Ave Maria in the Afternoon Segments

Last night President Trump announced a two-week cease fire in Iran, backing off on threats he made early Easter Sunday. We look at the latest developments with Peter Laffin.Guest InfoPeter Laffin is Senior Editor for the Washington Examiner. 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 Artemis II space flight is scheduled to end with a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday. Space exploration remains one of humanity’s greatest scientific achievements – and we must not overlook the Vatican’s continued contribution to the field. Daniel Gallagher has more.Further ReadingSpace Exploration and the Cosmic LiturgyGuest InfoDaniel B. Gallagher lectures in philosophy and literature at Ralston College. He previously served as a Latin Secretary to Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. 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

Sam Goodwin has traveled to all 193 countries in the world, and spent nine weeks in a Syrian prison. And it’s during that time that he discovered a lot about gratitude, controlling what you can, and viewing uncertainty as an opportunity. He joins us.Further ReadingSaving Sam: The True Story of an American’s Disappearance in Syria and His Family’s Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him HomeSam’s website Further ReadingSam Goodwin is an American entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker. A former Division I collegiate hockey player, he is one of the few people who have traveled to all 193 countries in the world and also the only American civilian to be released from captivity by the Assad regime. As an international keynote speaker, Sam and his message have inspired audiences around the globe. Goodwin grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and currently lives in Washington, DC, where he earned a doctorate in international affairs from Johns Hopkins SAIS and serves on the boards of multiple advocacy organizations. 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, we meet Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. His disciples spent hours speaking with Him about the Scriptures, but did not fully recognize Him until dinner, when He broke the bread. The sermon prepared their hearts for the Eucharistic act which unveiled their eyes. 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

We often imagine the founders as older figures, seasoned statesmen and philosophers who arrived at their achievements after long and careful preparation. But many of them were strikingly young. When we forget this, we do our students a disservice – especially our young men.Further ReadingWhat boys lose when they stop studying 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

Catholic social doctrine may be one of the most misunderstood areas of Catholic teaching. Fundamentally, it is the Church’s attempt to shape the consciences of the faithful in their dealing with society at all levels, from the family to the state. We look at the foundations and history of CST with Matthew Walz.Further ReadingRecovering the Origins of Catholic Social Teaching, Part OneRecovering the Origins of Catholic Social Teaching, Part TwoGuest InfoMatthew Walz will begin serving as President of Thomas More College this September (2026). He is currently an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Philosophy & Letters and Pre-Theology Programs at the University of Dallas. He also serves as Director of Intellectual Formation at Holy Trinity Seminary. His writings, which have appeared chiefly in various academic journals, focus chiefly on Aquinas, Augustine, Anselm, Boethius, and Wojtyla. 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 recently heard oral arguments over President Trump’s executive order that attempts to end automatic birthright citizenship. Dean John Czarnetzky of the Ave Maria School of Law gives us his analysis.Further ReadingRandy Barnett articleGuest InfoJohn Czarnetzky is Chief Executive Officer and Dean at the Ave Maria School of Law. He also serves as a legal adviser to the Holy See’s Mission to the United Nations, representing the Holy See in negotiations, including establishing the International Criminal Court and several international treaties, including one on the rights of persons with disabilities. Dean Czarnetzky is a lay member of the Dominican Order and a third-degree Knight of Columbus. 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

Late last month Sarah Mullally was installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Leo has expressed his desire for continued dialogue with the Church of England, and sent his prayerful greetings to her. Joanna Bogle joins us with more from London.Further ReadingA Thank You to Our Beloved PriestsGuest 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

