Podcasts about Pope Benedict XVI

Retired Pope Benedict XVI passed away December 31, 2022, in his residence at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens. On January 5, 2023, Pope Francis presided over the funeral Mass for his predecessor: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/funeral-pope-remembers-benedicts-wisdom-tenderness-devotion Read USCCB President, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio's reflection on Pope Benedict XVI: https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/reflection-usccb-president-death-pope-benedict-xvi, as well we reflections and tributes from other U.S. bishops: https://www.usccb.org/pope-benedict-xvi-tributes Starting January 5, you can also pray the novena that has been prepared in Pope benedict XVI's memory: https://www.usccb.org/novena-pope-benedict-xvi

Episode 990 (10:54) In this episode: Fr. Dominic preaches; We like to complain; Jesus is inviting us into a relationship with him; Pope Benedict XVI: “are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide… Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything…” My Website Podcast PageAll Previous Episodes

Pope Benedict XVI remains one of the great champions of Truth in the modern age. We discuss Benedict's battle against the lies of relativism with Peter Herbeck.

St John Henry Newman (1801-90) is perhaps the most influential theologian in the history of English Christianity. Yet, as Damian Thompson discusses with Fr Rod Strange – one of the world's leading authorities on Newman – he was a divisive figure, though perhaps not in the way one might imagine. One of the founders of the Oxford Movement, Newman was widely acknowledged as the most gifted intellectual in the Church of England. In 1845 he converted to Rome and was eventually made a cardinal. Thus he had a unique viewpoint on Church doctrine and dogma. But what is Newman's significance today? Although he is universally celebrated, conservative and liberal Christians, and especially Catholics, are still fighting over his legacy. Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI, canonised by Pope Francis, and Pope Leo XIV has now announced that he will be given the title Doctor of the Church, an honour granted to only 38 out of over 10,000 saints. What is it about Newman that has inspired Pope Leo? And, coming so soon after his election, what does this decision tell us about Leo's pontificate?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Pope Benedict XVI once talked about how the liturgy on the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time prepares us in a certain way for the solemnity of Mary's Assumption into heaven which is on August 15th. To learn more about this, listen to today's reflection from Fr. Kubicki.

St John Henry Newman (1801-90) is perhaps the most influential theologian in the history of English Christianity. Yet, as Damian Thompson discusses with Fr Rod Strange – one of the world's leading authorities on Newman – he was a divisive figure, though perhaps not in the way one might imagine. One of the founders of the Oxford Movement, Newman was widely acknowledged as the most gifted intellectual in the Church of England. In 1845 he converted to Rome and was eventually made a cardinal. Thus he had a unique viewpoint on Church doctrine and dogma. But what is Newman's significance today? Although he is universally celebrated, conservative and liberal Christians, and especially Catholics, are still fighting over his legacy. Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI, canonised by Pope Francis, and Pope Leo XIV has now announced that he will be given the title Doctor of the Church, an honour granted to only 38 out of over 10,000 saints. What is it about Newman that has inspired Pope Leo? And, coming so soon after his election, what does this decision tell us about Leo's pontificate?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

7/30/25 - St. Anna Schäffer, born in 1882 in Bavaria, dreamed of becoming a missionary, but her plans changed forever after a work-related accident at age 18 left her bedridden for the rest of her life. Suffering from painful, incurable wounds and paralysis, Anna transformed her bed into a place of spiritual mission, offering her intense physical pain in union with Christ's Passion for the conversion of sinners and the souls in purgatory. Despite her suffering, she radiated peace and joy, received mystical visions, and became a source of comfort for countless people who sought her prayers and counsel. She wrote over 2,000 letters, many filled with spiritual wisdom, and lived a life of profound Eucharistic devotion. Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, St. Anna's life is a powerful testament to redemptive suffering and unshakable faith amidst trials.

George Carinal Pell was a famous Australian Catholic cardinal who died just a week after his friend Pope Benedict XVI. Get Your Copy of his “George Cardinal Pell: Pax Invictis” here: https://ignatius.com/george-cardinal-pell-gcpbh/   Tess Livingstone is the author of the definitive biography of George Cardinal Pell and recently we were blessed to sit down with her in person to discuss the life, work, and imprisonment of this influential cardinal. She details his upbringing and imprisonment as well as his work with Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope St. John Paul II. Finally, she gives some insight into the personhood of Cardinal Pell and some lesser-known stories about vocation journey and interactions with the poor. We continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Pell and are grateful for his many years of service to the Church.   SUBSCRIBE to our channel and never miss an episode of the Ignatius Press Podcast. You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Follow us on social media: Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ignatiuspress Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignatius_press/   Music from Pexels, Gregor Quendel. https://www.classicals.de/legal

Join us for a powerful episode of Respect Life Radio as we welcome Greg Schlueter—author, speaker, and cultural leader—on a mission to restore faith, family, and freedom. Greg directs communications for the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership and leads Image Trinity, a vibrant movement strengthening marriages and families. He co-hosts the dynamic podcast IGNITE Radio Live with his wife, sparking conversations that move hearts and minds. We'll explore his recent Crisis Magazine article, The Age of Fragility: Reclaiming Resilience in a Culture of Victimhood, where he challenges the rise of victim culture and calls for a bold return to virtue and strength. He recalls early influence of the keeping relationships at the heart of his and his family's structure that was molded through the teachings of John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. In order to live in the truth, embracing our need for community and encouraging our growth in maturing our understanding of the power of emotions to be rightly ordered.  Don't miss this inspiring conversation with Greg Schlueter—devoted husband, father of seven (one in heaven), and author of The Magnificent Piglets of Pigletsville, Twelve Roses, and Slaying Giants.  To read the full article visit: https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/the-age-of-fragility-reclaiming-resilience-in-a-culture-of-victimhood

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 394The Saint of the day is Saint Mary MacKillopSaint Mary MacKillop’s Story If Saint Mary MacKillop were alive today, she would be a household name. It's not that she sought the limelight. On the contrary, she simply wanted to serve the poor wherever she found them in her native Australia. But along the way, she managed to arouse the ire of some rather powerful churchmen. One even excommunicated her for a time. Born in Melbourne in 1842, to parents who had emigrated from Scotland, Mary grew up in a family that faced constant financial struggles. As a young woman she was drawn to religious life but could not find an existing order of Sisters that met her needs. In 1860, she met Father Julian Woods, who became her spiritual director. Together they founded a new community of women—the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Josephite Sisters. Its members were to staff schools especially for poor children, as well as orphanages, and do other works of charity. As the congregation grew, so did Mary MacKillop's problems. Her priest-friend proved unreliable in many ways and his responsibilities for direction of the Sisters were removed. Meanwhile, Mary had the support of some local bishops as she and her Sisters went about their work. But the bishop in South Australia, aging and relying on others for advice, briefly excommunicated Mary—charging her with disobedience—and dispensed 50 of her Sisters from their vows. In truth, the bishop's quarrel was about power and who had authority over whom. He ultimately rescinded his order of excommunication. Mary insisted that her congregation should be governed by an elected mother general answerable to Rome, not to the local bishop. There also were disputes about whether or not the congregation could own property. In the end, Rome proved to be Mary's best source of support. After a long wait official approval of the congregation—and how it was to be governed—came from Pope Leo XIII. Despite her struggles with Church authorities, Mary MacKillop and her Sisters were able to offer social services that few, if any, government agencies in Australia could. They served Protestants and Catholics alike. They worked among the aborigines. They taught in schools and orphanages and served unmarried mothers. Money, actually the lack of it, was a constant worry. But the Sisters who begged from door to door, were bolstered by faith and by the conviction that their struggles were opportunities to grow closer to God. By the time Mary was approaching the end of her life, the congregation was thriving. She died in 1909 at the age of 67. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1995. In 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her, she became Australia's first saint. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on August 8. Reflection The story of many foundresses of religious communities and the tales of the early days of those communities can make for fascinating reading. Those women were dedicated and tough and fought for those they served. Let's thank the Lord for raising up such wonderful examples of faith. Click here for more on Saint Mary MacKillop! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to have back on the show once again: Podcast Regular, United Church Minister turned whistleblower, Canadian Hero, humanitarian, father of two, published writer and author, public speaker and podcaster, documentary filmmaker, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, co-founder of the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State, righteous soul, and Eagle Strong Voice: Kevin AnnettIn case you missed any of Kevin's past episodes or our ‘Movie Night' feature where we aired his acclaimed documentary, ‘Unrepentant' on this channel, here is a brief intro to his testimony and background along with some information on what we will be talking about today: Kevin's early life was shaped by compassion and a call to serve as a United Church minister in Port Alberni, British Columbia, in the early 1990s. There, Indigenous survivors of Canada's residential schools revealed a hidden genocide - abuse, forced sterilizations, and child deaths orchestrated by church and state. Kevin's refusal to stay silent led to his 1997 defrocking, a historic first for political reasons. Undeterred, he documented survivors' stories and produced the 2006 documentary Unrepentant, which exposed these atrocities and helped prompt Canada's 2008 apology to Indigenous survivors.His investigations reached global elites, including the Vatican, leading him to co-found the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State in 2010. His work with the International Common Law Court of Justice contributed to Pope Benedict XVI's 2013 resignation, a historic event linked to allegations of church crimes. Despite facing smear campaigns, death threats, and blacklisting, Kevin has earned Nobel Peace Prize nominations for his relentless pursuit of justice.Through his radio program Here We Stand and the Republic of Kanata, a movement for self-governance under common law, Kevin has inspired thousands to reject centralized power. His tireless advocacy, from Indigenous communities to international tribunals, amplifies the marginalized and challenges the powerful.Kevin life is a testament to the power of one individual to ignite change. From a small church in Port Alberni to the global stage, he has exposed truths that shook empires and inspired a movement for sovereignty. As Kevin continues to lead by example, his story reminds us that courage, truth, and solidarity can dismantle even the most entrenched systems of oppression. In a world hungry for freedom, Kevin stands as a beacon, showing us how to govern ourselves - and build a future worthy of our highest aspirations.CONNECT WITH KEVIN:Email: angelfire101@protonmail.comPhone: 289-680-8724Websites:-Republic of Kanata: https://republicofkanata.org/-Radio Free Kanata: https://bbsradio.com/radiofreekanata-'Murder by Decree' & other books published by Kevin: https://murderbydecree.com/#books-'Unrepentant' Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czej73SfYJcCONNECT WITH THE IMAGINATION:EMAIL: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comMy Substack: https://emmakatherine.substack.com/BUY ME A COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theimaginationAll links: https://direct.me/theimaginationpodcastRIFE TECHNOLOGIES:Support the show

Happy feast of St. Camillus de Lellis! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell discuss his path from mercenary to religious life. Guests include Andrew Petiprin to explain what Pope Benedict XVI meant by the Dictatorship of Relativism, and Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo and Fr. Jonathan Duncan to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** Collect for the feast of St. Camillus de Lellis O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Camillus with a singular grace of charity towards the sick, pour out upon us, by his merits, a spirit of love for you, so that, serving you in our neighbor, we may, at the hour of our death, pass safely over to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. ***** Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexian Santino Spinelli, musician, composer, writer, poet and university professor. The first Italian Roma to be appointed Commendatore of the Italian Republic for artistic and cultural merits. Spinelli with the Alexian Group holds numerous concerts in Italy and abroad. With his son Gennaro, he is the first Roma to have played at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples with the soloists of the Scala, the San Carlo and the G. Rossini Symphony Orchestra of Pesaro. He has played worldwide for Pope Benedict XVI and several times for Pope Francis. Founder and president of the cultural association Thèm Romanò, he is an ambassador of Romani culture in the world. His poem Auschwitz is on the Roma Memorial in Berlin inaugurated with Chancellor Angela Merkel. He currently teaches Romani Language and Culture at La Sapienza University in Rome.Listen to the Alexian Group here and wherever you get music. Romani crushes this episode are Raјko Đurić, Marcel Courthaid, Ian Hancock Esme Redzepova, Roby Lakatos, and Marian Serban.Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast, and on Twitter @romanistanpod. To support us, Join our Patreon for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan, and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic. You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling, online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser if you can. Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries. Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina StevensConceived of by Paulina StevensEdited by Viktor PachasWith Music by Viktor PachasAnd Artwork by Elijah Vardo

