Ave Maria in the Afternoon Segments

Nate Kaji is a senior at Fr Gabriel Richard High School who joins us with a young man’s perspective on the crisis of manhood in our culture. It’s part of our conversation at the upcoming Familiaris Consortio conference, which will further explore Catholic manhood. He and president Joe Jordano join us.Further ReadingRegister for the conference A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father 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 happening to the world? Why does it seem like everyone has gone insane? Why are so many things that seemingly everyone believed the day before yesterday suddenly held to be retrograde, hateful, or even criminal? And why are things that everyone seemed to view as lunacy the day before yesterday suddenly taught or even required? J. Budziszewski says it’s time we declared a pandemic of lunacy – and he has an antidote. He joins us.Further ReadingBook: Pandemic of Lunacy: How to Think Clearly When Everyone Around You Seems CrazyJ.’s website Guest InfoJ. Budziszewski is a professor of government and philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. Internationally recognized for his work on natural law, self-deception, happiness, and ultimate purpose, he is widely read on the unraveling and possible restoration of our common culture. Among his twenty previous books are What We Can’t Not Know, How to Stay Christian in College, How and How Not to Be Happy, On the Meaning of Sex, The Line Through the Heart, The Revenge of Conscience, and a series of line-by-line commentaries on Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae. Married for more than five decades, a teacher for more than four, Budziszewski has two grown children and a clutch of grandchildren. His website, The Underground Thomist, is at undergroundthomist.org. Professor Budziszewski lives in Austin, Texas. 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 tells His disciples that he has “not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it.” In doing so, He deliberately places Himself in the grander covenant story of Israel and the drama of Salvation history. Marcus takes a look. 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

Our polarized society has one obsession that stands above the rest: identity. Debates focus less on policy and rights and more on the struggle for “recognition.” We talk about the problem with Mitchell Bahnsen.Further ReadingIdentity and Recognition Are the Polarized Polis’s Chief VirtuesFollow Mitchell on XGuest InfoMitchell G. Bahnsen is a student at Westmont College studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, and a Research Assistant at the California Policy Center. He is interested in the relationship between Christian theology and political practice. His intellectual heroes include Herman Bavinck, Charles Taylor, and Winston Churchill. He is a member of Christ Presbyterian Church in Santa Barbara, and looks forward to a career in Christian thought and public policy. 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 doesn’t take a medical degree to hypothesize that women’s healthcare has gone terribly wrong. It is almost entirely structured around either suppressing or bypassing the female reproductive system altogether. And it’s why women like Katelyn Shelton are rejecting hormonal birth control. She joins us with more.Further ReadingWhy I Won’t Use Hormonal Birth ControlFollow Katelyn on XKatelyn’s Technically Human blogGuest InfoKatelyn Walls Shelton is a Visiting Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s Bioethics, Technology and Human Flourishing Program. She is a women’s health policy expert and, as a 2025-2026 recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship, is conducting a year-long research project on reproductive biotechnology and human nature. As the former Special Assistant for Global Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Ms. Shelton assisted in executing the Protecting Life in Global Health Policy (PLGHP) initiative at the United Nations and World Health Organization. A former Paul Ramsey Bioethics Fellow, she often writes on women’s reproductive health and the beginning of life. Katelyn received a master’s degree in ethics from Yale Divinity School and a dual bachelor’s degree from Union University. She’s an inaugural opinion contributor to WORLD Magazine and her work and commentary have appeared in a diverse range of outlets, including Fox News, The Gospel Coalition, Washington Examiner, Slate, and Mother Jones, among others. She and her husband, John, live with their four young children near Washington, D.C. 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 last month’s Good News Cruise, Marcus gave a talk exploring twelve ways Satan attacks marriage. But knowing the enemy’s plans is only half the battle – we must know how to engage them. Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak join us.Further ReadingMarcus’ list of Satan’s Twelve Attacks on MarriageCatholic Households on Mission Guest 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

