Ave Maria in the Afternoon Segments

Pope Leo’s official papal mosaic is complete and will soon be installed at St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica in Rome, where the mosaics of every other pontiff are displayed. Art historian and expert Liz Lev joins us to talk about the history and symbolism behind these mosaics.Further ReadingMosaic bearing Pope Leo XIV’s portrait readied for St. Paul Outside the WallsBook: The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in ArtBook: How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation ArtLiz’s websiteGuest InfoElizabeth Lev is an art historian, bestselling author, international speaker and certified sommelier. She teaches Baroque, Renaissance and Christian Art at Duquesne University; in Rome. She is the author of How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art and The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is asked why His disciples do not fast, while the followers of John and the Pharisees do. Jesus’ answer is key to understanding the covenantal relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

A group of anti-ICE agitators stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota yesterday during Sunday services. We look at the story with Doug Keck.Guest InfoDoug Keck is the host of EWTN Bookmark. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

What is the relationship between God and Government? What did the founders intend, and has their vision been lost? Miles Smith joins us.Further ReadingReligion and Republic: Christian America from the Founding to the Civil WarGuest InfoMiles Smith is the author of Religion and Republic: Christian America from the Founding to the Civil War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

We often hear that Thomas Jefferson got his anthropology wrong, a fact best seen in his dismissal of original sin’s effects and his apparent trust in “the people.” But a closer examination of his thought reveals his key understanding of the principal of subsidiarity. For Jefferson, man was a free but social and moral creature, and this had important implications for how he viewed the role of the State in human affairs. John Pinheiro joins us with more.Further ReadingThomas Jefferson and the Virtue of Limited GovernmentGuest InfoJohn C. Pinheiro is director of research for the Acton Institute and author of The American Experiment in Ordered Liberty and Missionaries of Republicanism: A Religious History of the Mexican-American War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 has a significant place in the American moral and legal imagination. It addressed grave injustices that had disfigured our nation’s legal and civic life for generations. At the same time though, history has called us to some level of discernment on the unintended consequences of the Act. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Holy See is expected to announce in coming weeks a date for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the Emmy-winning American prelate known for catechetical television programs in the 1950s and 1960s. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news.Further Reading‘Back on the air’ - Fulton Sheen beatification to be announcedFive takeaways from Pope Leo’s first ‘state of the world’ addressPope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee YearDozens of Charlotte priests query Vatican over bishop’s move to abolish altar rails, kneelersGuest InfoMatthew Bunson is Vice President and Editorial Director of EWTN News and a Senior Fellow at St Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He’s the author or co-author of more than 50 books including the first English-language biography of Pope Francis and The Encyclopedia of Catholic History. Follow him on twitter at MattBunson. Register Radio airs Saturdays at 4 pm and Sundays at 11 am on Ave Maria Radio This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

This Sunday’s Gospel gives us a view of the events immediately after Jesus’ baptism, from the perspective of John the Baptist. Rob Corzine joins us to unpack the readings.Guest InfoRob Corzine is vice-president of programs for the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

CS Lewis is so beloved for his writings on faith and spirituality, as well as the Narnia books, that his adult fiction is sometimes overlooked. In the first book of his Space Trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, three men go to Mars and their subsequent adventures show Lewis’ viewpoint on the difference between authentic science and the pride of scientism. Joseph Pearce has more.Further ReadingC.S. Lewis Goes to MarsJoseph’s website Guest InfoJoseph Pearce is the author of numerous literary works including Literary Converts, The Quest for Shakespeare and Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know. He’s Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative, St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College in Merrimack, NH, editor of the St. Austin Review, and series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions. Visit his website at jpearce.co. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Every year, the publishers of major dictionaries declare a “word of the year.” The words of the year for 2025 include “rage bait,” “slop” and “6-7” and reflect a lot about our internet-driven society. We talk more about it with Bill Schmitt.Further ReadingWords of the Year: Defining Our Loss of DefinitudeGuest InfoBill Schmitt is a Catholic journalist, blogging for Father Robert Spitzer’s Magis Center for Reason and Faith, and reporting for diocesan newspapers in New York State. He holds a BA from Fordham University and an MPA from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, plus a certificate in theological studies from Georgetown. He served on the communications staff at the University of Notre Dame for 15 years. Since 2022, he has published commentaries called “Phronesis in Pieces” on Substack.com, analyzing subjects at the intersection of faith, public affairs, culture, and news media. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Iranian government is brutally cracking down on protestors, and some critics say this is proof that religion should be kept out of politics. But every political order rests on religion - even when the altar has been replaced with things like screens or personal ideology or power. So the real question concerns not whether religion needs to be part of government, but which religion. Which god shapes the public conscience? Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