Friends of the Rosary,Today, July 14, in the United States, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), the first native American to be declared a Saint.Born in 1656 near Auriesville, New York, she was the daughter of a pagan Mohawk chief and a Christian Algonquin woman.When she was a child, a smallpox epidemic attacked her tribe, and both her parents and brother died. She was left with permanent scars on her face and impaired eyesight. Her uncle, who had now become chief of the tribe, adopted her, and her aunts began planning her marriage while she was still very young.A Jesuit missionary baptized Kateri (taking the name Katery after Catherine of Siena) Tekakwitha at the age of twenty. Like her namesake, she was drawn into intimate communion with God and suffered persecution for his sake, incurring the hostility of her tribe.She devoted her life to prayer, penitential practices, and caring for the sick and aged in Caughnawaga, a Jesuit mission near Montreal, where she escaped. There, she spent the last three years of her life giving herself to prayer, mortification, and works of charity.Moved by God's love for humanity, she saw the dignity in each of her people. She was devoted to the Eucharist and to Jesus Christ crucified. Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” Kateri spent her short life dedicating herself entirely to God through long hours of prayer and practicing severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation.She died at the age of 24. Witnesses reported that within minutes of her death, the scars from smallpox completely vanished, and her face shone with radiant beauty.Devotion to Kateri began immediately after her death, and her body, enshrined in Caughnawaga, near Montreal, in Quebec — where she grew in holiness and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament — is visited by many each year.Additionally, Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine, in Fultonville, NY, the birthplace of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, is a great place to make a pilgrimage. Another shrine to visit is the St. Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site in Fonda, NY.She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• July 14, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,Today, July 11, is the feast of St. Benedict (480-547).Born in Nursia, Italy, amid the ashes of the Roman Empire, and educated in Rome, he lived as a hermit and later organized a form of monastic life in twelve small monasteries. Under his guidance, as abbot, the monks vowed to seek God and devoted themselves to work and prayer. A few years later, St. Benedict left Subiaco to found the abbey of Monte Cassino on the heights of Campania, Italy.As his reputation for holiness, wisdom, and miracles spread, disciples flocked. He organized the monks into a single monastic community and wrote his famous Rule, prescribing common sense, moderate asceticism, prayer, study, work, and community life under one superior. It stressed obedience, stability, and zeal. This rule would affect spiritual and monastic life in the West for centuries to come.Seeking first of all the kingdom of God, Benedict summarized in his Rule (IV, 21) his program of life: Nihil amori Christi praeponere. Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.Pope Benedict XVI called St. Benedict a powerful reminder of the indispensable Christian roots of its culture and civilization.”St. Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica, are buried in Monte Cassino Abbey.We pray today's Rosary holding the Benedict Cross as a Medal.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠July 11, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Cardinal Ouellet explains what “synodality” is and what the risks and opportunities are for a synodal Church. Get Your Copy of His Book “Word, Sacrament, Charism” here: https://ignatius.com/word-sacrament-charism-wscp/?searchid=2543554&search_query=ouellet   Among Catholics, there has been a lot of talk about “synodality” and a “synodal Church” over the past few years. Pope Francis even called a synod on synodality. But what is synodality, and why is it important to the Church? Is it even relevant for Catholics in the pews? Does it undermine the Church's mission or past teachings? Today, Cardinal Ouellet joins Mark Brumley to explain what synodality is, why it is important, and what are its inherent risks and opportunities. We are grateful for the opportunity to speak with his Eminence because he was involved in the most recent synod on synodality as well as the four previous synods. He also worked with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis and served as the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops for ten years. Therefore, today's episode and his recently released book “Word, Sacrament, Charism: The Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church” provide valuable insight into synodality and into the mind of the Church as she chooses to promote greater synodality.   SUBSCRIBE to our channel and never miss an episode of the Ignatius Press Podcast. You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Follow us on social media: Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ignatiuspress Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignatius_press/

SummaryIn this episode, we explore the profound purpose of education, emphasizing the importance of human flourishing, the role of wonder and beauty in learning, and the necessity of fostering imagination in students. We discuss some of the challenges faced by educators today and the need for community among teachers. The conversation highlights the integral connection between joy, wonder, and the holistic development of both students and teachers in the educational journey.Topics Covered:Education and human flourishingThe holistic vision of knowledgeThe poetic mode of learning, which engages the heart and imaginationThe importance of wonder, beauty, and the imagination in education The need for community and friendship among teachers Guests:Since his priestly ordination in 1985, Bishop James D. Conley has served the Catholic Church in a wide variety of ways—as pastor, college campus chaplain, director of Respect Life ministries, theology instructor, Vatican official and bishop. In all of these tasks, he has seen his life as a priest as a call to service and complete surrender to "God's providential hand." For his episcopal motto, Bishop Conley, a convert to the Catholic faith, chose the same motto as the great 19th-century English convert, John Henry Cardinal Newman, "cor ad cor loquitur," which means "heart speaks to heart." On Sept. 14, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Conley as the bishop of the Lincoln Diocese in Nebraska. He was installed as the ninth Bishop of Lincoln on Nov. 20, 2012. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction05:44 The Human Person and Education08:39 The Role of Wonder in Education12:38 Faith and Science: A Harmonious Relationship15:58 The Poetic Imagination and Education27:02 Mental Health and the Modern Generation33:13 Engaging the Senses in Learning34:19 Teacher Burnout and Finding Joy in Teaching38:25 The Role of Humility in Teaching40:36 The Human Element in Education41:04 The Journey of Learning TogetherResources & Links:Bishop Conley's Pastoral Letter on Mental Health (2024): https://www.lincolndiocese.org/afuturewithhopeBishop Conley's Pastoral Letter on Catholic Education (2024): https://www.lincolndiocese.org/joyandwonderClassical Education Master's Program at the University of Dallas: udallas.edu/classical-edSt. Ambrose Center Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators: https://k12classical.udallas.edu/Support the showIf you enjoyed the show, please leave a rating and review — it helps others find us!

In this episode of Thinking Faith, Deacon Eric and Dr. Brett Salkeld welcome Dr. Daniel Kemp for a thoughtful conversation at the crossroads of faith and science. Together, they explore how evolutionary theory can be understood in light of Catholic teaching, drawing on insights from Pope Benedict XVI's In the Beginning and St. John Paul II's reflections on evolution. They also discuss how DNA evidence and the fossil record support evolutionary theory, while addressing the common misunderstandings students often bring to the conversation. More than a science lesson, this episode highlights how intellectual engagement can be a vital form of pastoral care—helping young believers grow in both faith and reason. Discover Dr. Kuebler's newest book, Darwin and Doctrine: The Compatibility of Evolution and Catholicism at Word On Fire: https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/darwin-and-doctrine  Find our faces on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RQ8hALckvs8 

In this episode, Steve Wood explores how an overlooked theologian, Tyconius, radically shaped Christian understanding of the Book of Revelation. Highlighted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, Tyconius' insights influenced St. Augustine's view of the Antichrist, the Church's twofold nature, and the mystery of evil in the end times. Learn why Revelation was written to the Church, how spiritual darkness from Revelation 9 still applies today, and what this means for believers facing both growth and corruption in the Church. For more resources about biblical prophecy and the Catholic faith, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com. 

Friends of the Rosary,In April 2005, Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, warned against the "dictatorship of relativism" in which we live.This week, during the first hearing of President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, Bishop Robert Barron, bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, echoed Pope Benedict XVI's warning, highlighting how "religion is being attacked in our society." “This attack is coming from the culture of self-invention: the complete prioritization given to individual autonomy; that we decide value, that we decide meaning, that we decide purpose."Many members of the commission and guest witnesses expressed similar concerns about the lack of faith and decline in religious liberty in the country through laws and regulations at the federal and state levels of government.This 14-member commission includes two Catholic prelates: Barron and Cardinal Timothy Dolan.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠June 18, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.—Jesuit priest, founder of Ignatius Press, and longtime student and friend of Pope Benedict XVI—to discuss the significance of having the first-ever American Pope and what it means for the Church and for each of us as Catholics.Drawing from decades of experience in theology, publishing, and spiritual mentorship, Fr. Fessio offers a rich and personal perspective on the papacies of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis, and now Pope Leo XIV. With clarity, conviction, and humility, he explores the spiritual opportunity—not just the news headline—of this historic moment.This episode is full of wisdom for anyone who cares about the Church's future, who's navigating questions of unity and tradition, and who seeks to grow in holiness amidst change.Topics Covered:What makes this American Pope unique—and why his missionary background mattersReflections on Pope Leo XIV's Augustinian spirituality and pro-life convictionsHow Fr. Fessio's personal relationship with Pope Benedict shaped his understanding of Church renewalWhy liturgy, beauty, and truth still matter in an age of artificial intelligenceThe lessons American Catholics can learn from the universal ChurchWhy we can find peace—even joy—no matter who the Pope isWhat the enduring legacy of John Paul II and Benedict XVI offers for today's CatholicsThe unexpected grace of failure—and how God builds through itFr. Fessio's encouragement for priests, missionaries, and the lay faithful alike

In this powerful follow-up episode, Steve Wood explores the deep connection between abiding in Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as taught in 1 John. Learn why union with Christ isn't just a theological concept—it's the foundation of lifelong faith, especially for young Catholics preparing for Confirmation. Discover how CCC 1309 highlights the true goal of formation: a transforming relationship with Christ through the Spirit—not religious checklists. With insights from Pope Benedict XVI and practical encouragement for youth leaders and parents, this episode calls for a Spirit-filled renewal in the Church. Download a free companion handout at www.BibleForCatholics.com—available for all listeners for a limited time, and always accessible for our Unplugged donors.

6/4/25 - We'll be recounting the inspiring life of Venerable Father Nelson Baker (1842–1936), a former businessman-turned-priest who became known as the “Padre of the Poor” in Buffalo, New York. Ordained in 1876, Father Baker transformed the struggling parish of St. Joseph's into a thriving “City of Charity” that included an orphanage, a home for unwed mothers, a hospital, a school for boys, and eventually the magnificent Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica, completed in 1925. A pioneer in Catholic charity and devotion to Our Lady of Victory, Father Baker served thousands in need during his lifetime, relying entirely on donations through what he called “The Association of Our Lady of Victory.” His legacy lives on today, and his cause for sainthood continues, with Pope Benedict XVI declaring him Venerable in 2011. To learn more about Father Baker, please consider visiting the stunning Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna, New York. More information at https://www.olvbasilica.org/