Those suffering from infertility too often do so in silence, isolation, and even shame. Some married couples find the suffering so raw and intimate that they are unable even to lean on each other. Leigh Snead has experienced this firsthand with her husband Carter. She joins us to share her story.Further ReadingBook: Infertile but Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can’t ConceiveInfertile but Fruitful: The Devil and DelayFollow Leigh on Twitter Follow Leigh on SubstackGuest InfoLeigh Fitzpatrick Snead is a Fellow for the Catholic Association and co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show Conversations with Consequences. She is a writer, editor, speaker, and mother of four whose work engages questions of popular culture, motherhood, family, and the Church. 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 church attendance falls, suicide rates climb, and birth rates plummet, Christian pundits have suggested disenchantment and the loss of tradition are to blame for our spiritual malaise. But what if the problem is both much simpler and much more serious? Carl Trueman argues that modern man’s crisis of meaning stems from a rejection of a simple fact—that he was made in the image of God. He joins us.Further ReadingBook: The Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our HumanityBook: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern SelfThe Desecration of ManErasing birth mothersWhen No-Fault Divorce Turns Children into CommoditiesPlaying God, Becoming NothingGuest InfoCarl Trueman is the author most recently of The Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our Humanity. He’s a professor of biblical and theological studies at Grove City College, a visiting fellow at the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government at the University of Notre Dame, and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. An esteemed church historian, he is the author of more than a dozen other books, including The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self and Strange New World. 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

James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King Jr, was born on this day in 1928. Ironically, this date also marks the anniversary of the death of Civil Rights hero Harriet Tubman. Marcus compares their lives and how Ray’s efforts to combat civil rights ultimately drove the movement to even greater heights. 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 are young people looking for in the Church? What is the meaning of marriage and family? What is the purpose of Confirmation? We explore these questions and more with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers.Further ReadingBehold the Man A Catholic Vision of Male SpiritualityDeacon Harold’s website Guest InfoDeacon Harold Burke-Sivers is a Catholic speaker and evangelist and the founder and director of dynamicdeacon.com. He’s the author of “Our Life of Service: The Handbook for Catholic Deacons” and “Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality and The Mass in Sacred Scripture”. Visit him at deaconharold.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

Of all the theological errors commonly held today, the most popular is surely the denial of the doctrine of hell. Even self-described Christians question whether God would consign anyone to hell permanently. We discuss the issue with Doug Keck.Further ReadingThe Hell There Is: An Exploration of an Often-Rejected Doctrine of the ChurchGuest 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

Is economics just a zero-sum game? It doesn’t have to be when we view it through the lens of the common good. Dr. Mark Hoipkemier has more.Further ReadingThe Price of the Common Good: Markets, Corporations, and Political EconomyGuest InfoDr. Mark Hoipkemier is Assistant Research Professor of Business Ethics and Society at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He’s the author of The Price of the Common Good: Markets, Corporations, and Political Economy. 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

C. S. Lewis’s classic The Screwtape Letters brilliantly unmasked the devious psychological and philosophical roots of human temptation. Inspired by this, Samantha Stephenson has compiled the “Bellbind Letters,” unravelling the targeted attacks against the feminine genius as they manifest themselves in contemporary family life. She joins us.Further ReadingBook: The Bellbind Letters Inside the Devil’s Plan for Your MotherhoodSamantha’s Choosing Human blogSamantha’s websiteGuest InfoSamantha Stephenson is a Catholic author and bioethicist whose work explores both the spiritual and ethical questions shaping our rapidly changing world—whether in the hidden rhythms of home or at the frontiers of science. She writes the Choosing Human Substack newsletter and hosts the podcast Brave New Us.Samantha is the author of several books helping families navigate the spiritual and ethics questions of the modern age:* Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad, a theology of the body for mothers* The Bellbind Letters, a creative take on C.S. Lewis’s spiritual classic* Grow Where You’re Planted: Reclaiming Eden in Your Own Backyard, a prayerful guide to seasonal abundance and sustainable family 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