Even as Christianity loses its cultural prestige, we are seeing signs of hope. This Easter, dioceses across the world reported the highest levels of baptisms and other sacraments in several years – even in countries as secular as France. Marcus has more.Further ReadingNew record in France: More than 20,000 adults and teens baptized at Easter 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 Daily Mail recently highlighted a study that purported to show having kids provides no boost to your wellbeing and “ruins your relationship.” But a closer look at the dataset reveals a different result. Josh Wood joins us.Further ReadingJosh breaks down the studyThem Before Us BlogThem Before Us website Josh’s substack Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children’s Rights MovementGuest InfoJosh Wood is the Executive Director at Them Before Us. Visit thembeforeus.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 question of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection has been repeatedly probed, investigated and debated. And the results have varied widely. Michael Licona joins us with his historiographical approach to the evidence for the Resurrection.Further ReadingThe Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical ApproachGuest InfoMichael Licona is associate professor of theology at Houston Baptist University and the author of The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach. 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

Did Jesus really die on the cross? If so, what became of his body? Is the resurrection a cleverly devised plot to found a new religion? Did the disciples of Jesus hallucinate? As Christians, we need to be ready to answer these questions. Dr David Anders joins us.Further ReadingThe Bedrock of Christianity: The Unalterable Facts of Jesus’ Death and ResurrectionDid Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?The Case for the Resurrection of JesusGuest 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

If Christ had not been raised, then all our efforts in this life are pointless. It is the most important, earth-shattering event in human history. 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

Why does God allow pain and suffering? Why did he allow his Son to suffer on the cross for us? We discuss pain, suffering and redemption with Dr. Stephen Doran.Further ReadingPain, Suffering, and Redemption: Where Faith and Reason MingleGuest InfoStephen Doran, M.D., a board-certified neurosurgeon with over twenty-five years of experience, is an ordained permanent deacon and serves as the bioethicist for the Archdiocese of Omaha. His writings in bioethics, neurosurgery, and gene therapy for brain disorders have been widely published in national media outlets, academic journals, and neurosurgery textbooks. Along with his wife, Sharon, he is the co-founder of Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study. He is the author of “To Die Well: A Catholic Neurosurgeon’s Guide to the End of Life” (Ignatius Press). 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

It’s late afternoon on Good Friday. Jesus’ task has been accomplished. Mary has wept at the foot of the cross, and now weeps as Jesus lies in the tomb – and we weep with her. But we also must not stop there. For beyond the cross of Good Friday is Christ’s Resurrection on Easter morning. Randall Smith joins us.Further ReadingGood Friday, Death, and Christian LifeGuest InfoDr. Randall B. Smith is Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, where he teaches courses on Moral Theology, History of Theology, Faith and Science, and Faith and Culture. His books include Reading the Sermons of Thomas Aquinas: A Beginner's Guide (Emmaus), Aquinas, Bonaventure, and the Scholastic Culture of Medieval Paris (Cambridge), and From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality, and the Resurrection of the Body (Emmaus), due out in October 2022. He is also co-author of Why Believe? Volume 2: Answers to Life's Questions (Augustine Institute). Prof. Smith is the author of numerous articles in academic journals, but he also publishes a regular bi-weekly column for "The Catholic Thing." 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 Stabat Mater is a Marian hymn that portrays the suffering of the Blessed Mother during Jesus’ Crucifixion. It dates back to the 13th century, and in the 1950s French composer Francis Poulenc wrote his own musical setting of the piece. In this special commentary, Marcus plays the music with his own comments and reflections. 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

Although the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life,” many Catholics are unfamiliar with its rich Old Testament and Jewish background. We explore the Eucharist in its Jewish context with Andre Villeneuve.Further ReadingThe Eucharist in its Jewish ContextGuest InfoDr. André Villeneuve is a Catholic theologian, biblical scholar, and Associate Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Sacred Heart Major Seminary 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

Tonight’s Holy Thursday Mass includes some special rituals not seen on an ordinary Sunday. We discuss them with Matthew Bunson. 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

St. John tells us that as Jesus initiated his Last Supper with his disciples, he was fully aware of what he was doing, fully aware of what this meal anticipated and made sacramentally present, fully aware of it was going to cost him. We talk more about how love was manifested at the Last Supper with Msgr. Michael Heintz.Further ReadingHoly Thursday: When Love Enters a Cosmos Turned in on ItselfGuest InfoMsgr. Michael Heintz, PhD, a priest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, is Academic Dean of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic 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