I have been anticipating having the opportunity to speak with Carl Amari on an episode of Unstoppable Mindset for several months. Carl and I share a passion for vintage radio programs sometimes called “old time radio shows”. Carl heard his first broadcast in 1975 when he heard Cary Grant staring in a program from the 20-year long series entitled “Suspense”. That program left the air in 1962, but like other shows, some radio stations kept it alive later.   Carl's interest in vintage programs goes far beyond the over 100,000 transcription master's he has amassed. He has also created some programs of his own. For example, in 2002 Carl asked for and received the rights to recreate the television show, “The Twilight Zone” for a radio audience. He used many famous actors while recreating the series. He talks about what he did and how he brought “The Twilight Zone” to life on the radio.   He also has dramatized five versions of the bible. His most well-known work is “The Word Of Promise Bible”. When I first purchased that bible from Audible, I had no idea that Carl was its creator.   Carl Amari is quite a creative guy making movies, collecting and producing radio programs and he even hosts podcasts.   I hope you have as much fun listening to this episode as I did in creating it with Carl. We definitely will have him back as he has many more stories to tell.       About the Guest:   Carl Amari has been licensing classic radio shows from the owners and estates since 1990.  He has amassed a library of 100,000+ master recordings.  Amari broadcasts these golden-age of radio shows on his 5-hour radio series, Hollywood 360, heard on 100+ radio stations coast-to-coast each week.  Amari is also the Host/Producer of The WGN Radio Theatre heard each weekend on legendary Chicago radio station, WGN AM 720. Amari is the founder and curator of The Classic Radio Club.  Each month Amari selects the best-of-the-best from his classic radio library to send to members.   Amari is also a published author.  In 1996, he began writing a series of books about classic radio for The Smithsonian Institute.  More recently, he teamed with fellow classic radio expert, Martin Grams, to co-write the best-selling coffee-table cook “The Top 100 Classic Radio Shows” (available at Amazon).  Each bi-monthly, Amari writes a classic radio-themed column titled “Good Old Days on the Radio” for the nostalgia publication Good Old Days Magazine.   In 2002, Amari licensed the intellectual property, The Twilight Zone, from CBS and The Rod Serling estate to create and produce The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas, which are fully dramatized audio adaptations based on Rod Serling's Emmy-Award winning TV series.  Hosted by prolific actor Stacy Keach, each hour-long radio drama features a Hollywood celebrity in the title role.  The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas has won numerous awards of excellence including The Audie Award, AFTRA's American Scene Award and the XM Nation Award for Best Radio Drama on XM.  The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas are broadcast coast-to-coast each week on nearly 100 radio stations.    In 2007, Amari parlayed his experience and passion for radio theatre and love for the Bible into the creation of the award-winning Word of Promise celebrity-voiced, dramatized audio Bible published by Christian giant Thomas Nelson, Inc.  The New Testament won 2008's highest Evangelical award, The Christian Book of the Year.  The Word of Promise stars Jim Caviezel (“The Passion of the Christ”) reprising his film role as Jesus, with Michael York, Terence Stamp, Lou Gossett, Jr., Marisa Tomei, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ernie Hudson, Kimberly-Williams Paisley and many other celebrities voicing roles of the New Testament.  In 2008, Amari produced The Word of Promise Old Testament featuring more than 400 actors including: Jon Voight, Gary Sinise, Richard Dreyfuss, Max von Sydow, Malcolm McDowell, Joan Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Astin, Marcia Gay Harden and Jesse McCartney. The Old Testament was combined with the New Testament and released as The Word of Promise Complete audio Bible in 2009 and has won numerous awards, including three Audie awards.  The Word of Promise has become the #1 selling audio Bible of all time.  In 2009, Amari produced The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible: New Testament, a Catholic Bible featuring Neal McDonough, John Rhys-Davies, Malcolm McDowell, Kristen Bell, Blair Underwood, Julia Ormond, Brian Cox, Sean Astin and other celebrities.  It was released by Zondervan Corporation, the largest religious publisher in the world.  Amari secured an Imprimatur from The Vatican and a foreword by Pope Benedict XVI for The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible: New Testament, which has become the #1 selling Catholic audio Bible in the world.  In 2016, Amari produced The Breathe Audio Bible for Christian Publisher Tyndale House.  Celebrities voicing roles include Ashley Judd, Josh Lucas, Kevin Sorbo, Hill Harper, John Rhys-Davies and Corbin Bleu.  Amari currently produces a weekly radio series based on this audio Bible called The Breathe Radio Theatre hosted by Kevin Sorbo, heard on Christian radio stations coast-to-coast.    In 2000, Amari produced the feature film Madison starring Jim Caviezel, Bruce Dern, Jake Lloyd, Mary McCormack and John Mellencamp.  In 2001, Madison was invited by Robert Redford to be the opening film at Redford's prestigious Sundance Film Festival.  Madison was later released worldwide by MGM.  Amari also spends his time creating television series for Warner Brothers and Gulfstream Pictures.  Amari's latest film projects include producing, Wireman, starring Scott Eastwood and Andy Garcia, a true-story set in 1978 Chicago and Crossed, a Zombie Post-Apocalyptic story by The Boys creator Garth Ennis.  Both films will be released in 2025.   Amari's company was twice named to the INC. 500 list of fastest growing privately-held companies.  He was selected as one of Chicago's Very Own by Tribune Broadcasting and his business accomplishments have been highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Chicago Tribune, Variety, INC. 500, The Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Post. Ways to connect Carl:   https://www.hollywood360radio.com/   https://classicradioclub.com/   https://ultimateclassicradio.com/   You can also provide my email address: Carl@ClassicRadioClub.com   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hello to you all, wherever you may be, welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Oh, it's always good to have an unstoppable mindset. I am really very joy today. I'm really happy because I get to have an hour to chat with someone who I've admired for a while, although I haven't told him that but he, I first heard him on a show. Well, he did a show called Yeah, on a program called yesterday USA, which is a program that plays old radio shows on now two different networks. They have a red network and a blue network, so they have emulated NBC, and they're on 24 hours a day, doing a lot of old radio stuff. And I've been collecting radio shows for a long time, although our guest, Carl has has done, in a broad sense, a lot more than I have. But anyway, he collects shows. He does a lot with master copies of radio shows, and I don't, don't have that many masters, but he's also done some other things. For example, in 2002 he acquired the rights from CBS and the Rod Serling estate to create Twilight Zone radio, and he is created versions for radio of all of the Twilight Zone broadcasts. The other thing that he did that I didn't realize until I got his bio, is that he created something else that I purchased from Audible, probably in 2008 or 2009 the Word of Promise Bible, where he got a number of entertainers and and special people and Celebrities like Michael York and others to create the Bible, and it's only 98 hours long. So you know, it takes a little while to read, but still, it's worth doing. So I would like to introduce you all to Carl Amari and Carl, welcome to unstoppable mindset. Michael,   Carl Amari ** 03:14 thank you so much for having me. It's a real honor. Thanks so much.   Michael Hingson ** 03:19 Well, the honor is, is mine as well. I really am glad that that you're here and we do get to talk about radio and all sorts of whatever comes along. Well, I want to start this way. Tell me about kind of the early Carl, growing up and all that well for an opening, yeah. Gosh,   Carl Amari ** 03:35 that was a long time ago, but when I was 12 years old in 1975 I heard my first classic radio show. It was an episode of suspense, and it starred Cary Grant in a show called on a country road. Yeah, and I was at a sleepover at my friend's house, and we were kind of rowdy, as as 12 year olds will be. And his father had this show, I think it was on an eight track tape or a cassette tape, and he played it, and it was the first time I ever experienced theater of the mind. And I, you know, grew up watching Batman and the Twilight Zone and Wild Wild West, and I had never had anything, you know, that that really, really just blew me away, like hearing a radio drama where you hear the the actors performing, and you see the, you know, they have the sound effects and the music, and it creates this movie in your mind. And I was at a 12 as 12 years old. I was just completely just, you know, flabbergasted, and I wanted to learn all I could about classic radio and and so I spent, really my entire career, the last 40 plus years, licensing and putting out these radio shows, licensing from. The estates and putting them out on radio and on CD and digital download and so forth.   Michael Hingson ** 05:06 Cool. Yeah, I remember on a country road the first show. Well, I remember a few times my parents were listening to radio in the early 50s, and I think one of the first ones I heard was Dick Tracy, but I don't even remember that, but I think it was 1957 in October or so. I was listening to the radio, and all of a sudden I heard, and one of my maybe it was 58 but anyway, one of my favorite songs at the time was Tom Dooley by the Kingston Trio, and this announcement came up that on suspense this Sunday would be the story of Tom Dooley. And I went, Oh, that's Oh, right, right. Listen to that. And I did, and I was hooked for the very same reasons that you were radio really presents you the opportunity to picture things in in your own mind, in a sense, the way you want. And what they do in the radio production is get actors who can draw you in, but the whole idea is for you to picture it in your own mind. So I did it with Tom Dooley, and I got hooked. And I was listening to suspense and yours truly Johnny dollar ever since that day. And then also Gun Smoke and Have Gun Will Travel came along, and then that was fun.   Carl Amari ** 06:23 Yeah, those were those shows that you just mentioned. They were on still in the 50s. Because when you think of the golden age of radio, it was really the 30, late 30s all the way to the very early 50s, golden age of radio. But there were hangers on. There was Johnny dollar, and, like you said, suspense. And you know, some of these programs that were still on fiber, McGee and Molly, even, you know, Jack Benny, were still on during the 50s. And then, of course, most of the shows made the transition to the visual medium of television. But the eyes, I still say, you know, today, listening to these radio shows is more fun, and I think they're more impactful than the television versions. Oh,   Michael Hingson ** 07:07 I think so by any standard. I think that's true. And gun Well, let's see. Suspense went into, I think 1962 Johnny dollar did, and suspense and Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel. Started on television, actually, but then transitioned to radio. There were a few shows, a few of the plots that actually were on both, yes, but John Danner played Paladin on the radio, and that was fun. And then, of course, Gunsmoke as well. So they, they, they all went into the 60s, which was kind of kind of cool, yeah.   Carl Amari ** 07:43 And usually they had, you know, sometimes they had the same cast, and other times a completely different cast, like with Gunsmoke, you know, William Conrad was Marshall Matt Dillon on on radio. And, of course, people remember him as canon on television, also Nero Wolf on television. But William Conrad, who was probably in more radio shows than anyone I can think of. Yeah, was, was Marshall, Matt Dillon, and then on on television, of course, James Arness, so yeah, and but then, you know, the Jack Benny Program, there was the same cast, you know, the very same people that were on radio, moved to television, same with Red Skelton and many of the shows, but other times, completely different cast.   Michael Hingson ** 08:22 I was watching this morning when I woke up, me too. Let's see, was it me too? Yeah, was me TV? They're great and and they had Jack Benny on at 430 in the morning. I just happened to wake up and I turned it on. There's Benny season five, where he took the beavers to county fair. Of course, the Beavers are fun. And I've actually, I've actually had the opportunity to meet Beverly Washburn, which was, oh, sure,   Carl Amari ** 08:52 sure. Oh man, Jack Benny, probably the high water mark of comedy. You know, when you talk about, you know, a guy that was on, he started in vaudeville, you know, and then he had his own radio show, his own TV show was in movies, and probably the most successful. And when you think about Seinfeld, right, when you think about the series, the television series Seinfeld, there's so many correlations between Seinfeld and the Jack Benny Program, you know Seinfeld. It was, was a comedian, you know Jerry Seinfeld, playing himself. He had this cast of Looney characters all around him. Same thing with the Jack Benny show. It was Jack Benny with a cast of Looney characters. And so it's probably was an homage, you know, to to Jack Benny. And   Michael Hingson ** 09:39 I, I'm, think you're right. I think in a lot of ways, that probably absolutely was the case. And you know, there are so many radio shows that that, in one way or another, have have influenced TV. And I think people don't necessarily recognize that, but it's true, how much, yeah, radio really set the stage for so many things. Yeah, I think the later suspenses, in a sense, were a lot better than some of the earlier ones, because they really were more poignant. Some were more science fiction, but they really were more suspenseful than than some of the early ones, but they were all fun.   Carl Amari ** 10:13 Oh gosh, suspense that's now you're talking about, I think the best series of all time, you know, because it was about almost 1000 episodes. It lasted from 42 to, I believe, 62 or 63 and and it had, for a time, there was a lot of true stories on suspense when Elliot Lewis took over. But yeah, you're right. It had the best actors, the best writers, the best production values. So suspense to this day. You know, I think is, of all the shows was, was one of the best, if not the best.   Michael Hingson ** 10:45 Oh, I agree. I can't argue with that at all. And did so many things. And then for at least a summer, they had hour long suspenses, but mostly it was a half hour or Yes, later was 25 minutes plus a newscast, right,   Carl Amari ** 10:59 right, right? It didn't seem to work in the hour long format. They only did a handful of those, and they went back right back to the half hour once a week, you know. But, yeah, no suspense, one of my favorites for sure.   Michael Hingson ** 11:13 Oh, yeah. Well, and it's hard to argue with that. It's so much fun to do all of these. And you know, on other shows in radio, in a sense, tried to emulate it. I mean, escape did it for seven years, but it still wasn't suspense, right,   Carl Amari ** 11:27 right. Closest thing to suspense was escape, but it was never and I think because you know, as as you know Michael, but maybe some of your listeners don't realize this, these actors, these big actors, Humphrey Bogard and chair, you know, James Stewart and Cary Grant, they were, they were studio, they were under a studio contract. So they weren't like today, where they were freelance. So when, like, let's say, Jimmy Stewart was being paid, I'll just make up a number $5,000 a week to be under contract to make movies when he wasn't making a movie, they wanted to make money on this actor, so they would loan him out to radio. And these actors were on suspense, like on a routine basis, you had movie stars every week appearing on suspense, the biggest movie stars on the planet. So and you would think, well, how could they afford these movie stars? Well, because the studios wanted to make money when their actors weren't working, right?   Michael Hingson ** 12:23 And and did, and people really appreciate it. I mean, Jess Stewart, yeah, even some of the actors from radio, like fiber began, Molly, yeah, on a suspense. And they were, that was a great that was a great show. But, oh yeah,   Carl Amari ** 12:38 back, I think it was back, right? Yeah, yeah, which   Michael Hingson ** 12:41 was really cool. Well, you license a lot of shows from, from people tell me more about that. That must be interesting and fascinating to try to negotiate and actually work out. Well,   Carl Amari ** 12:52 early on, when I was in college, you know, as a communications major, and I learned very early on that these show, a lot of these shows are, copyrighted so and because I was actually sent a cease and desist letter on a college station just playing a show. And so that was, and it was from Mel blanks company, man of 1000 voices. And he his son, Noel, helped me learn, you know, taught me that, hey, you know, these shows are were created by, you know, the the estates, you know, the that were still around Jack Benny and, you know, CBS owns a ton of stuff and different, you know, entities that own these shows and and he helped, and he introduced me to a lot of people, including Jerry Lewis and Milton Burrell and and so I spent My early career in my 20s, flying back and forth to LA and New York and licensing these shows from like Irving Brecher, who created the life of Riley and the Jack Benny estate. And, you know, golden books at the time, owned the Lone Ranger and so licensing that and Warner Brothers, you know, DC for Batman and so, and Superman, I mean, which had Batman on it, but Superman, I licensed those. And, you know, MCA universal for dragnet and the six shooter and so on and on and on and and I spent, as I say, my early career licensing. I now have over 100,000 shows under license, and mostly from Master transcriptions, because I only like to collect from the master source, because we put them out through a club, the classic Radio Club, and I air them on my I have a national radio show called Hollywood 360 we air them every week, five shows every week on the network. There's over 100 stations, including Armed Forces Radio and and so I want the quality to be impeccable. I don't want dubs of dubs or, you know, cracks and pops. And I really want to give people what it sounded like back then when they aired   Michael Hingson ** 14:54 and well. And you you can sort of do that, but the sound is probably even better today. With the audio equipment that people have access to, yeah, the sound is even better than it was. But I hear what you're saying, and it's cool to listen to those, and they're not stereo. Oh, that would be interesting to to try to reprocess and make that happen, but the audio is incredible. Yeah,   Carl Amari ** 15:16 yeah, that's kind of what our, you know, our trademark is, Michael is, you know, if you're listening to Hollywood 360 which, as I say, is on a lot of stations across the country, when you listen to that show, and in every hour, we play a we play a show, you know you're going to get something that sounds just, is like we're talking right now. You know that's that's important to me. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 15:37 well, and I can appreciate that, and it makes perfect sense that it is because we should really preserve the the programs, and we should do what we can to make them sound as good as we can, and we should really get that high quality. And the high quality is there, yes, just not always what people find, and people are willing to, well, accept less than what they should, yeah,   Carl Amari ** 16:01 well, I, you know, I grew up collecting from where I wherever I could. But then, when I started licensing them, I would get the masters from the, you know, whoever owned them. And then I also have about a half a dozen collectors that only collect on 16 inch disc, which is kind of great. And so if I have, let's say, you know, suspense and and I'll, you know, let's say, you know, because we license that from CBS. But if CBS doesn't have a certain show, but a collector on disc has it, I'll get that from the collector and still pay the royalty the CBS because they own it. But I'll get that, that disc from a collector. And, you know, we, and it's a cost of doing business, but we'll get it transferred and and put it out to the public that way.   Michael Hingson ** 16:46 Typically, what are the discs made of? So   Carl Amari ** 16:49 they're, they're like, uh, they're like a shellac. I mean, they're, they're like, a glass. Some of them are actually glass,   Michael Hingson ** 16:55 yeah, you know, some of the Jack Benny shows were glass, yeah,   Carl Amari ** 16:59 and acetate and things like that. And so I there's one gentleman that's in in Redding, California, Doug Hopkinson, who is just an expert on this, and he does most of the transfers. We recently licensed 41 different series from Frederick zivs estate. And you know, we're talking the entire collection of Boston Blackie bold venture with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Philo Vance, with Jackson Beck, Mr. District Attorney, and I was a communist for the FBI. And Doug is actually doing they're all on they're all zivs Personal discs. Frederick Ziv, he had them. There's 10,000 more than 10,000 discs in a controlled warehouse in Cincinnati, and we are slowly but surely working our way through 10,000 shows. And Doug is doing all those transfers. So he's a busy guy. Does he go there to do it? No, we have him sent. So you do cardboard boxes. Yeah, yeah. To California. And then Doug has two, you know, it's special equipment that you have to use. I mean, it's very, very it's not just a turntable, and it's a special equipment. And then, you know, we get the raw file, you know, we get the, he uses the special needles based on that album, you know, or that disc he has, you know, a whole plethora of needles, and then he tests it, whichever gets the best sound out of there. So, yeah, he's really, he's tops at this. And so we're doing those Troy, we just transferred all the, I was a communist for the FBI with Dana Andrews, yeah, and all the Boston blackies, which is one of my favorites   Michael Hingson ** 18:40 and bold venture. And, yeah, I have those, good man, so I know that it's interesting. You mentioned the needles. So for people who don't know, in order to get a program on one disc, the transcriptions were literally 16 inches. I mean, we're all used to LPS or 12 inch disc, but the radio transcriptions were 16 inch discs, right?   Carl Amari ** 19:05 And that held 15 minutes. And now you needed two discs, yeah? So generally, you needed two discs to give you one show, unless it was one on one side and one on the other side. But a lot of times it was, it was, it was two discs for one show, yeah, and then, and then, on the opposite side, you'd have another show. One   Michael Hingson ** 19:24 of the things that I got the opportunity to do was to collect my dad knew somebody when he worked at Edwards Air Force Base that had a number of 16 inch transcriptions, and I had a turntable. Wasn't great, but it served the purpose for a college kid. And one of the things I discovered was that there were a few recordings that, rather than putting the needle on the outside and the record spins and plays in, you actually start from the inside and go out.   Carl Amari ** 19:56 Yes, I've seen that, yeah, and I'm told we're that way. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 20:00 I'm told that they did that because the the audio quality was actually better. Doing it that way, really? Yeah, I didn't know that. I didn't know, but that's what I was told, was that the audio quality was even better. Wow,   Carl Amari ** 20:11 yeah. I mean, it's a skill, you know, because with we really have one shot to get these 10, you know, these, these discs and and and we were getting them from, from literally, Frederick zivs Personal. They were, I told, like the first one off the duplication line. When he would, he would bicycle the discs all around the country. We're not using discs that were ever touched by radio stations. In fact, a lot of them, we have to drill out the holes in the middle because they've closed up a little bit. So these have never been played. They're unplayed. His master discs that are unplayed and and if you have the bold venture, you know what we were able to pull off those masters, it's like high fidelity. Mon Oro,   Michael Hingson ** 20:56 yeah. They're as good as it can get. And they do, they sound really great. Well, even the Boston blackies are good. Yeah,   Carl Amari ** 21:02 oh yeah, yeah. I'm excited about that, because that, that's one of my favorite shows Boston.   Michael Hingson ** 21:07 I like Boston Blackie and yeah, and I like, I was a communist for the FBI, and I haven't gotten those yet, but I'm waiting to get Dana Andrews that whole   Carl Amari ** 21:15 they just shipped. So there you should be getting them, Michael. So thank you for that. They'll   Michael Hingson ** 21:20 be they'll be coming, yes, which is pretty cool, but it is so fun to have the opportunity to listen to all these and I really urge people, the easy way is you can go to places like yesterday usa.net, online and listen to a lot of radio programs, but you can go to Carl's website, or when he can tell us how to do it, and you can actually purchase the opportunity to get copies of some of these shows, and they're absolutely fun and worth doing.   Carl Amari ** 21:54 Yeah, thank you, Michael. We are. We have, you know, our radio show has a website. You can learn about our radio show that's that's easy. It's Hollywood. And then 360 so Hollywood, 360 radio.com, that's like my and you can reach me, but there's ways to contact me through there. And then we, I think I mentioned we offer these through a club, which is pretty cool, because what I do every month is I'll comb the library of we have over 100,000 shows, and I'll take, I'll pick 10 shows every month and put them either on five CDs with a booklet, historical booklet, and it's in a nice case. And you get about every 30 days, CD members get a new 10 C 10 show five CD set in the mail, or you can get those same shows via digital download. So if you don't want the CDs, you just want a link sent to you there, they're done that way too. And that's classic radio club.com and all of the information is there at Classic radio club.com and as I say that that we put out only the best quality there, like, the best quality you could possibly get, which,   Michael Hingson ** 23:04 which is so cool, because I have heard some of those programs as you say that they're dubbed or people, for some reason, have the wrong speed. They're not great quality, right? So frustrating. Yeah, there's no need for any of that. And some people, of course, cut out the commercials, not being visionary enough to understand the value of leaving the commercials in, right? And again, they didn't do a very good job of cutting them out.   Carl Amari ** 23:31 No, we leave everything in. Even, you know, it's so interesting to hear cigarette commercials, or, you know, all you know, vitamin commercials, like, you know, you know, ironized yeast presents, lights out. You know, it's fun. It's fun to hear, you know, these commercials. And sometimes, like on the dragnets, when they're talking about Chesterfield, they're like, oh, doctor recommended, you know, and all this.   Michael Hingson ** 23:55 Well, even better than that, I was just thinking the Fatima cigarettes commercials on dragnet. Yeah, research shows, yeah, I wonder where they got that research,   Carl Amari ** 24:07 yeah. Oh my gosh. They were, they were, it was crazy how they would do that. I mean, they got away with it. They did. They did. They did. And, you know, we, even when we air radio shows, we don't cut the commercials unless it's cigarette commercials, because there's an FCC rule that you can't hear cigarette commercials. But like, you know, when we play Jack Benny and there's and there's, you know, Grape Nuts flakes commercials, we leave it in. We want people to hear the Fun, fun of those commercials and things well,   Michael Hingson ** 24:36 and sometimes, of course, like with great nuts flakes commercials, the commercial is part of the program. Yes, it's integrated. Break away. It's all integrated in which makes it so fun. I didn't know that there was an FCC rule that said you can't air any cigarette commercials even for educational purposes.   Carl Amari ** 24:55 Well, it might be for educational purposes. It may be non commercial, but I know on commercial stage. Stations, I can imagine that. Yeah, yeah. And Hollywood, 360 is commercial, you know, we have sponsors like, you know, we have Prevagen is one of our big sponsors, cats, pride, kitty litter, and, you know, they've been with me forever. And, you know, whatever, the Home Depot, Geico, you know, my pillow, these are some of our sponsors. And, and so we're on commercial stations across the country.   Michael Hingson ** 25:21 Yeah, so it makes sense that that you you do it that way, which, yeah, you know, is understandable. But, boy, some of those commercials are the Chesterfield commercials. Accu Ray on Gunsmoke. Yeah?   Carl Amari ** 25:37 A gimmick to get you to buy their cigarettes.   Michael Hingson ** 25:39 Yeah, I bet there was no accuray machine, but, oh, probably not, probably not. It is so funny. Well, you did the Twilight Zone radio programs. What got you started on doing that?   