Aquinas’ Summa Theologica is one of the great works of Christian theology and philosophy, and it offers unmatched insights into God, humanity, and the path to salvation. Yet its vast scope and intricate arguments can make it daunting to modern readers. Fr. Cajetan Cuddy joins us with an accessible guide to the thought of Aquinas.Further ReadingThe Summa Illuminated: A Guide to St. Thomas Aquinas’s MasterpieceFollow Fr. Cuddy on Twitter Fr. Cuddy’s blogEncyclopedia of Catholic Theology Guest InfoFr Cajetan Cuddy is the author of The Summa Illuminated: A Guide to St. Thomas Aquinas’ Masterpiece. He is a priest of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph; an assistant professor of dogmatic and moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC; and the general editor of the Encyclopedia of Catholic Theology online resource. 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 this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and asks for a drink. We take a deep dive into their conversation as we unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.Guest InfoRob Corzine is the 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

True love knows no limit in giving more, being more, forgiving more. In marriage, husbands and wives are called to love one another without limits and to not lose sight of the fact that they are on the same team. When tempted to calculate or complain, they must simply love. Troy and Kathleen Billings share lessons they have learned from the highs and lows of their marriage.Further ReadingSimply Love: Catholic Marriage Day by DayTroy and Kathleen’s website Guest InfoTroy and Kathleen Billings speak globally on marriage and family life and are co-authors of Simply Love: Catholic Marriage Day by Day which earned first place worldwide, Marriage Category, in the 2024 Catholic Media Awards. They have been featured on EWTN, Relevant Radio, Awaken Catholic, FORMED, and multiple podcasts and are former contributors to the “For Your Marriage” section of the USCCB Website. KThey met at the University of Notre Dame when paired up to perform a dance together for a Christmas show. Several years later their lives reunited, and they fell in love, thus beginning their real dance together in the Sacrament of Marriage. They reside in Greenville, SC on their 5-acre homestead and are the parents of 5 beautiful children, 1 son-in-law and 4 precious souls in Heaven. 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

Ave Maria Radio is excited to announce the next annual edition of Familiaris Consortio, in partnership with Emmaus Health and Fr. Gabriel Richard High School. What does it mean to be a Man on Purpose? Pete Burak and Fr. Josh Fons will discuss how we can combat the crisis of masculinity in our culture. Pete joins us. Further ReadingRegister for the ConferenceA Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful FatherGuest InfoPete Burak is the vice-president of Renewal Ministries. He is the author of A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father. The Familiaris Consortio conference is on Friday, March 20 from 7 to 9 pm at FGR High School. 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 battle of the Alamo ended on this day in 1836. The defenders of the fort lost the battle, but their sacrifice became a powerful symbol of courage, liberty and the fight for independence. 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

Last month we received the exciting news that Fulton Sheen’s beatification can finally move forward. When Matthew Bunson was a young boy, he met Archbishop Sheen in person. He shares his memories, looking at the unique connection between Sheen, Jimmy Lai, and the rise of Communism.Further ReadingJimmy Lai’s Sentence Is a Stark Symbol of Authoritarian Overreach3 Spiritual Guides for Lent: Pope Leo, Jimmy Lai and Archbishop SheenWhen Fulton Sheen Was Out of Season 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 Matthew’s Gospel, James and John’s mother kneels before Christ and asks that her sons may sit at His right and left in the Kingdom. Her request has historical context – she thinks that Christ’s kingdom will reign on earth as David’s did. In response, Jesus asks her to “drink from the cup.” He’s telling her that her sons need to join Him in suffering. Marcus looks at the Biblical meaning of drinking from the cup. 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 5 is the anniversary of two separate, yet linked events: Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946, and Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953. Paul Kengor looks at the relationship between these events and what they mean for us today.Further ReadingWhen Winston warned America: Churchill’s Iron Curtain at 72Paul’s articlesPaul’s booksGuest InfoPaul Kengor is author of several books, most recently The Worst of Indignities: The Catholic Church on Slavery. His other books include The Devil and Bella Dodd, The Devil and Karl Marx, and A Pope and A President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century. He has also written spiritual biographies of Ronald Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and George W Bush. He’s professor of political science at Grove City College in Grove City, Pa., and senior academic fellow at the Institute for Faith and Freedom and is the editor of the American Spectator. 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

