know their worth, Fr. Steve delivers a most important message to them to help the know they are love by God.   Tony Melendez, born without arms, but knows he is wanted by God.   https://youtu.be/V6kEHAg30eY?si=WBUlPQYeOAbKdtr2

Questions answered this episode: 1. I'm a mother of 5 living children. I've lost 2 daughters from miscarriage within the past year. My womb has become a tomb for 2 deeply desired little girls. I was unable to hold my baby girl after the first miscarriage, but my second loss occurred after 16 weeks. My body did not detect the loss and I was induced to deliver her at almost 20 weeks. She was perfectly formed and my husband and I were able to spend hours with her. A couple of days later when my milk came in, my own body was begging to give her what she needed. Death is the barrier between our bodies meeting each other's needs as baby and mama. In between her birth and burial there was a time where I was able to hold her and had the most profound experience with the Holy Spirit I've ever live. This experience allowed me to praise God at a moment where that's the least I wanted to do. My heart is torn out. Do you have any insight? 2. I'm struggling with a recurring issue: I'll come to know or get acquainted with some girl who I will develop a crush on. From there I'll start to dream about dating, marrying and creating a family with her. However this will usually give way to a sinking realization that not only will it very likely not come to pass but that she'll be gone very soon and I'll never see her again. I pray for these women hoping that in heaven I'll be reunited with them. Is there anything else you'd recommend in this situation? 3. It recently dawned on me that saying “that sucks” likely originated from a vulgar sexual act. I've been using these words and casual speech with all sorts of people. Lately, I've been thinking about speaking modestly and wondering wether using this phrase might be sinful. I understand it would be rude and uncharitable to tell someone they suck, but if someone's going through a tough time, can I in good conscience say to them “that sucks”? Is this an expression I should avoid saying? Could you shed some light on this topic? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Taylor shares about his first ever cruise experience with his family over the Holidays. Chris took his family skiing & brings some hot takes to the table for debate.Taylor shares that one of the biggest faith encounters he's had in YEARS happened in an Uber! Wild connections to some of our biggest faith heroes. Subscribe/Rate Never miss out on the craziness of each episode by hitting the subscribe button RIGHT NOW! Help other people find the show by taking a few moments to leave a review in your podcasting app. Thanks! YouTube Check out the show and other exclusive videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/fortecatholic Connect

This episode is part 3 of our 4 part series on the Dignity of Women. Listen in as our team shares St. John Paul II's suggestions for cultural changes that are necessary to help support women now that abortion on demand is no long the law of the land in all states. Please click on the link below to read the entire document from JPII, Mulieris-Dignitatem. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html

Questions answered this episode: I'm a part of a pro-life non-profit organization. Even though my journey began in 2015, it was only recently that I discovered the potentially abortive nature of many contraceptives leading me to remove my IUD. I'm married to a good husband. Unfortunately, he believes society's message that even within marriage the responsible thing to do is to use contraception when not ready. He understands that contraception and IUDs are immoral because they can be abortive. When I told him that I want to eliminate all forms of contraception, he got mad at me and told me that I'm becoming an extremist. I'm a victim of sexual abuse as a child and as a young adult. I know I'm called to marriage but I worry that when I do get there I will be less of a gift to my bride and that the marital embrace will not be what it should be due to the innocence that was taken from me. What advice do you have for me as a man to face this with Mary and continue to open myself to Jesus' redemption when I feel almost unredeemable? I got married 3 years ago and we have a little boy. I became pregnant soon after we were married and while the pregnancy wasn't incredibly difficult, it did have its challenges. Because of this, I fear looking back that my husband and I didn't learn to communicate or how to love each other well physically. Going into marriage, I believe that it was right to make love when the woman wasn't fully ready, and I certainly never was during pregnancy. However, after giving birth, it became extremely difficult and almost traumatic. And it became nearly impossible to come together. I actually felt terrible sadness, resentment and anger. I have overcome much of this but I still feel hurt form those years. For women who dread making love or don't enjoy it, how can a husband and wife help each other understand the other and approach this problem lovingly? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: How are men supposed to understand this sudden obsession with p*nis size and measurements? How can one deal with the shame society places on certain male body parts? I've been in a relationship with my partner for just over a year now. I'm a Catholic and he is not. He is open and respectful even though he expressed he would wait for me until marriage. I ultimately decided that somehow I was okay with engaging in non-marital sexual relations with him. I realized I had fallen and went to confession. Since then, I've been listening to your podcast and others in TOB and now I'm confident that my love for him supersedes any immediate desire for sex. I want marriage to be our expression of dedication and openness to the responsibilities that come with that union and only there is where our bodies truly reflect that covenant. While my partner sees that non-marital relations are a way in which he can express his love, he's once again willing to wait until marriage but the reality is that I'm having a hard time explaining why marriage is the only place where I want to express that. Do you have any advice? What should I do with my strong desires to know the saints when I feel like I'll never grasp their wisdom in this life? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Love to hear from you; “Send us a Text Message”This episode invites you to a spiritual renewal, and to celebrate what almost wasn't!! Glory Be To GodJoin Linda and Jack for Christmas and wrapping up 2024. (The Video-Podcast of this Episode will be made available on Rumble and X. For past episodes on Video visit our Rumble Channel and don't forget to subscribe!)Follow us and watch on X: John Paul II Renewal @JP2RenewalOn Rumble: JohnPaulIIRCCatch up with the latest on our website: jp2renew.org and Sign up for our Newsletter!!  Contact Jack: info@jp2renew.orgRead Jack's Blog substack.com/@jackrigert  Support the show