On this day in 1535, Henry VIII officially declared himself Head of the Church of England. The English Reformation was devastating to both English Reason and English art. We talk about it with Henry Russell.Guest InfoDr. Russell’s works include The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series. He was the Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrand’s groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Last week, the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis ignited the predictable firestorm of tribal reactions, political posturing, and social media fury. How do we respond with virtue, wisdom, and the love of Christ rather than joining the chorus of knee-jerk outrage? Marcus discusses. Further ReadingRenee Good, ICE, and the Demand of Christian Virtue This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Protests continue across Iran, though they have been largely smothered today thanks to the regime cracking down on internet access in the country. During the protests, at least 34 mosques have been set on fire in Tehran. Why is this happening in a country where a reported 98% of the population is Muslim? The answer is complicated – Alberto Fernandez joins us.Further ReadingWhy Are Mosques Burning in Tehran?Guest InfoAmbassador Alberto M. Fernandez is vice-president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and a Contributor to EWTN News and the National Catholic Register. He served as the U.S. State Department’s coordinator for the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications from 2012 to 2015, retiring from the State Department in May 2015. Follow him on X at @AlbertoMiguelF5. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Catholic Church teaches that the grounds for our justification is our interior state of holiness, which God brings about within us when we are initially saved. For a Catholic, God reckons a believer to be justified because he has freely and gratuitously brought about interior state of righteousness in the believer. This stands in contrast to the Reformed tradition of Protestantism, which denies that our interior state of holiness is the ground of justification. We take a closer look with Karlo Broussard.Further ReadingYou’re Not Ungodly AnymoreKarlo’s website Karlo’s YouTube ChannelBook: Salvation Is From the Catholic ChurchBook: Meeting The Protestant ChallengeBook: Meeting The Protestant ResponseGuest InfoKarlo Broussard, DPhil., a native of Southern Louisiana, left a promising musical career to devote himself full-time to the work of Catholic apologetics. As a staff apologist and speaker for Catholic Answers, and a member of the chancery evangelization team at the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, he travels the country and the diocese giving talks on apologetics, biblical studies, theology, and philosophy. Karlo is a regular guest on Catholic Answers Live and frequent contributor to Catholic Answers Magazine Online. He is an adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville as well as an adjunct Professor of Apologetics at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

On January 15, 1535, Henry VIII proclaimed that he was now Supreme Head of the Church of England. We look at the historical context of this breakage with Joanna Bogle.Guest InfoJoanna Bogle is a journalist in the United Kingdom. Her book Newman’s London is published by Gracewing Books. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has restored Title X funding to Planned Parenthood, the latest disappointment by a president once dubbed the most pro-life in history. Is Trump-Vance administration the most anti-life GOP administration in history? Marcus discusses. Further Reading:Trump administration restores Title X funding to Planned ParenthoodTrump-Vance is the most anti-life Republican administration in history This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Holy Family serves as the pattern and model for marriage and family, demonstrating what these are, as well as the correct understanding of masculinity and fatherhood, femininity and motherhood, babies and children. In an age of such moral confusion, it’s time to consecrate yourself and your family to the Holy Family! Fr. Donald Calloway joins us.Further ReadingBook: 33 Days to the Holy FamilyFr. Calloway’s websiteGuest InfoFather Donald Calloway, MIC, a convert to Catholicism, is a member of the Congregation of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He is the author of many books, most recently 33 Days to the Holy Family: Consecration to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments this week in two key cases that will determine whether states can preserve girls’ sports teams. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer joins us with more.Further ReadingSupreme Court Tackles Identity Politics in SportsFolow Andrea on TwitterGuest InfoAndrea Picciotti-Bayer is a legal analyst for EWTN News. She also directs the Conscience Project. Follow her on Twitter @bayerpicciotti and visit conscience-project.org. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