Carl Amari ** 25:53 Well, you know, growing up, I think I mentioned earlier, it was one of my favorite shows, yeah, always mine too, you know. And just watching that I was so blown away by twilight zone as a kid. So then when I got into the licensing of these classic radio shows, and I I was, I guess I was just always really envious of these producers that got to do these radio shows. And I always thought, man, I was. I was born in the wrong decades. You know, I was, I wish I was around back in the 40s and was able to produce suspense or escape or one of these shows. And I thought the show that would work the best, you know, that was on television, that that would work great in the theater of the mind realm, would be twilight zone, because growing up watching, you know, the makeup wasn't that great and the costumes weren't that great. You could see the zippers on the Martians sometimes. And I thought, you know, the writing was so amazing, right? And the stories were so vivid, and it worked for your theater of the mind that you didn't really need the visual with Twilight Zone, especially if you, you know, you have to write them in a way for radio. There's a special technique for writing for radio, obviously. So I, I reached out to to CBS and the rod Sterling estate, and they thought it was cool. And they said, you know, what do one, we'll let, we'll let, we'll take a listen to one, you know. And they sent me the television script for monsters are due on Maple Street. That was the one they sent me. And at the time, I was trying to get Robert Wagner to be the host. I always liked to take the thief and and, and he thought it was interesting, but he passed on it ultimately. And, and then at the same time, I was working with Stacy Keach, senior, Stacy keach's Dad, who had created Tales from the tales of the Texas range Rangers, right? And, and, and so I was at, actually at Jane Seymour's house, because Jane Seymour was married at that time to Stacy's brother, James Keach, and I got invited to a party there. And I got to meet Stacy Keach and and I heard his voice up close, you know, standing next to him, and I was like, this is the guy I gotta get to be the host. And so I started telling him about what I was doing, and he's like, I'd love to be the host of that. And so that was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Stacy, and he was just incredible on it. And we did one, we did a pilot, monsters are doing Maple Street. And they loved it. And said, go ahead. And that was it. And it was like, in 2002   Michael Hingson ** 28:29 the first one I heard was, if I remember the title, right, a different kind of stopwatch, okay, the one with Blue Diamond Phillips, Blue Diamond Phillips, that was the first one. I think you. You offered that as a, as a sample. Yeah, yes, when I got that was pretty cool. But you   Carl Amari ** 28:43 wouldn't believe Michael, how many whenever I would reach out to an actor like Jason Alexander, I mean, Jay, I remember Jason, when I reached out to him and I said, Hey, I'd like to you to do these. And he was like, Oh, I'd love it. And then he did it, and then he'd call me and say, You got any more of those? Love doing it, you know, because they never get to do this. They, you know, these actors don't get to do radio. And so people like, you know, Lou Diamond Phillips and Luke Perry God rest his soul, and and Michael York and Malcolm McDowell and, you know, Don Johnson and Lou and Luke Luke Gossett Jr, so many of these people that I reached out to, Jane Seymour, another one, they were just they were they couldn't say yes fast enough. They just loved doing radio drama. It was so easy to book these stars. I've   Michael Hingson ** 29:38 been talking with Walden Hughes, who, you know, is the guy who now runs yesterday USA, we've been talking about and we've been doing recreations of a number of shows. The problem is that the people who are involved, oftentimes have never really gone back and listened to the shows they're recreating and their voice. And what they do are so different than the kinds of things that you actually would hear on the shows, they just don't do it very well. And we've actually thought about the idea of trying to get a grant to try to teach people how to be radio actors and really learn to do the kinds of things that would make the shows a lot more meaningful. We'll see what happens. We're really working on it. We're going to be doing some recreations in Washington for enthusiasm. Puget Sound, yes, and one of my favorite radio shows has always been Richard diamond private detective. I thought such a wise guy, and so I am actually going to be Richard diamond in Nice,   Carl Amari ** 30:46 oh my gosh, yeah, wow. Well, you know, there's a real, there's a real special magic to doing these radio shows, as I know, you know, you understand, you know, there's, there's, and that was that really boils down to having great actors and also great writing like so CBS would send us. He would, they would send me the our the Rod Serling scripts, you know, we really, we'd get them, but they, of course, would not work on radio because it was written for a visual medium. So I had, I had a two time sci fi fantasy winning writer Dennis echeson, who is no longer with us, unfortunately, but he, he, he was an expert on Twilight Zone and also how to write for radio. And it's all about that it's taking that he would take the TV scripts and and redo them so that they would work without the visual, and that you start with that. And then you can, you know, then you can create, when you have a grin, you have a great group of actors. And I hired only the best Chicago supporting cast here, you know, the the Goodman theater and, and, you know actors and, and, you know people like that. And then, of course, the star, we'd fly the star in, yeah, and they, they knock out two shows. I bring in lunch in the middle of the day, we'd knock out two shows. And it was a wonderful experience doing like, I don't know, I think I did, oh gosh, close to 200 episodes.   Michael Hingson ** 32:13 Now, were some of the episodes, shows that never were on the the TV series, or they, yeah, when   Carl Amari ** 32:19 we got through the original 156 shows, because that's how many were in the original Rod Serling run. So we did them all. We actually one of them I never released because I wasn't happy with it. I think it was called come wander with me. So that one I never released, we did it. I wasn't happy with it, because it was a musical one, you know, I think it had Bob Crosby on it, or somebody like that, and on the TV show, and so it was a lot of singing, and I just wasn't happy with it. But after that, there was no no more. I could have gone into the later series, but I just, I said to them, can I hire writers to write new ones, you know? And they said, Sure, but we have to approve it and all that. And so a lot of them got approved, and a lot of them didn't. And then we, we, I think we produced maybe close to 4030, or 40 originals,   Michael Hingson ** 33:13 right? Yeah, did you ever meet Rod Serling? No, never   Carl Amari ** 33:18 did. He was gone before I got into this. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 33:22 he came to UC Irvine to lecture once when I was still on campus. I was actually Program Director of the radio station, and so several of us from kuci got to interview him. And one of our, the people who was involved with that, actually had one of the ape costumes from Planet of the Apes. So he came dressed up as one of the Apes. Was Wow, but great. But the thing about rod Sterling his voice is it's hot. How do I describe this? No matter what his voice sounded like on television, it wasn't nearly as deep as his natural voice, and microphones couldn't get the same level with his real voice, and so we interviewed him. His voice was very deep, and then we did then we went out and listened to the lecture at the gym, and he sounded like Rod Serling, but he didn't sound like Rod Serling when we were talking with him, yeah, and when we could hear him with our ears, when it came out on on the show that we did the interview, it again, sounded like Rod Serling, but just the microphone. Couldn't really get the full breath of his voice, which was sure,   Carl Amari ** 34:35 yeah. I mean, what a talent, right? I mean, and then he had that show, Zero Hour, zero hour, right? Yeah, radio. And that was an interesting series, too. He tried to bring back the and he didn't. It was a, I think it was a fine job. You know, good job. Yeah. There were others, you know, CBS Radio, mystery theater, of course, diamond Brown. And there were some other ones. But I. I'm real proud, really, really proud of The Twilight Zone. I think they're, they're, they're, I mean, they're not nothing is as good as the way they did these the shows in the golden age. I mean, I don't think anyone can get to that point, but they're, I think they're pretty close, and I'm very proud of them.   Michael Hingson ** 35:15 Oh, yeah. And, but it still is with the Twilight Zone. It's really hard to compete with that, my favorite Twilight Zone, and for me, it was tough because I never knew the titles of the shows, because they would show you the title, but I could never, never really hear them. But when I started collecting and got access to, like your your radio Twilight zones and so on. I started to learn titles, and so my favorite has always been valley of the shadow. Oh, great one. Yeah. I just always thought that was the best of the it was an hour long instead of a half hour. But I Yeah, on TV. But I always thought that was just so innovative. I   Carl Amari ** 35:57 think Ernie Hudson did that one for me. I'm trying to think, but yeah, there was, we had, we had so many incredible actors on it. I mean, it was, it was a real fun, you know, four or five years that I was doing those, lot of fun doing them. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 36:12 you had several with Stan Freeberg. And, of course, yes, who don't know Stan Freeberg was definitely very much involved in radio, especially in the 50s, late 40s, with, that's rich, but mostly in the 50s, a satirist and incredible humorist and entertainer. But he did several Twilight zones.   Carl Amari ** 36:31 He did, you know, yeah, I was working with him on, you know, I created the show when radio was, which is still out there today, and and when radio was I ever initially had art Fleming as the host, you know, the original host of original Jeopardy guy, yeah. And then when art passed away, I hired Stan Freeberg, and Stan was the host of that show for many years. And then, then, when I started doing Twilight Zone, I said, Hey, would you like to do some of these? And he's like, Yeah, I'd like to do them all, yeah. Let me have all the scripts. But the one that he did that I think, is just off the charts amazing, is called Four o'clock ever, yeah, one, yeah, yeah. That is just the most interesting show, The Twilight Zone episode that we did where he plays this kind of a loony, a loony guy, who is that? What you describe him as, narking on everybody doesn't like anything, like anybody or anything, no, and it's so and he calls people and harasses them and oh my gosh, and he says, I'm gonna shrink everybody to four inches tall at four o'clock. Four o'clock, right? Yeah, and it's just, oh my gosh, what a what a great episode. It's one of my favorites.   Michael Hingson ** 37:48 And of course, if you think about it, listening people out there who got shrunk at four o'clock,   Carl Amari ** 37:56 well, let's not give it away, but yes, I think you can figure it out.   Michael Hingson ** 37:59 I think it's pretty,   Carl Amari ** 37:59 easy to figure out, but, and I actually played, I actually played a role in that episode. I played the bird. I did all the bird sounds on that episode. And so I feel like I had a co starring role, because, yeah, he had a parrot. You know, that was every time you would say something. And I played that, that part on there. But   Michael Hingson ** 38:22 yeah, all the Twilight zones were, were so clever, yeah, and, and I love listening to them. I I have a an mp three player that I carry on airplanes, and I have audio copies of all the Twilight zones. So every so often as I'm flying somewhere or two on and listen there, Michael,   Carl Amari ** 38:43 I'm so glad to hear that. Oh, man, you make me so happy to hear that. So   Michael Hingson ** 38:47 fun. And you know, another one of my favorites was, will the real Martian please stand up now? Yeah, that was cute, and I won't give it. Oh,   Carl Amari ** 38:57 great. So great. Yeah, I sent trying to think who the actor was in that one, but it's been a while, but that's a great one, yeah. And I remember, you know, watching it on TV and and thinking, Oh, this would work on radio. So great, you know, so love doing them. Yeah, I'd love to do more. I might consider coming back and doing more. I mean, originals, you know, might be a lot of fun to do those again, I was   Michael Hingson ** 39:21 going to ask you if you've got any plans for doing anything future. You know, in the future might be interesting, and there's a lot of leeway, of course, to take it in different directions. Do x minus one, but you don't have to do the same stories, even, although, yeah, a lot of good stories in in the original x minus ones on for those who don't know x minus one is a science fiction series. It was on from what 1955 through 1957 I   Carl Amari ** 39:49 believe, yeah, it was a great series. Sci Fi really lends itself really, very well to radio drama. You know, in theater of the mind, it's great because you can, you can go in. Anywhere you land on any planet. And you know, it's very easy to do on radio, where it's tough to do on TV. You know, you have to spend a lot of money to do that. So, I mean, Stan Freeburg proved that with his with his giant ice cream Sunday.   Michael Hingson ** 40:15 All right, go with the marasino Cherry. For those who don't know, is that he said, we're going to empty Lake Michigan now. We're going to fill it up with whipped cream. We're going to drop a maraschino cherry into it and other things. He said, You can't do that on TV.   Carl Amari ** 40:31 Try doing that on television. Yeah, he was something. He was so much fun to wear. Of all the people that I've met over the years, you know so many of these radio stars, and I've interviewed so many hundreds of them, really, over the years, I'd have to say I have a special place in my heart for Stan the most, because I got to work with him for so many years, and we used to just go to lunch together all the time, and and he had a, he had a, he had a, what was it again? Now? Oh, oh, I'm trying to think of the car that he drove, a jaguar. It was a jaguar, and it was a and we used to drive around in his, his big Jaguar all around LA, and just have so much fun together. And I just loved working with Stan. He was such a great man. I   Michael Hingson ** 41:17 never got to meet what would have loved to Yeah, Jack Benny and Jimmy Durante, oh my gosh, yeah. And, of course, Stan Freeberg, but yeah, you know, I wasn't in that circle, so I didn't write that. But what, what wonderful people they were. And, yeah,   Carl Amari ** 41:32 George Burns, George Burns used to, yeah, George used to take me to the Hillcrest Country Club, and we would just have the best time. He just thought it was the most interesting thing that a young guy in his 20s was so passionate about, you know, those days. And he we would just talk for hours. And I used to go to his office in Hollywood and in his and we would just sit and talk. And I have pictures of of those, those times I have them in my office, you know, he and I together. He was like a mentor to me. He and Stan were both mentors.   Michael Hingson ** 42:05 Did you get recordings of many of those conversations? Yes, I do.   Carl Amari ** 42:08 I do have quite a few with with George and Stan. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 42:12 it was great, you know, yes, nothing like talking to God, that's   Carl Amari ** 42:16 right. And he had a coffee cup in his office. It's it was a white coffee cup, and it had God on it, and black to drink out of that coffee cup. And he had, I was to say, when I first, my first time, I went to his office in Hollywood, you know, he was a real long office, narrow with is all paneling, and there was all these beautiful pictures, like photos of all the people he and Gracie had worked with. And then there was this beautiful painting of Gracie above him, you know, where he was sitting at his desk. And I remember walking in. I said, Hi, George, because I had talked to him on the phone a lot of times. And he said, Ah, come on in, you know. And I said, Oh, man, George, these photos are amazing on the walls, looking as I was walking towards his desk. And he says, You like those pictures? I said, Yeah. He goes, everyone in those pictures is dead except for me. I knew him the last about four years of his life. From that, from he was 96 to 100 I knew George, and we'd, we'd go   Michael Hingson ** 43:16 to the Hillcrest together. It was fun. Did you meet or get to know Bob Hope, never   Carl Amari ** 43:21 met Bob Hope No, because he lived, what, two, yeah. He lived 100 Yeah. Never met Bob Hope No.   Michael Hingson ** 43:27 And Irving Berlin got to 100 Yeah, yeah. But so   Carl Amari ** 43:30 many, I mean, Jerry Lewis, and so many others that that, I mean, Jerry was so great. I mean, you know, probably one of the most talented people to ever live, you know, and he could even sing, and he could, he could do it all. I mean, he was something. I mean, I was in such awe of that man. And we, he was very kind to me, licensed me to Martin Lewis and all that. So, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 43:52 we saw one of my favorite musicals. I originally saw it as a movie out here on K Shea was the million dollar movie. It was Damn Yankees,   Carl Amari ** 44:03 damn Yeah, he was on Broadway. Did that on Broadway, and he did it on Broadway,   Michael Hingson ** 44:07 and we read about it. And his father, he had how his father said, You'll really know you've arrived when you get to do something on Broadway. And that was the only thing he ever got to do on Broadway. And we did get to go see it. We saw, Oh, wow, yeah,   Carl Amari ** 44:20 Broadway, amazing, yeah, amazing, yeah, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 44:24 I'm so sad that there was so much acrimony for so many years between him and Dean Martin, yeah, which was really probably brought on more by all the people they worked with that, yes, that cost a whole lot more than them. But yeah, near the end they, they did deal with it a little Yeah?   Carl Amari ** 44:42 They, they got back together a little bit. Yeah, yeah. He was an interesting guy, Boy, I'll tell you. You know, just talking to him, I learned so much, learned so much over the years.   Michael Hingson ** 44:53 Yeah, yeah. It's so much fun to to be able to do that. Well, I really do hope you do get. To do another show, to do something else. And you're right, there's nothing like science fiction in terms of what you can do, and maybe even doing a series, yeah, yeah, as opposed to individual shows. One of my favorite science fiction books by Robert Heinlein is called the Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and I would love to see somebody dramatize that. I think it would take, probably, to do it right? It's going to take about 15 hours to do but, oh, wow. What a great what a great thing. If you've never read it, read the book, it's really, oh, I   Carl Amari ** 45:30 haven't, so I'm not familiar with it, so I'll give it a read. The Moon is a Harsh, missus,   Michael Hingson ** 45:34 yeah, yeah. Pretty clever. A computer helps organize a revolution on the moon, which was being colonized and run from the lunar authority on earth. Here's what gives it away in 2075 subtract 300 years. Yeah, it's all about the same thing, like the revolution here, but a computer, Mycroft wakes up and helps organize the revolution. It's really pretty clever. Oh, wow,   Carl Amari ** 46:04 that would be fun to do in a series. Yeah, it   Michael Hingson ** 46:08 would be worth doing. But, but, yeah, I've always enjoyed the book. Robert Donnelly read it as a talking book for blind people. Oh, okay, okay, yeah. So I actually have it. I'll have it, I'll have to find it. I could actually send you the recording. You could listen to it. Oh, please do. I'd love that. We won't tell the Library of Congress, so we will know much trouble.   Carl Amari ** 46:33 But you know, then I kind of, you know, my other passion is the Bible. Yeah, I was gonna get to that. Tell me, yeah. I was just gonna, you know, and so a lot of these same actors that did, you know, Twilight zones and things for for me, I just, I met, like Jason Alexander and so many of these people, Lou Gossett Jr, when I decided to do the to dramatize the entire Bible on audio. A lot of these same actors and many, many, many more, were really, were really great to be in that too. It was a lot of fun.   Michael Hingson ** 47:06 Yeah, well, very recognizable voices, to a large degree, like Michael York,   Carl Amari ** 47:12 yes, yes, he was the narrator. So he did the most. He worked the longest. What a great man. Just an amazing actor. He was the narrator. And then you know Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in the Passion of the Christ, played Jesus in it, right? And then you know Richard Dreyfus was Moses John Voigt was Abraham. Max von Saito played Noah John Rees Davies was in it. I mean, we had, we had, I mean, Marissa Tomei was Mary Magdalene. I had many, many Academy Award winners in it, and so many people, you know, was in it. That was a four year deal that took me four years to do the full Bible. Yeah, 98 hours on audio, fully scored the whole thing.   Michael Hingson ** 48:01 Well, you had a great publisher put it out. Thomas Nelson, Yes, yep. They also did my first book, Thunder dog. So can't complain about that too much. No,   Carl Amari ** 48:10 they know how to market. It Was it, was it, I think, I think today it's still the number one selling dramatized Audio Bible in the world. I believe, you know, so it's, it's been a big success for Thomas Nelson, yeah, that was, that was, that was quite, I mean, you should have seen what my passport looked like when I did that. I mean, it was stamped for every country all over that I was going and, you know, and having to produce, because a lot of the actors, like, you know, John Reese Davies. He lives in, he lives in the Isle of Man, and, you know, and then, you know, Max von Saito was nice France, and we scored it in Bulgaria. And, I mean, you know, it was just crazy and traveling all over the world to make that audio. But you've done some other Bibles in addition to that. I have, yeah, yeah, I have. I've done, think I did. Now it's like five different ones, because I like doing different translations, you know, because it's different. I mean, even though it's the same story, the translations people people have translations that they love, you know, whether it's the RSV or it's the New Living Translation or the Nkj or, you know, and so I, I've enjoyed doing them in different translations. That's   Michael Hingson ** 49:25 pretty cool. Do you have any, any additional, additional ones coming out?   Carl Amari ** 49:29 No, no, I've done, I've done done, like, five and, and so I'm more doing, you know, more concentrating now on my radio show, Hollywood, 360, and, and some movie production stuff that I've been working on. And then I'm one of the owners of a podcast company. So we're, we're always putting out, you know, different podcasts and things. And so my plate is very full, although I would love, I think I would love to do some. Thing, like, what you're saying, like, either more Twilight zones, or maybe something like that. It might be, you know, I'd love to do something in the theater or the mind, you know, arena again, too, because I love doing that. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 50:11 I think it'd be a lot of fun to do. Tell me about the podcast,   Carl Amari ** 50:15 yeah. So, um, so we have a podcast company called Gulfstream studios, and we have our main, our main podcast is a is, is. So we're, we, we do a show called, well, there's, there's several podcasts that we're doing, but, but it's the spout is the is the one that's a music oriented we have all the biggest music artists on there. It's really great. So spout is the name of that podcast. And then we're working on, we're working on a Bible podcast. We're going to come out with some a Bible podcast pretty soon. I'm real excited about that more soon. Hopefully you'll have me back when we launch that. Well, yeah, and then, you know, we have, we're always looking for any so I'm ready to, I'm ready to take your podcast onto our platform. Whatever you say. Michael, oh, we'll have to,   Michael Hingson ** 51:10 we'll have to look at that and work it out. But in the meanwhile, I said earlier, I'd love to come on any of the podcasts that you want. And if, yeah, have you read thunder dog,   Carl Amari ** 51:19 no, I didn't know. I didn't have not read it. No. So thunderdog   Michael Hingson ** 51:23 was my story of being in the World Trade Center and getting out and so on. But you should read it, because there are also some, some really poignant parts, like, just to briefly tell that part of the story, I'll send you a video where of a speech I've given, but one of the parts of it is that, as I was running away from tower two, as it was collapsing, because we were at Vesey Street and Broadway, so we were like 100 yards away from tower two when it came down, I turned and ran back the way I came. And as I started to run, I started, I said to myself, and I stayed focused pretty much. But I said to myself at that point, God, I can't believe that you got us out of a building just to have it fall on us. Right? I heard a voice as clearly as we are hearing each other now in my head that said, don't worry about what you can't control. Focus on running with Roselle and the rest will take care of itself. Wow. And I had this absolute sense of certainty that if we just continue to work together, we would be fine. We did, and we were but I am very much a a person who believes in the whole concept of God. And for those who who may disagree with me, you're welcome to do that. You'll you'll just have to take that up with God or whatever at some point. But I would love to really explore anytime you you need a guest to come on and be a part of it, and who knows, maybe I'll be good enough to act in a radio show you do.   Carl Amari ** 52:49 I'm sure you would be, sure you would be Michael, but it would be, yeah, but it would   Michael Hingson ** 52:54 be fun to do. But I really enjoy doing all this stuff, and radio, of course, has become such a part of my life for so long, it has helped me become a better speaker. Was I travel and speak all over the world?   Carl Amari ** 53:10 Yeah, wow. Well, I'm a big fan of yours, and, and, but I'd love to read the book, so I'll order it. Can I get it off of Amazon or something like that? You can get   Michael Hingson ** 53:19 it off of Amazon. You can get it from Audible, okay, or wherever. And then I wrote, then we wrote two others. One's called running with Roselle, which was really intended more for kids talking about me growing up, and Roselle my guide dog at the World Trade Center growing up. But more adults buy it than kids. And then last year, we published live like a guide dog. True Stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith, and that one is really about people need to and can learn how to control fear and not let fear overwhelm or, as I put it, blind them. And you can actually learn to use fear as a very powerful tool to help you function, especially in emergencies and unexpected situations. And so live like a guide dog uses lessons I've learned from all of my guide dogs and my wife's service dogs, Fantasia that have taught me so much about learning to control fear. And I realized at the beginning of the pandemic, I've talked about being calm and focused getting out, but I've never taught anyone else how to do it, so live like a guide dog is my solution for that, which is kind of that, that,   Carl Amari ** 54:26 that I'm sure helps a lot of people, you know, that's because fear is, is, it's, it's debilitating, you know? So, yeah, well, that's, but it doesn't need doesn't need to be, that's right, that doesn't need to be, yeah, it's one of the reasons why I wanted to do the Bible stuff, because I learned at a very early age that these theater, these radio shows you under, you listen and you actually interpret them and understand them deeper with the theater of the mind than watching them on television or reading them like, like. I think even reading a book as great as that is, if you heard it dramatized on radio, it's even more powerful. I and so I knew that if I took the Bible, which is the greatest book of all time, and it was dramatized in a way, in a kind of a movie quality way, with sound effects and music and wonderful actors that I thought people would get a deeper meaning of the word. And I think we it. We were successful with that, because so many people have written about it on Amazon and things and saying like I, you know, when I heard the Word of Promise, and when I heard this audio, I had to go and get my Bible and see, does it really say that? You know? So here's people that had read the Bible many, many times, and then they heard the dramatization of it, and were like, wow, I didn't even realize that, you know, that was that happened in the Bible. So it's, it's, it's pretty cool, you know, to read those you know how it's helped people, and it's helped save souls, and it's just been a great you know, it's been a very rewarding experience. Have you   Michael Hingson ** 56:09 ever taken it and divided it up and put it on the radio? Well, that's   Carl Amari ** 56:12 one of the not in the radio, but we're going to do some podcast with, we're going to, we're going to be doing something really, really unique with, with one of my later ones that I did not the Word of Promise, but a different one. And, and it's going to, it's going to be really, really special. I can't wait to talk about it on your show. Looking   Michael Hingson ** 56:30 forward to it, yeah, well, we have had a lot of fun doing this, and I'm going to have to sneak away. So I guess we'll have to stop, darn but we do have to continue this. And, and I'd love to find ways to work together on projects and be a part of your world and love you to be more a part of mine. I'm really glad that we finally had a chance to get together and do all this. It's been a lot of fun. Me   Carl Amari ** 56:53 too, Michael, me too. It's really, I said it was an honor, and it really was an honor. And thank you so much. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 56:59 for all of you listening, we hope you've enjoyed this episode of unstoppable mindset. Love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me at Michael H I M, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I B, e.com, or go to our web page where we host the where we have the podcast, w, w, w, dot Michael hingson.com/podcast, Michael hingson is m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I, N, G, s, O, n.com/podcast, love to get your thoughts wherever you're listening. Please give us a five star rating. We value that very highly. We really appreciate you giving u