Is there anything in the New Testament about the need for priests in the Church? Was the priesthood found in the Old Testament simply a feature of the Old Covenant, undone by Christ? That’s not what we believe as Catholics. John Bergsma joins us with more.Further ReadingJesus and the Old Testament Roots of the PriesthoodGuest InfoJohn Bergsma is professor of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and a Senior Fellow at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Twice voted Faculty of the Year by graduating classes at Franciscan University, he is a popular teacher whose love of scripture inspires his students. He earned Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees and served as a Protestant pastor for four years before converting to Catholicism in 2001 while working on his doctorate in theology at the University of Notre Dame. He specialized in Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, graduating with high honors in 2004. His articles, some coauthored with Scott Hahn, have appeared in the Journal of Biblical Literature and other academic and popular periodicals. A frequent speaker at conferences and parishes, Dr. Bergsma has appeared as a guest on Franciscan University Presents, EWTN’s The Journey Home, and Relevant Radio’s Drew Mariani Show. He and his wife Dawn live with their eight children in Steubenville, Ohio. 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

Tonight Jesus begins the ordeal that would culminate on the Cross and result in the formation fo the Church and salvation of the world. It is the blueprint of God’s new covenant with us. Marcus explains the Scriptural significance of Holy Thursday. 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

How do we know Jesus was who He claimed to be – the Messiah? Gary Michuta examines the biblical evidence to reveal the identity of the chosen one foretold since the beginning of salvation history.Further ReadingBook: Messiah: Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in ChristBook: Revolt Against Reality: Fighting the Foes of Sanity and Truth - From the Serpent to the StateGuest InfoGary Michuta is the author of several apologetics works, including The Gospel Truth: How We Can Know What Christ Taught. He is an instructor of apologetics for Home School Connections and is the host of Hands on Apologetics on Virgin Most Powerful Radio. He also is a contributor to the Apocrypha Apocalypse YouTube channel. 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

Holy Week is about experiencing liberation, the freedom that comes from being saved from deadly forces we can’t control. Jared Staudt has more.Further ReadingThe Paschal Mystery: Our Exodus from Death to LifeGuest InfoR. Jared Staudt PhD, serves as Director of Content for Exodus 90 and as an instructor for the lay division of St. John Vianney Seminary. He is author of Words Made Flesh: The Sacramental Mission of Catholic Education (CUA Press, 2024), How the Eucharist Can Save Civilization (TAN), Restoring Humanity: Essays on the Evangelization of Culture (Divine Providence Press) and The Beer Option (Angelico Press), as well as editor of Renewing Catholic Schools: How to Regain a Catholic Vision in a Secular Age (Catholic Education Press). He and his wife Anne have six children and he is a Benedictine oblate. 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

It’s easy for us to make Judas the villain of Holy Week. How could someone who spent three years with Jesus ever betray Him? But we are no better. We are the betrayers of Jesus with every sin. We betray Christ whenever we prefer the darkness, while still claiming to want the vocabulary of Christ. 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

Spy Wednesday is one of the most sobering days in Holy Week. We are meant to focus on Judas’ work of betrayal, and his indignation over Mary of Bethany’s decision to anoint Jesus’ feet with oil. Marcus looks at these final hours of Jesus’ life. 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 has ruled 8-1 in favor of Kaley Chiles, a Christian therapist in Colorado Springs who refused to let the state dictate what she could say inside the confidential space of a counseling session. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer discusses why this is such an important victory for families.Further ReadingSCOTUS Defends Christian Counselor’s Right to ConfidentialityWhy the SCOTUS Win for Christian Counselors MattersFollow Andrea on XGuest InfoAndrea Picciotti-Bayer is a legal analyst for EWTN News, and director of the Conscience Project. 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 Christ suffered during his Passion -- for you -- is a powerful source of reflection and meditation. Dr. Tom McGovern gives us both a medical and spiritual analysis of what He endured for us.Further ReadingBook: What Christ Suffered A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion, Revised and ExpandedGuest InfoDr. Tom McGovern is the author of What Christ Suffered: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion. He was the founding chair of the Catholic Medical Association’s Young Member Advisory Committee. He has practiced surgery in Fort Wayne, Indiana since 2000. He and Sally have been married for 30 years and have seven children who occasionally laugh at his Dad jokes. 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