President Trump recently said Republicans need to be “flexible” on taxpayer-funded abortions. Bishop Daniel Thomas joins us to respond and discuss the importance of the Hyde Amendment.Further ReadingBishop Thomas Affirms Hyde Amendment Amid Congressional Health Care DiscussionsGuest InfoBishop Daniel Thomas has served as bishop of the Diocese of Toledo since 2014. He is the chairman of the Pro-Life Activities Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Magi, or Three Kings, of the Nativity story are among the best loved yet most mysterious figures in all history. The fleeting and sparse account in St. Matthew’s Gospel raises as many questions as it answers. Roger Thomas has drawn from Scripture, history and modern research to bring their journey to life. He joins us.Further ReadingBook: From AfarBook: The Kidnapped PrinceGuest InfoRoger Thomas is the Catholic author of several books. He and his wife Ellen live in Michigan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The family of a Canadian woman who chose assisted suicide has filed a lawsuit to compel Catholic hospitals to permit euthanasia on their premises. Wes Smith joins us with the story.Further ReadingLawsuit in Canada to Force Catholic Hospitals to Permit EuthanasiaCatholic Hospital Can Be Sued for Refusing Transgender HysterectomyFollow Wes on XGuest InfoWes Smith is the Chair and Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism. He’s also the host of the Humanize Podcast. He’s the author of 13 books including “Culture of Death: The age of Do-Harm Medicine.” Follow him on Twitter @thewesleyjsmith and check out his articles at National Review, First Things and more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Human Rights advocates estimate more than 2000 people have died in Iranian protests, and the government has threatened to begin executing political prisoners any day. This afternoon, Iranian state TV broadcasted a picture of Donald Trump after his near assassination in Butler, along with the caption “this time it will not miss the target.” Though it seems incredible to our society, the crackdown by the Iranian government is faithful to the Quran. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The Church’s devotion for the month of January is the Holy Name of Jesus. In Biblical times, names had meanings and carried great significance. We discuss the meaning of Jesus’ Holy Name with Steve Ray.Guest InfoSteve Ray leads pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Rome and other sites. He converted to Catholicism in 1994 and is the author of “Crossing the Tiber,” “Upon this Rock” and other books, including a brand-new study on the Book of Genesis. He’s the host and producer of the Footprints of God DVD series and has been to the Holy Land more than 200 times. He also writes bible studies for Catholic Scripture Study International Visit catholic-convert.com and footprintsofgodpilgrimages.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams died this morning following a battle with prostate cancer. As we discussed yesterday, he had announced he planned to convert to Christianity because he had “nothing to lose.” In an open letter shared after his death, Adams wrote that he does not believe in God, but still accepts Jesus as his savior. What does this all mean? Marcus discusses. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Each Gospel reveals unique truths about who Jesus is. For Matthew, Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us always, who saves us from sin. In doing so, Matthew gives us a way of reading the Scriptures according to both the letter and the spirit. Leroy Huizenga joins us with more.Further ReadingBook: Behold the Christ: Proclaiming the Gospel of MatthewGuest InfoDr. Leroy Huizenga has a B.A. in Religion from Jamestown College (N.D.), a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Duke University. After teaching at Wheaton College (Ill.) for five years, Dr. Huizenga was reconciled with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil of 2011. Dr. Huizenga is the author of The New Isaac: Tradition and Intertextuality in the Gospel of Matthew (Brill, 2012), Loosing the Lion: Proclaiming the Gospel of Mark (Emmaus Road, 2017), and Gospel of Matthew, Behold the Christ: Proclaiming the Gospel of Matthew (Emmaus Road, 2019), as well as co-editor of Reading the Bible Intertextually (Baylor, 2009). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