This month on Danforth Dialogues, we are honored to welcome Dr. Regina Benjamin, the 18th United States Surgeon General who served during the Obama administration. A trailblazer in public health and health equity, Dr. Benjamin brings decades of experience and national leadership to the conversation. A native of Alabama, Dr. Benjamin began her medical journey at Morehouse School of Medicine as a member of the second entering class when it was a two-year institution. She went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and later received an MBA from Tulane University. Dr. Benjamin opened a solo practice in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, which she later transformed into a nonprofit rural health clinic that has earned national acclaim for its service to underserved communities. Dr. Benjamin’s contributions to the field extend far beyond her clinical work. She has served on the boards of Morehouse School of Medicine, Florida A&M University, and Tulane University. In 1995, she made history as the first African American woman and the youngest person elected to the American Medical Association’s board of trustees. Her many honors include a MacArthur Genius Fellowship, a papal medal from Pope Benedict XVI, and recognition as one of Reader’s Digest’s 100 most trusted people in America. We are especially proud to have Dr. Benjamin as our 2025 commencement speaker. Tune in to this inspiring conversation with Dr. Regina Benjamin as she reflects on her remarkable journey, groundbreaking achievements, and enduring connection to Morehouse School of Medicine. Resources Related To This Episode Visit https://www.msm.edu/ Credits Produced by ChatWithLeadersMedia.com Theme Music Old Fire Music from Pond5.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pope Benedict XVI famously taught, “Mercy is the central nucleus of the Gospel message; it is the very name of God, the Face with which he revealed himself in the Old Covenant and fully in Jesus Christ, the incarnation of creative and redemptive Love.” Marian Press author and international speaker Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle helps us understand how to live a merciful life, guided by the mystical and practical wisdom of St. Faustina Kowalska, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Pope Leo XIV. Are you enjoying this podcast? I invite you to listen to more shows brought to you by the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Join us daily for enriching, spiritual content which will help you on your journey with Jesus Christ. Simply visit DivineMercyPlus.org for a complete list of our shows. That's DivineMercyPlus.org. Please “follow” or “subscribe” to this podcast to receive the latest episodes and updates. If you have been blessed by this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Reviews greatly improve our podcast ranking, and will help spread this podcast to other people throughout the world. Thank you and God bless you! 