As a parent, have you ever felt awkward or unwelcome at Mass because your kids were making too much noise? Church teaching makes it clear – your kids should be there! But it can be difficult with little ones, especially during the long Triduum services. Greg Popcak has some tips.Further ReadingCatholic Households on MissionGuest InfoDr Greg Popcak is the founder and director of CatholicCounselors.com, a group pastoral telecounseling practice providing faithful help to Catholics dealing with personal, emotional and relationship problems. He is also the former chair of the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies program at Holy Apostles College and Seminary and an adjunct professor of psychology and graduate theology at Franciscan. Together with his wife, Lisa, he is the author of over 20 books integrating insights from counseling psychology and the timeless wisdom of our Catholic faith. They are also the developers of the CatholicHOM app, a resource helping Catholic families thrive.Dr. Greg and Lisa are the hosts of More2Life, a call in advice program airing weekdays at 10am E and produced by Ave Maria Radio and carried across the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network. 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

Christians have every cause to find unity during Holy Week, especially when we remember Jesus’ high priestly prayer that we all may be one. There is no greater unifying reality that identifies a Christian more than our belief in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord. Charlie Self has more.Guest InfoDr. Charlie Self is an author, adviser, pastor and professor with more than 40 years of experience connecting Faith and the Common Good. He is the author of several works including Flourishing Churches and Communities (published by Acton) and his new co-authored work, Life in 5-D: A New Vision of Wholeness. He is the visiting professor of church history at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Visit him at drcharlieself.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

A 25-year-old woman was recently euthanized in Spain over the objections of her parents. This should come as a stark warning to us in the US. Do you have a plan for your loved ones and yourself? Dr. Kristin Collier will be speaking on this matter next month at OLGC in Plymouth. She joins us with more.Further ReadingMurder is Not “Death with Dignity”Over Parents’ Objections, 25-Year-Old Woman Euthanized in SpainNoelia Castillo’s death shames the euthanasia lobbyGuest InfoDr. Kristin Collier is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and she completed her internal medicine residency and chief medical resident year at the University of Michigan Health System. Her special clinical interests include preventative medicine, primary care, depression and heart disease. She enjoys cooking, sports and spending time with her husband and sons. 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 Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus walked back into Jerusalem, and along the road, the disciples saw the fig tree mentioned in yesterday’s readings dried up and dead. It’s why the Tuesday of Holy Week is known as Fig Tuesday. The fig tree matters because in scripture, Israel is often described through vineyard and fig imagery. 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 moral tradition of the Church has always held that there are certain acts that by their nature are sinful. No circumstance can justify them. Questions arise in situations like Chapter 8 of Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia. Was he recommending situational exceptions to moral norms or a more sympathetic pastoral approach to people who find themselves in these situations? Richard Doerflinger joins us.Further Reading“Lived Experience” and Moral Tradition: Rivals or Partners?Guest InfoRichard M. Doerflinger has conducted doctoral studies in Theology at the University of Chicago and the Catholic University of America, and served as Associate Director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. A Fellow with the University of Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, he presented a version of this article last year at the Center’s 25th annual Fall Conference, “‘That Which I Also Received’: Living Tradition.” 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

March 27 marked the 10th anniversary of Mother Angelica’s death on Easter Sunday, 2016. We remember her with Doug Keck.Guest InfoDoug Keck is emeritus 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

We all know the story of Christ’s Passion. But have we ever really stopped to think about the people and places that appear in the story? What did they look like? What is the significance of details we hear about the Agony in the Garden or the trial before Pilate? We take a virtual tour of Christ’s Passion with Steve Ray.Further ReadingJesus Was Crucified NakedDo the Gospels Conflict? How Long was Jesus on the Cross?How Long Was Jesus in the Tomb?Steve’s website Steve’s pilgrimagesGuest 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