God has a vision — not just for creation in general, but for every person, every parish, and every corner of the world He loves. That’s the theme of Acts XXIX’s Jesus Conference, coming up in October. Albert Faraj has the details.Use Code EarlyBird25 at registration Click here to learn moreGuest InfoAlbert Faraj serves on the missionary and leadership team for Acts XXIX. Visit Actsxxix.org This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Ambition has always been a double-edged force in the history of civilization. It builds cities, constitutions, founds universities, organizes whole economies. At the same time though, ambition unmoored from moral hierarchy can corrode one’s character. It can fracture households, it can leave a trail of brilliance that’s shadowed by regret. Few lives in the American founding display that particular tension with greater clarity than that of Alexander Hamilton. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls on a group of fishermen to lay down their nets and follow Him – and they will become Fishers of Men. Marcus discusses the reading with Billy Kangas.Guest InfoBilly Kangas is the Vice-President of Missions for Ave Maria Radio. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The seventh and eight chapters of John’s Gospel recount the meeting between Jesus and a woman caught in adultery, when he tells the crowds that whoever among them is without sin should cast the first stone. The passage is sometimes called a “floating passage,” as some scholars dispute whether it was originally part of the Gospel. Marcus looks at the controversy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Michael Reagan, the adopted son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and a longtime conservative activist who spoke publicly about his Catholic faith, died on Jan. 4 at 80 years old. We discuss his life and faith with Paul Kengor.Further ReadingMike Reagan, Twice Adopted, Rest in PeaceMichael Reagan, Catholic son of U.S. President Ronald Reagan, dies at 80When Ronald Reagan’s Catholic Son Michael Revealed His Mother Was a Third Order DominicanBook: A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th CenturyGuest InfoPaul Kengor is Editor of The American Spectator.Dr. Kengor is also a professor of political science at Grove City College, a senior academic fellow at the Center for Vision & Values, and the author of over a dozen books, including A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Communism, and Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Scott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert, recently announced he plans to convert to Christianity as he faces terminal prostate cancer. He has previously described himself as Agnostic, but says many of his Christian friends have reached out to him since his diagnosis last spring. Adams says he plans to convert because if he’s wrong, he loses nothing, but if he’s right, he “wakes up in heaven,” a classic example of Pascal’s Wager. We talk more about it with Doug Keck.Further Reading‘Dilbert’ Cartoonist Scott Adams Takes Pascal’s Wager, Vows to Become ChristianGuest InfoDoug Keck is the retired president and COO of EWTN and the host of EWTN Bookmark This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

What’s the right thing to say when someone is dying? How can we help a person at their hour of death? Fernanda Moreira’s Apostolate for the Dying helps bring souls to God’s infinite mercy. She joins us.Further ReadingApostolate for the Dying: Bringing Souls to God’s Divine MercyTo contact Fernanda, call 513‐922‐0370 or email [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Since late December, protests have swept across Iran against the Islamic Republic government. Hundreds have reportedly been killed, and President Trump says the US is “looking at its options.” Alberto Fernandez has the details.Further ReadingIran acknowledges mass protest deaths, but claims situation under control as Trump mulls responseWill the Regime in Iran Fall? History Offers Some Clues.Pope Leo XIV Condemns Violence in Iran, Syria, and UkraineFollow Alberto on XGuest InfoAmbassador Alberto M. Fernandez is vice-president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and a Contributor to EWTN News and the National Catholic Register. He served as the U.S. State Department’s coordinator for the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications from 2012 to 2015, retiring from the State Department in May 2015. Follow him on X at @AlbertoMiguelF5. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In a letter to her spiritual brother Maurice Belliere, St. Therese wrote how she was profoundly affected by Joan of Arc and felt that she, too, was called to great things. Is the Lord calling you in the same way? Sean Breeden joins us to invite you to an immersive woman’s retreat experience to awaken your contemplative heart and warrior spirit.Learn about the RetreatGuest InfoSean Breeden is the General Sales Manager for Ave Maria Radio and the founder and director of the Warriors of St Michael. He is also the founder and director of Warriors of St. Michael men’s ministry and an avid lover of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Joan of Arc. Learn more at thereseandjoan.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

This week is the 250th anniversary of the publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. It became an instant bestseller and helped fan the flames of America’s revolutionary movement. Marcus has more.Further ReadingThe Revolution’s First Hot Take This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

When St. Peter answered Jesus’ challenge to step out of the boat and walk on water, he briefly seemed to defy the very laws of nature. Standing upon the waves without support, Peter manifested the ultimate source of man’s support, both metaphysically and spiritually. We discuss God as the source of Nature and Grace with Thomas Kronholz.Further ReadingSupported Without Support: Providence in Nature and GraceGuest InfoThomas J. Kronholz is a systematic theologian, author, and classical pianist. He holds advanced degrees in systematic theology from Notre Dame Graduate School at Christendom College and classical piano from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of Make Our Hearts Like Yours: Daily Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, available from Our Sunday Visitor, and co-author of Mystery of the Altar: Daily Meditations on the Eucharist under the pen name Joseph Crownwood. His writings have appeared in the New Oxford Review on both theology and art. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

This Sunday’s Gospel recounts the story of John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan. The heavens open, and God declares Jesus to be His beloved son. Marcus unpacks the readings. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