The Pope as the leader of the Catholic Church finds it's origins the New Testament when Jesus chose Peter as the first pope. Through history, there have been various ways to choose the pope. A conclave is the current form of electing a new pope where cardinals assemble in the Sistine Chapel and cast their votes.  In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Amy Cardin, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C., are joined by Fr. Conrad Murphy, Chaplain at the University of Maryland Catholic Student Center and host of the Habemus Papam podcast, to discuss the history and role of the pope from St. Peter to Pope Francis. The Papacy, established by Christ when he declared to St. Peter: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The papacy, is the office and jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome and is the head of the Catholic Church. The current pope is Pope Francis who became pope in 2013 and succeeded Pope Benedict XVI. Related Episodes:Laudato Si'Forming LeadersPop Culture and Catholic ExpressionMedia Resources:Listen to Habemus PapamPope Francis PortalPope Benedict XVI PortalCatholic MediaFollow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Welcome to this enlightening episode of Father and Joe, where Joe Rockey and Father Boniface unfold the complexities and significance of a new papal election. With the election of Pope Leo, many Catholics and non-Catholics alike grapple with the question: "What does this new leadership mean for our daily lives?" While changes might seem ceremonial, Father Boniface provides deep insights into how different popes have redefined roles within the Church, highlighting shifts from Pope John Paul II, Benedict XVI, to Francis.We delve into Pope Benedict's contribution, focusing on his theological brilliance and subtle yet profound changes, such as his emphasis on localized beatification and the wealth of academic discourse he left behind. Unlike his predecessor, Pope Francis brought a mission-focused agenda fueled by simplicity and poverty, reshaping annulment processes, Curial structures, and emphasizing the global mission of the Church. Joe and Father Boniface discuss the unforeseen election of an American Pope, reflecting on how a conclave discerningly selects a pontiff to address contemporary ecclesiastical and global challenges, considering factors often veiled in secrecy.Father Boniface further illuminates the balance between doctrine, which remains unchanged, and governance, which can evolve with each papal reign. This episode enriches listeners' understanding of how a Pope not only influences ecclesiastical direction but also impacts billions globally. Whether you are a devout Catholic or a curious observer, this discussion promises to deepen your appreciation of the Papal office's depth and its alignment with the broader mission of the Church. Tune in next week for more reflections on Pope Leo's election and expectations in his papacy.Tags: Papal Transition, Pontiff, Pope Leo, Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, Catholic Doctrine, Church Governance, Vatican, Catholic Church, Papal Influence, Missionary Discipleship, Evangelization, Church Reform, New Evangelization, Church History, Pope John Paul II, Papal Election, Catholic Tradition, Spiritual Leadership, Theological Insights, Papal Teachings, Beatification, Synod, Catholic Audience, Religious Influence, Modern Christianity, Global Catholicism, Church Doctrine, Vatican Council, Church Unity, Catholic Faith, Church and Society, Clergy, Congregation, Catholic Community, Church Practices, Religious Discussions, Theology, Papal CeremoniesHashtags: #PapalTransition, #PopeLeo, #CatholicChurch, #Vatican, #PopeFrancis, #PopeBenedict, #ChurchHistory, #CatholicDoctrine, #MissionaryDiscipleship, #Evangelization, #ChurchReform, #PapalInfluence, #UniversalChurch, #SpiritualLeadership, #PapalTeachings, #CatholicTradition, #TheologyInsights, #ChurchGovernance, #CatholicFaith, #ReligiousInfluence, #Beatification, #Synod, #CatholicCommunity, #VaticanCouncil, #GlobalCatholicism, #ModernChristianity, #ChurchUnity, #CatholicAudience, #SpiritualDirection, #ChurchPractices, #ReligiousDiscussions, #PapalCeremonies, #NewEvangelization, #PapalElection, #ReligiousSignificance, #CatholicPodcast.