On the Monday after Palm Sunday, Jesus rose from Bethany and he went again into Jerusalem. What he did that day was priestly and he began enacting his Messianic vision. 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 his Palm Sunday homily, Pope Leo condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, and stated that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: Your hands are full of blood.’” His comments deserve a careful and nuanced response; Marcus unpacks the viral moment. 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

Fulton Sheen’s beatification is finally moving forward. He’s well-known for his extensive writings and teachings, but one contribution that is sometimes overlooked is his refutation of Communism. We’ll look at the book with Paul Kengor.Further ReadingA Pope, a President and a Bishop: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and Fulton SheenCommunism and the Conscience of the WestGuest 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. He has a new biography of Pope Leo coming out soon. 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 we enter into Jerusalem with Jesus and follow His paths through Holy Week down the road to Calvary. They’re among the most important readings of the year, and we’ll unpack them with Rob Corzine.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

Schools across the country are increasingly limiting students’ access to smartphones, or banning them altogether, as studies show the negative impacts phones have on mental health and classroom performance. But there is another reason we should limit kids’ access to smartphones: their effect on our political culture. It is looking increasingly like smartphones and social media are leading our culture to a new kind of tribalism. Thomas Howes has more.Further ReadingSmartphones and the New TribalismGuest InfoThomas D. Howes is Editor-in-Chief of The Vital Center, founder of the Reagan Caucus and Reagan Caucus Action, and a Lecturer in Politics at Princeton University. He is co-authoring, along with James M. Patterson, a book to be published by Acton Institute called Why Postliberalism Failed. He also has a nearly-completed book manuscript in defense of constitutional democracy from the perspective of natural law theory. 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

Was the American founding an Enlightenment invention or organic development of liberty? Liberal or conservative? Secular or Christian? American conservatives traditionally answered “both” to these questions. More recently, new movements on the Right-from national conservatives to neo-integralists to post-liberals to Christian nationalists-have challenged this conviction. Some even dismiss the founding as hopelessly secular. John Pinheiro answers the problem in his latest book, and he joins us.Further ReadingThe Christian Roots of American Liberty: A ReaderLiberty: “The Delicate Fruit of a Mature Civilization”Dr. Pinheiro’s substackFollow Dr. Pinheiro on XGuest InfoJohn C. Pinheiro, Ph.D., is director of research at Acton Institute. He was professor of history and the founding director of Catholic Studies at Aquinas College. His newest book, edited with Dylan Pahman, is The Christian Roots of American Liberty (Acton Institute, 2026). Among his books and articles are the award-winning Missionaries of Republicanism: A Religious History of the Mexican-American War (Oxford, 2014) and The American Experiment in Ordered Liberty (Acton Institute, 2019). He is on X as @DrJohnPinheiro. Follow his Liberty & Order Substack. 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

Two recent stories out of Europe highlight just how far the Continent is going down the road to Secularism. In Finland, a Christian member of Parliament has been convicted for expressing her Christian beliefs on marriage. And in Belgium, a radio host said his countrymen wouldn’t be offended by the smashing of a Marian statue because “we’re not a very religious country.” Marcus has more.Further ReadingFinnish court finds Christian parliamentarian guilty of ‘hate speech’Belgian radio station apologizes after smashing statues of Jesus, Blessed Mother 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

Pope Leo XIV has called for renewed unity in the Church’s liturgical life, urging French bishops to seek “concrete solutions” to include Catholics attached to the Traditional Latin Mass while preserving communion. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news.Further ReadingPope Urges Liturgical Unity, Inclusion of Traditional Latin Mass FaithfulCardinal says Church cannot “continue to exist” without women’s ordinationPope Leo XIV Explains Why the Priesthood Is Reserved to MenVenerable Fulton Sheen Beatification Set for Sept. 24 in St. LouisBoys Town founder Father Flanagan moves one step closer to sainthoodSister Briege McKenna Needs Our Prayers: Beloved Irish Nun ‘Improving Each Day’ After SurgeryGuest 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