This week Phillip Yancey, an internationally-known speaker and bestselling Christian author, announced his retirement from public ministry due to an extended affair with a married woman. Tragically, it’s yet another example of a prominent Christian leader failing to live by the standards they preach. What lessons can we learn from these failures? Dr. Dave Anders joins us.Guest InfoDr. David Anders is a Catholic catechist, speaker, and writer living in Birmingham, Alabama. He also hosts the EWTN Radio Program Called to Communion. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Do you know a young woman who is discerning religious life? The Servants of God Love are hosting a Day in the Life of a Sister retreat on January 17. Join them for a day of prayer, ministry, and mission! Sr. Lisa Zelfa joins us.Click here to learn more and registerGuest InfoSr Lisa Zelfa serves on the vocations team for the Servants of Gods Love and is the Director of Campus Ministry for St John the Baptist in Ypsilanti. You can visit servantsofgodslove.net and email [email protected] to learn more about the retreat. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

On Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism. But why did a perfect man need baptism at all? The answer begins with an understanding of the immense significance of the Jordan River. Marcus discusses Jesus’ baptism and how we should respond in our own hearts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Six years ago, the world was becoming enraptured with the COVID pandemic. In the years since then, there’s been an election, the rise of AI, numerous social media scandals, and other viral stories. Whatever the next “New Thing” will be is anyone’s guess, but we can safely say it will consume our attention and generate fresh anxieties over how it will upend our lives. David Bonagura puts things in perspective. Further ReadingEternal Precepts for Navigating Newfangled ThingsDavid’s website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In comments sections and emails, Marcus has been accused of being both a socialist and a captialist apologist, a MAGA sellout and a Democrat spokesman, and a “lily-white racist” and Uncle Tom. Such accusations are almost inevitable, as Catholic political theology does not fit neatly in with any major American party, but it also shows the levels to which our public discourse has sunk. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

What if you could walk the very halls where priests once hid, stand at the sites where martyrs gave their lives, and trace the conversion of Newman and the faith journeys of Lewis and Tolkien? Join Marcus Peter and Billy Kangas this fall for an amazing pilgrimage! Billy has more details, including about an upcoming info night.Learn More This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Archbishop Bernard Hebda is pleading for prayers and calm following the shooting of a US citizen by an ICE agent. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news.Guest InfoFor the past 20 years, Dr. Matthew E. Bunson has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including: “The Encyclopedia of Catholic History,” “The Pope Encyclopedia,” “We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI,” “The Saints Encyclopedia”and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In 2020, Pope Francis commissioned a group of scholars to study the question of the female diaconate. The commission finished its report late last year, and submitted a letter to Pope Leo stating that there was no support for ordaining women as deacons. We talk more about the issue with Monica Miller.Further ReadingWomen Deacons? Here’s Why NotStudy Commission Says No to a Female DiaconateBook: The Authority of Women in the Catholic ChurchGuest InfoDr Monica Miller is the Director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and the author of many books including “The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church,” “Abandoned: The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars” and “Theology of the Passion of the Christ” Check out prolifesociety.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

The victory of socialist candidates in recent elections has highlighted the renewed appeal of the Marxist system. Some now see socialism as the wave of the future. Conservatives reply by saying that this system must be rejected because “socialism does not work.” John Horvat shares what a trip to Poland taught him about socialism.Further ReadingHow a Trip to Poland Convinced Me That Socialism WorksGuest InfoJohn Horvat II is Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative and a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published essays. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Why do our politicians usually swear in on the Bible? And how do so many of them miss the point? The answer lies in the meaning of covenant. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Ever since he was diagnosed with cancer in May 2024, Adam Wright has embraced his cross and walked the Via Dolorosa with his family. A few days ago, Adam had the joy of “ringing the bell” as he was declared Cancer-Free. He joins us. Adam’s website Guest InfoAt his core, Adam Wright is a Roman Catholic striving to live the universal call to holiness through his vocation as a husband and father of five. Everything else is secondary. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

Catholic writer and journalist Russell Shaw has died at the age of 90. Over his long career, Shaw served in several capacities with the US Bishops, wrote dozens of books, and was a frequent guest on Catholic Radio. Mike Aquilina joins us to honor him.Further Reading‘A great man who loved Jesus’: Catholic writer Russell Shaw dies at 90Guest InfoMike Aquilina is author or editor of more than fifty books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com