Around the world, some of the most developed and advanced nations are reporting low birth rates and aging populations. Many are discussing why no one wants to have children. Experts debate the causes, but few present convincing conclusions. We discuss the cultural shifts that have happened with John Horvat.Further ReadingMaking Sense Out of Our Childless & Childish AgeGuest 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

In March of 1981, Walter Cronkite signed off CBS’ evening broadcast for the final time. He represents an era when the news industry was trusted, conveying a sense of authority with every declaration of “And that’s the way it is.” Al Kresta frequently observed that the industry has devolved into “News as Entertainment” and multiple surveys show public trust in mainstream news is plummeting. What happened? Marcus has some thoughts. 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 dedicates the month of March for a special devotion to St. Joseph, who in many ways is the silent hero of the Gospels. We get to know him better with Steve Ray. 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

There is a new kind of radical on college campuses today, and they look nothing like what we have come to expect. They are not barricading buildings or shouting down speakers. They are not demanding the overthrow of institutions or vilifying those who disagree with them. Instead, they are challenging institutional decisions and the dominant culture of their peers while living according to their deepest Christian beliefs. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer shares their stories.Further ReadingMeet the New Campus RadicalsFollow Andrea on TwitterGuest 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

On March 4, 1933, as the nation sat stagnant in the Depression, newly inaugurated President Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced the nation and declared, “the only thing we have to fear is Fear itself.” He insisted that the country would endure has it had endured before, based on a shared civic sense of faith in our Constitutional order. Marcus has more on FDR’s sense of sacred duty. 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 faith gives us a unique sense and understanding of beauty. Mosaics, paintings, sculptures and other artwork in our churches help give us a sense of a world greater than our own. Fr. Chas Canoy’s parish has its own special artwork – he joins us to talk about it.Further ReadingMajor New Mural Joins Heaven and Earth at St. John the Evangelist ChurchGuest InfoFr. Chas Canoy is the Pastor of St John the Evangelist parish in Jackson, MI. 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

For the next several days, Marcus will be on a mission trip with Renewal Ministries to Taiwan, spreading the Gospel in a country where a mere one percent of the population is Catholic. Where do you begin evangelizing someone who may never have even heard of Jesus and has no inherent understanding of their value as a human person? Tom Edwards joins Marcus.Further Reading‘She Had Never Heard the Name of Jesus’: Eucharistic Evangelization in TaiwanTom’s website Guest InfoTom Edwards is the Renewal Ministries Country Coordinator for Taiwan. 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 the Second Vatican Council, there has been a new surge in the role of the laity in forming the Church. John Paul II and Benedict XVI made the “co-responsibility of the laity” a key theme of their papacies. We discuss the meaning of lay formation with John Cavadini.Further ReadingEight Characteristics of a Culture of Lay FormationGuest InfoJohn C. Cavadini is the McGrath-Cavadini Director of the Institute for Church Life and a professor in the department of theology at the University of Notre Dame. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term on the International Theological Commission in 2009. He is the recipient of the Monika Hellwig Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Intellectual Life and is the author of Visioning Augustine. 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 the first post-Vatican II pope to serve a full papacy, John Paul II made the Universal Call to Holiness his mission. But much of traditional Catholic spirituality is drawn from the monastic tradition, and doesn’t fit neatly into a family life. John Paul II thus spent his entire pontificate laying the groundwork for a universal approach to lay spirituality. We talk about it with Dr. Greg Popcak.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