Questions answered this episode: 1. How can Catholics and students of TOB help bridge the gap when protestants and Catholics read a different set of books of the Bible? 2. My fiancé & I had some intense experiences as teenagers. I was rped as a child and that broke me so much that I was consuming prn from a very young age and had an active and uncontrolled sx life. I felt particularly alone in this matter because growing up all I ever heard was that prn was a boys problem. It took me 10 years to talk about these issues with my parents. My parents never shared with us what their battles and failures were before they became our parents. They seemed to perfect for me to be vulnerable. My fiancé was on drugs as a teen. He recently spoke with his parents about that issue and shared that he could resonate with my experience. Should we in the future as parents open up our past with our sons and daughters? Should we be that open? Could it turn against us? 3. Wendy shares a story Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: I strive for holiness and go to daily Mass & Rosary but from past wounds I've realized that my wounded interior girl longs to be loved, recognized & accepted by men. For this reason I tend to love men much younger than me. I also have disordered feelings and thoughts toward men that strive for holiness like priests & seminarians. I feel ashamed and reject myself for feeling this. How can I deal with these feelings and passions and accept myself in my brokenness? In your podcast you said that the union between man and woman in this life is a sign pointing to the union of people & God in the next and when we get to heaven we will no longer need the sign. This makes sense but at the same time, does that mean that marriage has no objective value in itself? If I get married, am I supposed to say to my wife that our relationship is only a means for me to become closer to God or only a sign towards something else? If I really fall in love with someone and marry her, how could I wish to stop being married after I die? If people only get married because we view it as a temporary part of our journey to heaven then it seems like we're using the other person instead of valuing them for their own sake but if we value the person for their own sake and not just for the religious significance then wouldn't we want to still be together in heaven? Could you share some TOB light on 1 Corinthians 11:9 and the verses surrounding it. What does it mean that the woman was created for the man and not the other way around? As a newly married woman, how can this speak to how I view my role as a wife? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: 1. Did John Paul II identify the 4 ruptures? 2. My husband and I have been married for over 35 years. We've been through very difficult challenges in our married life and my body is not capable of intercourse. It's been 5 years since our last union. Why do I feel shame about myself and my inability to give what I don't have? What does the Bible mean with the words “give himself up for her” from Ephesians 5? 3. I'm a 27 yo man who has never been in a romantic relationship. What bothers me is that I've never had a desire to be in a relationship. Seems like this lack of desire for a relationship partly stems from selfishness. How can I work towards becoming less selfish and truly seek the good that can be found in union with another person? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode:
 1. How do unbaptized people fit into the body of Christ? 2. My husband and I are new Catholics. We both have a past in regards to sexual sin. While dating we frequently had to stop ourselves in times of passion and it seemed like he was always aroused when we were together. Then we got married and all of that went away. He never wanted to have sex in the earlier part of our marriage while I did. Two and a half years later, we have significantly decreased the frequency of our union. How can we seek healing and move forward and grow closer together in this? 3. I'm constantly worried about looking lustfully. I want to be able to appreciate sexual beauty as you describe in one of your YouTube videos but I'm afraid that opening myself to that can lead to lust. Could you explain these topics deeper?

The guys discuss Advent devotions, the scandals of JPII's papacy, and Gomer's new Tesla. Enjoy!

Questions answered this episode: I've been fighting the good fight for chastity and I was managing well but it's become much more difficult now that I have a girlfriend. Do you recommend I break up with her? If we are freed from original sin at our baptism, why do we still experience labor pains? What is the role of beauty in the life of a Christian? How can beauty help me deepen my relationship with God? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: I'm familiar with what the TOB teaches about the marital embrace and the mutual self giving that occurs there. It's difficult to understand this in my heart. Prior to marriage I experienced multiple episodes of sexual abuse. I engage in relations with my husband to be a gift to him. I know it is important to love him in that way. However, in my heart it doesn't feel like a gift to me. It's only a reminder of how my body has been used by other people. When people talk about this being a pleasurable experience, their words sound non-sensical to me. Then I feel guilt and shame because I don't experience these as I “should”. Do you have any advice? If a woman is dressed inappropriately, shouldn't I look away? In the union in one flesh, should the man because of what he represents always be focusing on making his wife feel loved or is it okay sometimes to focus on receiving? Would that distort the sign he's called to represent? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Questions answered this episode: I'm a 21 year old college student. I'm struggling to make peace with my girlfriend's sexual past. I've experienced healing but remain very wounded. My girlfriend repents of her past but has also lied to me about some of the details she has shared. Some of those details I find deeply troubling. On the one hand, I understand we should show mercy, embrace the wounds of those we love and remind them that they are not defined by their mistakes. On the other hand, I can't help but feel disgusted. I'm invaded with thoughts of her past actions and I feel no desire for her any more. I want to love her well but I can't seem to overcome this. Do you have any advice? I'm 48 and in the world of dating after divorce and annulment. While I know that life & pregnancy is the purpose of the marital embrace, at my age it is unlikely to happen. How do I convey that to someone who is likely thinking that at our age the act is purely for pleasure. Is it enough for a spouse to just “respect me in the bedroom”? How do you pray for your favorite musicians? How can heaven be heaven if there's a possibility of my favorite musicians not being there? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