In this episode, host Jared Luttjeboer sits down with church historian, Dr. Alan Strange, and OT Professor, Dr. Andrew Compton, to explore the evolution of the papacy throughout church history. While this episode was being recorded (May 8, 2025), the College of Cardinals was meeting in conclave to elect a new Bishop of Rome. In the episode, the professors unpack the historical foundations of papal authority, from its contested early church origins to modern claims of papal supremacy. They examine how the office transformed from a regional bishopric to the powerful position we know today, discuss the theological foundations of the Reformation's challenge to papal authority, and reflect on why some modern Protestants still find themselves drawn to Rome. With historical insight and personal anecdotes—including Dr. Strange's encounter with future Pope Benedict XVI—this episode offers a thoughtful Reformed perspective on one of Christianity's most influential institutions while setting the stage for a future discussion on Pope Francis's controversial legacy.

“If I had a thousand lives to live, I'd want to live every one of them as a priest.” Detroit's new Archbishop Edward Weisenburger visits the podcast studio to share his vocation story with Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee, hosts of the Men of the Hearts podcast. Recording on the historic day of Pope Leo XIV's election, Archbishop Weisenburger reflects on where he was when he heard the news, his past encounters with Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, and his anticipation of receiving the pallium in Rome. He discusses his early call to the priesthood, formative seminary years, ministry across several dioceses, and his advice to young men discerning the priesthood.(0:25) Hosts Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee introduce a very special guest for this episode, Detroit's new Archbishop Edward Weisenburger. As the episode is being recorded on the day of Pope Leo XIV's election, Archbishop Weisenburger begins by recounting where he was when he heard the joyful news of the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church. (6:06) Archbishop Weisenburger looks back on some of the many ways Pope Francis made a difference in his life as a priest and bishop. He describes his ad limina visits to the Vatican as a bishop to meet with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. He then looks ahead to his next trip to Rome this summer, when Pope Leo XIV will present him with his pallium—a blessed, thin white band of woolen fabric worn over his shoulders, a symbol of sheep being laid on the shoulders of the shepherd.(16:02) Archbishop Weisenburger expresses his gratitude for the smooth onboarding process following his arrival in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He also touches on the importance of prayer in the life of a priest. The group briefly revisits where they were when they heard the announcement of Pope Leo XIV: Fr. Drew was driving to Sacred Heart Major Seminary and trying not to crash from excitement; Fr. Craig was crowded around a bakery television with other patrons, and Archbishop Weisenburger was stopped by joyous strangers while walking through the airport. (21:38) The group segues to Archbishop Weisenburger's vocation story, which he calls “boring.” The seed was planted very, very early in his life, as he was always intrigued at Mass. He only attended Catholic school for one year, as a second-grader while his dad served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. However, the family was very involved in parish life. He remembers dressing as an altar server for the first time in third grade: “It just hit me. I felt more right in that moment than anything [else] I had done.” (28:54) Archbishop Weisenburger recalls that his life “kind of exploded” in seminary college. He was interested in tennis and racquetball, loved to read, and made friendships that still stand today. The academics were intense, which prepared him well for his subsequent theology studies at the American College of Louvain, a Roman Catholic seminary in Leuven, Belgium. At his first assignment as a priest, he remembers attending Anointing of the Sick calls late at night with his pastor. (38:59) Archbishop Weisenburger recalls visiting home midway through his studies in Belgium, a point at which he decided to go “full speed ahead” toward the priesthood. The group spends some time discussing his calls to become Bishop of Salina, Bishop of Tucson, and Archbishop of Detroit. Then, revisiting his time as a priest in Oklahoma City, Archbishop Weisenburger recalls ministering to the family of Blessed Stanley Rother.(49:38) Archbishop says he is grateful for the twists and turns of his ministry, recalling a pastor who once told him “anything that can be learned in life can be used by God.” He remembers serving alongside religious sisters from Mexico in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing. (55:24) Fr. Craig asks if Archbishop Weisenburger feels the prayers of so many people in...

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Third Week of Easter Lectionary: 278The Saint of the day is Saint Damien de Veuster of MolokaiSaint Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i's Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen's disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Reflection Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka'i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.” Love the saints? Check out these six titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this episode, host Jared Luttjeboer sits down with church historian, Dr. Alan Strange, and OT Professor, Dr. Andrew Compton, to explore the evolution of the papacy throughout church history. While this episode was being recorded (May 8, 2025), the College of Cardinals was meeting in conclave to elect a new Bishop of Rome. In the episode, the professors unpack the historical foundations of papal authority, from its contested early church origins to modern claims of papal supremacy. They examine how the office transformed from a regional bishopric to the powerful position we know today, discuss the theological foundations of the Reformation's challenge to papal authority, and reflect on why some modern Protestants still find themselves drawn to Rome. With historical insight and personal anecdotes—including Dr. Strange's encounter with future Pope Benedict XVI—this episode offers a thoughtful Reformed perspective on one of Christianity's most influential institutions while setting the stage for a future discussion on Pope Francis's controversial legacy.

Ralph comments on some surprising remarks of Pope Benedict XVI about how it isn't the Holy Spirit that chooses popes but the Cardinals.

Send us a textDoes the Holy Spirit REALLY Pick the Pope?

Pope Francis passed away at the age of eighty-eight on Easter Monday. He was the first pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope to take the name “Francis,” after St. Francis of Assisi. What stood out in his twelve-year pontificate? How does his papacy compare with those of his immediate predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II? What should we continue to champion from Francis' legacy as the Church charts her course into the future? Today we discuss Pope Francis' influence on both the Church and the world. A listener asks how to deal with regret from the past.  00:00 | Introduction 01:21 | Meeting Pope Francis 04:33 | Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI 06:36 | Pope Francis as first Latin-American pope 08:10 | Pope Francis as first Jesuit pope 10:22 | Pope Francis as first to be called “Francis” 11:09 | Master of the beau geste 13:36 | The Church as “field hospital” 15:16 | Resisting a “technocratic mindset” 19:01 | Clarifying the “universal designation of goods” 21:24 | Understanding the “two popes” 26:11 | Concerns about Francis's papacy 29:37 | Pope Francis's perception of the American church 32:25 | Honoring Pope Francis's legacy 33:50 | Listener question: How do I let go of regrets? 35:24 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Pope Francis Resources: https://www.wordonfire.org/pope-francis/ Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/ NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.

In April 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI following the death of Pope John Paul II.The new leader of the Catholic Church was elected after four ballots of the papal conclave. The late Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was one of 115 cardinals who took part.He spoke to Rebecca Kesby in 2013.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Cardinals conduct their final mass before entering into the conclave in 2005. Credit: Getty Images)

The movie Conclave, stocked with A-list Hollywood talent, has attracted much more attention since the death of Pope Francis and the impending Conclave to choose his successor. But how closely does the movie mirror the actual secretive event that has taken place for centuries under the frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel? For veteran Vatican journalist and author John Allen, the only truth that is in the movie is that "Cardinals do vote for the pope." Unlike the election of a new president of the United States which occurs every four years, electing a pope occurs only when the person occupying the throne of St. Peter dies. St. John Paul II was pope 27 years, a very long period of time. Pope Benedict XVI was pope eight years, and Pope Francis, twelve years. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, coming to you from Rome in the shadows St. Peter's Basilica, Allen talks about what the movie got wrong, which is most of it, and some of which was true to form. He also elaborates on some of the top contenders from the College of Cardinals who are papabile, Pope-able. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THE FUNERAL of Pope Francis was today in Rome. The process to select his successor will officially begin in early May—although speculation is already rampant. The book by Tom Horn and Cris Putnam, Petrus Romanus, which features an analysis of the “Prophecy of the Popes” attributed to a 12th-century Irish archbishop, Saint Malachy. The alleged prophecy, which is probably a late 16th-century forgery, foretold 112 popes with the last, Petrus Romanus (Peter the Roman), presiding over many tribulations and the destruction of Rome. However, Pope Francis was 112th on the list, which would seem to debunk the prophecy—although some scholars claim the prophecy is open to the interpretation that additional popes would come between “Glory of the olive” (Pope Benedict XVI) and Peter the Roman, which means this prophecy will never be proven false for some. Also: Klaus Schwab out as CEO of the World Economic Forum; World Health Organization struggles to pay the bills; India and Pakistan on the verge of war; and Trump building new economic bloc. Watch Derek's presentation “The Secret History of Israel” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eovvMP2Q27Q Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Follow us! X (formerly Twitter): @pidradio | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert | @gilberthouse_tvTelegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunkerSubstack: gilberthouse.substack.comYouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelationFacebook.com/pidradio —————— JOIN US AND SPECIAL GUEST CARL TEICHRIB IN ISRAEL! We will tour the Holy Land October 19–30, 2025, with an optional three-day extension in Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Note: Due to scheduling conflicts, we hope to have special guests Dr. Judd Burton, Doug Van Dorn, and Timothy Alberino on our tour in spring 2026. We will announce dates as soon as possible. Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! Our 1,200 square foot pole barn has a new HVAC system, epoxy floor, 100-amp electric service, new windows, insulation, lights, and ceiling fans! If you are so led, you can help out by clicking here: gilberthouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to this podcast, our weekly Bible studies, and our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at pidradio.com/app. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site: gilberthouse.org/video! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store/.

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has died. The Argentinian, the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – to lead the Church, has been the head of the Holy See for 12 years, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI who resigned in 2013. Francis presided over the funeral of his predecessor, who died in 2022 – a first in modern history. But Francis's leadership has been historic for many other reasons. In fact, says Damian Thompson, his reign has been ‘one of the most memorable, if controversial – not just in recent years but in recent centuries'. Liberals lauded his position on a number of social issues, while Conservatives saw the papacy as over-reaching and out of touch with every-day Catholics. But is it really that simple? Catholic priest and theologian Father Alexander Lucie-Smith joins Damian to react to the news of the Pope's death. Fr Alexander says that while Francis ‘defies summary', it is incredible to consider how far the papacy has changed when comparing him to his predecessors, even those of the 20th Century like Pope Pius XII. What will his legacy be? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has died. The Argentinian, the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – to lead the Church, has been the head of the Holy See for 12 years, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI who resigned in 2013. Francis presided over the funeral of his predecessor, who died in 2022 – a first in modern history. But Francis's leadership has been historic for many other reasons. In fact, says Damian Thompson, his reign has been ‘one of the most memorable, if controversial – not just in recent years but in recent centuries'. Liberals lauded his position on a number of social issues, while Conservatives saw the papacy as over-reaching and out of touch with every-day Catholics. But is it really that simple? Catholic priest and theologian Father Alexander Lucie-Smith joins Damian to react to the news of the Pope's death. Fr Alexander says that while Francis ‘defies summary', it is incredible to consider how far the papacy has changed when comparing him to his predecessors, even those of the 20th Century like Pope Pius XII. What will his legacy be? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

“With dignity, but like any Christian, because the bishop of Rome is a pastor and a disciple, not a powerful man of this world.”That’s part of the instructions from Pope Francis to “lighten” the formality of his funeral arrangements. Francis wrote about his wish for a simpler ceremony in his autobiography, published earlier this year. The attitude reflected his wish that the church move closer to regular people and its mission of serving the marginalized, including migrants and the poor. Pope Francis died this morning at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was 88. He was a unique figure in Catholic history. He was the first Latin American pontiff, having been a Cardinal in Argentina. And he was a decided pivot from the previous leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. Where Pope Benedict was a traditionalist prior to stepping down from the position, Pope Francis spent his years pushing for a more inclusive vision of the Catholic Church. He was also the first member of the Jesuit order to be elected to the papacy. Guest: Dr. Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, Vice President for Mission Integration at Seattle University Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does the Cross, a symbol of suffering and death, stand at the center of the Catholic faith? In this episode of Logos Podcast, we explore the power of the Cross through Catholic theology and philosophy. From St. Paul's bold claim that “we preach Christ crucified” to the insights of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Anselm to Pope Benedict XVI, we uncover how the Cross reveals the deepest truths about love, justice, sacrifice, and redemption. Whether you're seeking spiritual insight or philosophical depth, this episode will challenge you to see the Cross not as defeat, but as divine wisdom and ultimate victory.Timecode:0:00 - Life update7:00 - Context of the Cross11:00 - The Foolish King21:40 - Death is Life29:10 - Why the Cross?37:05 - The Pattern of the Cross48:00 - Experiences with The Cross52:00 - The Tree of LifeSupport the show

He has an amazing story of surviving a life-threatening accident a few years ago. He was on the track team in high school and surfed regularly too. For decades he has been an avid motorcyclist, both dirt and touring. He has also been active in martial arts and was a regular participant in sailboat racing. Although he also swims and plays tennis and pickle ball, he perhaps excelled the most as an equestrian competitor as a rider for decades, having won numerous local, regional, state, national, and international championships. He authored a book that came out last year, called, "The Horseman's Tale.” His service to our country is seen in him being a combat-wounded Vietnam veteran and the recipient of two Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism in aerial combat, along with the Purple Heart. On the faith side, he was knighted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 for his humanitarian service.