Do we fully embrace the mysteries of Holy Week? Or are we like the people waving palms, mere bystanders along the Via Dolorosa? We talk more about the meaning of Holy Week with Bishop Daniel Thomas.Guest InfoThe Most Reverend Daniel E. Thomas is presiding Bishop in the Diocese of Toledo. 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 the road to Damascus, St. Paul was transformed from one of the most zealous persecutors of Christians into one of the greatest apostles in history. Like all of us, he experienced suffering, weakness, and hardships, but amid these trials during his heroic mission trips, visions, and near-death escapes, he felt the strength of God’s grace sustaining him and urging him forward. We talk more about it with Fr Mitch Pacwa.Further ReadingSt. Paul on the Power of the CrossGuest InfoFr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. is a renowned Jesuit Scripture Scholar, Author, popular EWTN Television and Radio Host, as well as the founder and President of Ignatius Productions. Father Pacwa is fluent in twelve languages and has received his Master of Divinity and S.T.B. at Loyola University, magna cum laude, and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Old Testament at Vanderbilt University, and has author over twenty 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

Though the power of the #MeToo movement peaked long ago, the Left’s cancellation machine kicked into gear this past week. After a New York Times article claimed that Cesar Chavez abused women and girls in the 1960s and 1970s, the Left lost no time in immediately covering up or taking down statues, erasing the Hispanic labor leader’s name from monuments and holidays, and calling for schools and streets honoring him to be renamed. But whether Chavez was innocent or guilty, this instantaneous cancellation is cause for concern. David Deavel joins us.Further ReadingOpinion: The Left’s cancellation of Cesar Chavez looks bad either wayGuest InfoDavid Paul Deavel is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX, and Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative. The paperback edition of Solzhenitsyn and American Culture: The Russian Soul in the West, edited with Jessica Hooten Wilson, is now available in paperback. 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 Knowles has been widely praised for comments he delivered at a recent Heritage Foundation event, highlighting the many Catholic influences on the thought of the Founding Fathers. He’s certainly right, but when we treat his observations as something novel we betray our own historical ignorance. We must not overlook the Catholic heritage of this nation. 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

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Mary’s simple act of obedience changed the course of world history and is a key part of Marian devotion. We discuss why Mary is important with Rachel Fulton Brown, who also looks at examples of Franciscan devotion to Mary.Further ReadingBook: Mary and the Art of Prayer: The Hours of the Virgin in Medieval Christian Life and ThoughtRachel’s blogGuest InfoDr Rachel Fulton Brown is associate professor of History at the University of Chicago. She’s the author of many books, including Mary and the Art of Prayer. Follow her Fencing Bear at Prayer substack blog. 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

It’s no secret that we are inhabiting a moment in which digitalization is reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace. Day by day, screens, algorithms, and infrastructures of virtual reality are becoming the dominant frame through which we move through the world. The question is no longer whether technology shapes us, but what kind of human beings it is shaping us into. Matthew Ramage joins us.Further ReadingIncarnate Transcendence in an Age of Transhumanist CounterfeitsGuest InfoMatthew Ramage is professor at Benedictine College and director of the Center for Integral Ecology. He is also author of The Essential Guide to Ratzinger with Our Sunday Visitor and the forthcoming Cosmic Covenant: A Catholic Theology of Creation Word on Fire. 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 leaders in one of India’s most populous states are demanding the repeal of a new law that criminalizes religious conversion — the 13th such measure enacted across the country under the ruling Hindu-nationalist government. We talk more about India’s anti-conversion measures with Chad Bauman.Further ReadingCatholic bishops demand repeal of India state’s anti-conversion billAnti-Christian Violence in India (Religion and Conflict)Guest InfoChad Bauman is Professor of Religion at Butler University and the author of Anti-Christian Violence in India. 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 recent National Catholic Prayer Breakfast was a celebration of Catholicism’s contributions to the nation and liberty. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer was there and gives us a look.Further ReadingNational Catholic Prayer Breakfast: An Invigorating Respite in a City Rife With IntrigueGuest 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