My girlfriend and I have been dating for almost 2 years now. She's in her second year of medical school. We both desire a chaste relationship. We both have a good understanding of the TOB but also fail to live it at times. Now that we've started to talk about marriage, sometimes she feels like she's ready but there are also times when she shares that she thinks she doesn't want to have children and to get married. Do you have any insights? I've been married for 19 years. My husband and I have four children. We attended a healing program after an affair 12 years ago and I had a tubal ligation after my fourth C-section when I was told it would be "unsafe" to have any more children. The Lord has been working in my life and my husband's over the past few years. I've been pursuing a tubal reversal but he is not in agreement. He will l not tell me no to do it because he says it is my body and doesn't want me to resent him. He is resistant and is comfortable with contraception. Do I continue to move forward with the reversal without his support? I'm currently going through a conversion process. I realize that I committed many sins in the past and I've made decisions to let go of certain things in my life. There's one thing, though, that keeps causing me anxiety every day. I'm in a committed relationship with my boyfriend and we've been together for three years and living together for 1 year. We're talking about marriage, but it won't happen anytime soon. He's not going through the same conversion process as me and is very skeptical towards the Church. Ironically, it has been his love and godly values that have drawn me closer to Jesus. He is a christian, but doesn't believe in the laws and so on. I'm scared of asking him for us to not have sex until we get married. I fear this will push him away from me and from our faith. I don't want to put our relationship on the line because I feel deep down that we were put together by God's will but I also don't want to keep sinning by having sex when I also know that that offends God.

Questions answered this episode: What role does lingerie have in the intimate union of man & wife? Can it be a beautiful & holy part of the marital embrace? If so, how? My wife and I have had our first baby recently and along with that blessing there have been some difficult changes for our early 20's. My wife is struggling with body image issues. Unfortunately she has severe stretch marks across her abdomen as a result of the pregnancy. Acquaintances have made her feel bad about herself. She expresses concerns that I might find her ugly but I do my best to assure her that this is not the case. My love and affection for her has only grown seeing her become a mother. How can I help her see the beauty of God's plan in all of this? What exactly do you mean when you say that intimacy within marriage is a reflection of God's love? Does God want to have intimacy with us but spiritually instead of physically? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II's beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

What was it like to grow up as Ronald Reagan's son? How did family politics, religion, adoption, and fame affect his life? Today I sit down with Michael Reagan, a former talk show host, political commentator and adopted son of President Ronal Reagan. We talk about his pro-life views, Catholic faith, and how he sees the current state of politics in America. Michael reveals the abuse he suffered as a child and the ricochet effect it had on his adult life. Plus he shares stories of what his father was like behind the scenes in an intimate family setting. Check out Reagan movie: https://www.reagan.movie/ Help support the show by joining our Locals community! You will receive special perks like access to member-only content, a community of other listeners, the ability to ask upcoming guests questions and much more! https://lilarose.locals.com/support A big thank you to our partner, EWTN, the world's leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/   Check out our Sponsors:   -We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.     -Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, bacon, or salmon! Use code LILA for $25 off!   --Firebreaker: An exhilarating audio drama that takes you on an adventure of courage, friendship, and sacrifice! https://www.firebreakerseries.com/ 00:00 -Intro01:32 - Welcome Michael Reagan!03:46 - What lessons did you learn from your upbringing?07:41 - How did the Reagan film do?10:06 - Good Ranchers11:35 - How has your Catholic faith changed your life?14:30 - How did Ronald Reagan'ss faith drive him?20:43 - Was he a pushover?23:32 - We Heart Nutrition24:43 - How did being adopted affect your pro-life views?27:56 - Did your adoption inspire your dad's pro-life policy?39:23 - Reagan and JPII both were shot40:49 - Firebreaker43:42 - Why are we so divisive today?46:21 - What you Ronald thing about the current state of political discourse?59:43 - Thank you EWTN!

It's the JPII And You (and Lino and Tyler) on pilgrimage in Poland. From Lino's first trip in 2005/2006, to pilgrims getting lost... from Divine Mercy to visiting Saint John Paul II in Rome... it's a Lino pilgrimage that promises no refunds and plenty of laughs!