Send us a textTo learn more, please visit Father Harmon's site.Show notes:1:15 Harmon's background and work as priest since 20082:10 teaching fine arts and being a pastoral resource at Loyola University3:00 his work in the arts8:20 history of art in Jesuit community 12:00 Daniel Segers, Jesuit Priest and artist 12:30  Harmon's process as a painter in light of being a ‘work of service'16:00 Harmon's painting from pilgrimage through Spain17:30 students' responses19:15 his attendance at New York Academy of Art  23:30 Jerry Alonzo: how to communicate through your art26:45 Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate 28:20 definition of ‘sacred art'30:30 seeking social justice through art32:00 his work in Brownsville, TX connected to his art33:00 his series of Catholic objects35:30 his balance of time37:25 Alan Robertshaw's comments about all art being sacred42:10 Tolkien and Flannery O'Connor on religious imagination44:00 incorporating Catholic objects into his work46:50 Emily Gould - spiritual impact of artwork/architecture/nature49:15 Jarnick Vitters - importance of the physical objects to Harmon's faith51:00 Alan Robertshaw - subjective importance of objects53:30 Yelena Khajekian - art as a sacred endeavor54:40 Nnebundo Obi - interest in hearing about priest's pursuit of other vocations Please share your comments and/or questions at stephanie@warfareofartandlaw.comMusic by Toulme.To hear more episodes, please visit Warfare of Art and Law podcast's website.To leave questions or comments about this or other episodes of the podcast and/or for information about joining the 2ND Saturday discussion on art, culture and justice, please message me at stephanie@warfareofartandlaw.com. Thanks so much for listening!© Stephanie Drawdy [2025]

Father Dave answers a question from a listener named Steven about how the Church elects a new pope. Steven asks, “I'm praying for Pope Francis' health every day, but if he passes away, what are the next steps for electing a new pope?”

'I' didn't bring you here to leave you.Do you trust that?Do you trust Me?Then show me. Relax enough to feel Me. That Feeling IS My Name. Call It."Become conscious of Being Conscious. Eventually, the false 'I' will vanish, leaving only the unbroken awareness of the real, immanent 'I', Self-Consciousness Itself." - Ramana Maharshi******I call It Jesus. I call It Christ. I call It Love, still. Only Love is here.But when I say, 'Only Jesus is here',there is a dimension of feeling that has yet to be experienced. It feels more personal.It makes me take things less personally.It makes me more humble.I live in a posture of bowing,of worshiping everything,of seeing Him everywhere. Which is why one prayer is not better than another one.One religion is not better than another.Love is Love,and it does not belong to any one religion.This body goes into a Catholic church daily and serves as often as possible.It receives the Eucharist as often as possible.But the Spirit,this Awareness, that's Here, the church is in It,the temples,the ashrams are all in Here.I can't fit in them.Nikki goes to them.She likes to visit them,but I can't fit in any box.I Am That, and You are That.And every time you remember that,"All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, is with you." - 2 Corinthians 13-14I Love you, nik p.s. CHANGE IS HERE.nikki@curlynikki.comPlease support the show: ▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings▶▶ Cash App $NikWalton __________________________________________Day 3- Surrender Novena How many things I do when the soul, in so much spiritual and material need, turns to me, looks at me and says to me; "You take care of it", then closes its eyes and rests. In pain you pray for me to act, but that I act in the way you want. You do not turn to me, instead, you want me to adapt your ideas. You are not sick people who ask the doctor to cure you, but rather sick people who tell the doctor how to. So do not act this way, but pray as I taught you in the our Father: "Hallowed be thy Name", that is, be glorified in my need. "Thy kingdom come", that is, let all that is in us and in the world be in accord with your kingdom. "Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven", that is, in our need, decide as you see fit for our temporal and eternal life. If you say to me truly: "Thy will be done", which is the same as saying: "You take care of it", I will intervene with all my omnipotence, and I will resolve the most difficult situations. O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)Mother, I am yours now and forever. Through you and with you I always want to belong completely to Jesus. Amen_______________________________"Once (people] let go of the reins and just kind of put their trust in the divine, in God - He will basically change your entire life the way He did mine." Jonathan Roumie"There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humility we will do what we can, and in all humility we will entrust the rest to the Lord. It is God who governs the world, not we. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: "The love of Christ urges us on" (2 Cor 5:14). - Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love: Deus Caritas Est"The Light you give off did not come from a pelvis. Your features did not begin in semen. Don't try to hide inside anger, radiance that cannot be hidden." - Rumi "People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God; It was never between you and them anyway." -Inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta'Prayer is the natural outgushing of a soul in communion with Jesus. Just as the leaf and the fruit will come out of the vine-branch without any conscious effort on the part of the branch, but simply because of its living union with the stem, so prayer buds, and blossoms, and fruits out of souls abiding in Jesus' -Charles Spurgeon

Patrick begins by addressing an email inquiry about the significance of having holy water at home, emphasizing its spiritual benefits and symbolic power against evil. Annie seeks advice on whether to support Target during a boycott related to changes in their DEI policies, while Trish inquires about the meaning of a particular Luminous mystery in the Rosary. Young caller Isaac poses earnest questions about self-defense, the timeline of dinosaurs in relation to biblical stories, and ancient civilizations. Patrick provides thoughtful and faith-based insights, making complex topics accessible and relevant. With a blend of scripture and modern-day applications, this hour fosters a deeper understanding of Catholic beliefs and practices. Trisha (email) – Should we have Holy Water at home? (00:41) Annie - Is it a good idea to shop at Target since the LGBT community is having a 40-day protest against Target? (04:15) Trish - What does the 3rd Luminous Mystery of the Rosary mean? (08:36) Isaac (11-years-old) - Is killing in self-defense a sin? When did dinosaurs show up in Bible. When did people start believing in other gods? (12:22) Ann - I sent my brother “Surprised by Truth” to get him back in the faith. How should I respond if he finds out it was me? (22:46) Bernard (email) - Numerous parishes offer Friday Fish Fry at the buffet level, which makes me think, “shouldn’t we fast today?” (28:05) Nathan - I have a protestant girlfriend and want to understand her perspective better. What can I do? (29:49) Mark - Can you explain Pope Benedict XVI’s interpretation of God’s love for us? (38:11) John - What is the proper way to have a funeral? My stepson is not Catholic and committed suicide. The Family wants to bury his ashes with our mother who was buried in a Catholic cemetery. (44:31)

Just over 12 years ago, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected Pope Francis in the conclave of 2013. And Tiffany was in St. Peter's Square when it happened. She saw the white smoke pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, she heard those famous words "Habemus Papam!" and she, along with the other thousands of people that had by that time gathered in St. Peter's Square that rainy March night, was among the first to see the newly elected Pope in person.   With Pope Francis seriously ill, and many believing his papacy will soon come to an end, Tiffany and Katy talk about his 12 years (so far) as Pope, what it was like to see him elected, see him up close when he baptized Aurelio, and what will happen when he eventually passes.   We also delve into all things pope, including the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and what to see in Rome instead if you happen to be here when the Sistine Chapel is closed for the conclave.   The mega-blog posts that Tiffany mentions having written during the lead-up to the conclave of Pope Francis can be found here:   Meet the Papabili: A Handy Guide to the Popefuls of Conclave 2013 How the Conclave Works: All the Rules and Rituals of the Papal Election A Short History of Conclave Find out more about the convent of Santa Francesca Romana here. ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here. ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!  

Richard G. DeClue, Jr., S.Th.D. is the Professor of Theology at the Word on Fire Institute. In addition to his undergraduate degree in theology (Belmont Abbey College), he earned three ecclesiastical degrees in theology at the Catholic University of America. He specializes in systematic theology with a particular interest and expertise in the thought of Joseph Ratzinger / Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. His STL thesis treated Ratzinger's Eucharistic ecclesiology in comparison to the Eastern Orthodox theologian John Zizioulas. His doctoral dissertation expounded and evaluated Ratzinger's theology of divine revelation. Dr. DeClue has published articles in peer-reviewed journals on Ratzinger's theology, and he taught a college course on the thought of Pope Benedict XVI. He is also interested in the ecclesiology of Henri de Lubac, the debate over nature and grace, and developing a rapprochement between Communio (ressourcement) theology and Thomism. The Mind of Benedict XVI by Dr. Richard DeClue: https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/the-mind-of-benedict-xvi

In this episode, we talk about how we can receive graces by making a spiritual pilgrimage to Nazareth. We reflect on the Holy Family, how they teach us to love well, and how they show us how to build a family that heals and transforms its members. We also discuss the sanctification of the ordinary, how life is found in doing our daily duty well, and how to dialogue with others. Nazareth is a place of love, and we invite you to use your imagination and make the journey with us.    Heather's One Thing - Discovering your God-given Identity Course  Heather's Other One Thing - Memorize Scripture by Jackie Angel Sister Miriam's One Thing - Last Paragraph of Pope Benedict XVI's Inaugural Homily Michelle's One Thing - Everyone who experienced the loss of home from a natural disaster. We are praying for you.   Other Resources Mentioned:  For any alumni of the JPII Healing Center's Holy Desire retreat, Jake Khym is offering a free online course “The Freedom Series: Journeying with Holy Desire”   Announcement: Join us for our Lenten Study beginning March 5th, 2025 as we journey through “Jesus and the Jubilee: The Biblical Roots of the Year of God's Favor“ by Dr. John Bergsma. We look forward to sitting at the feet of a leading scholar as we unpack what the Lord has in store for us in the year of Jubilee. Order your copy at the St. Paul Center with promo code “ABIDE15” for 15% off. Amazon has very limited copies, so we recommend you order from St. Paul Center to ensure you receive your copy before Lent begins!   Journal Questions: Have I ever prayed about life in Nazareth? How can I experience Nazareth in an ordinary way? Where do I need to be transformed in family life? Spend time this week meditating on life in Nazareth. How did I encounter the Holy Family in my meditation? When are the times that I want to rebuke and accuse others? Do I want holiness and transformation more than being right?   Discussion Questions: What renewal and transformation do you need to experience in Nazareth? How do you see ordinary life as the path to sanctification? How do you see ordinary life as an obstacle to sanctification? Where are you in bondage within family life? How can you allow an encounter of Nazareth to set you free from that bondage?   Quote to Ponder: “Pilgrimages are a call to return to the roots of our faith. Nazareth, where Jesus lived His hidden life, is a place that invites us to reflect on our own journey. It is not only a place of memory but also a place of renewal and transformation.” (Pope Francis, Homily, Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation, 2014)   Scripture for Lectio: “And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23)   Sponsor - CMF CURO: Embrace the Wholeness God Desires for You Are you looking for a community of Catholics that is open to Christ's healing love, prays together and is striving for excellence in spirit, mind and body? We know it can be hard to find that. That's why CURO offers its Belong, Thrive and Share communities.   As a listener of Abiding Together, we're excited to offer you a free session of Catholic spiritual direction or personalized wellness coaching.  We're confident that you'll love your time with our trained and experienced coaches and spiritual directors. Our members can't stop saying how grateful they are to grow closer to Christ, form new habits and progress in virtue.  If online is your thing, then check out the Belong wellness portal with a free 30-Day trial. It's designed to help you learn your strengths, discover areas to grow in, and lets you sync with your smart device to seamlessly track your progress towards your goals.  To sign up or learn more just visit: cmfcuro.com/abiding.    Timestamps: 00:00 - CMF CURO 01:37 - Intro 02:30 - Welcome 04:30 - Rest in Nazareth 06:45 - How Do We Go to Nazareth? 11:57 - Spiritual Pilgrimage of Hope 13:31 - The Sanctification of Ordinary Life 15:34 - We Find a Love that Heals 18:00 - A Place to Dialogue 20:39 - Bringing Our Littleness to Nazareth 24:07 - An Encouragement to Try 24:37 - A Place of Astonishment and Wonder 28:50 - One Things