Why does Pope Leo XIV call himself a “son of Saint Augustine”? Examining his life and writings, we can see a prominent Augustinian influence that is manifested in four themes. We talk about them with Matthew Becklo.Further ReadingThe Augustinian Pope: Four key themes of Leo XIVFollow Matt on Twitter Matt’s blogGuest InfoMatthew Becklo is a husband and father, writer and editor, and the Publishing Director for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. His first book, The Way of Heaven and Earth: From Either/Or to the Catholic Both/And, is available now from 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

Like his hero St. Paul, the Venerable Fulton Sheen never shied away form using the technology of the day to spread the Gospel. And if he were still preaching today, he’d surely use social media to “go viral.” We look back at some of his most “meme-worthy” moments with Jack Figge.Further ReadingThe would-be viral moments of (soon-to-be-Blessed) Archbishop Fulton SheenFollow Jack on XGuest InfoJack Figge is a young Catholic journalist pursuing an MBA at Benedictine College, with a BA in political science and theology. He is also a writer for the Pillar. 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 Pharisees were instrumental in Jesus’ death. But we would be wrong to say the Jews killed Jesus. No, our sins killed Jesus. When Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, he’s rebuking the Pharisee in all of us. 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 Supreme Court has ruled that the state of California cannot keep student’s transgender identities hidden from parents. In a 6-3 ruling, the court said that parents enjoy “the right not to be shut out of participation in decisions regarding their children’s mental health.” Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has the details.Further ReadingSupreme Court Rejects California’s Presumption Against ParentsSupreme Court Says California Can’t Hide Student Transgender Identities From ParentsFollow Andrea on Twitter Guest 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

The cultural historian Christopher Dawson has been called one of the foremost Catholic thinkers of modern times. When he retired from Harvard in 1962, Pope John XXIII sent him an Apostolic blessing. Dawson once observed that “the first step in the transformation of culture is a change in the pattern of culture within the mind.” Joseph Stuart joins us to talk more about Dawson and cultural transformation.Further ReadingChristopher Dawson: The Medium of Culture in Political TheoryGuest InfoJoseph Stuart is program chair of history and a fellow of Catholic Studies at the University of Mary. He’s the author of Christopher Dawson: A Cultural Mind in the Age of the Great 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

Pope Leo XIV voiced concern on Sunday about developments in the Middle East and Iran, urging the parties involved to stop what he called a “spiral of violence” before it becomes an “unbridgeable chasm.” Alberto Fernandez has the latest.Further ReadingPope Leo XIV urges diplomacy amid Iran tensionsGuest 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

Now that abortion-rights advocate Susan Ostermann has stepped away from an academic leadership post at Notre Dame, the university needs to undertake meaningful reforms to ensure a comprehensively Catholic identity. Doug Keck joins us to talk about it.Further ReadingThe Ostermann Fiasco Is Over. Notre Dame’s Catholic Identity Crisis Is NotGuest 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

Do you ever feel like Lent is a New Years Resolution all over again? You start out strong for a couple weeks, then find yourself regressing to the norm? Year after year and Lent after Lent promises to be different, but inevitably fails? We discuss persistence in penance with Stephen White.Further ReadingDo Lent!Marcus’ Lenten bookGuest InfoStephen P. White is executive director of The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America and a fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. 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 AI revolution is rapidly changing Hollywood. Movie producers see many advantages in a “cast” that can work unlimited hours, will follow any direction, and demands no salary. And there may be a silver lining in all this change. Marcus explains.Further ReadingTilly Norwood, the fully AI ‘actor,’ to be part of rapidly expanding ‘Tillyverse’ 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’s decision to bomb Iran has sparked a variety of reactions, with many questioning its constitutionality or asking if the US should involve itself in yet another war in the Middle East. But there is a line that must be drawn – and claims that Iran was a peaceful and rights-respecting state defy any basic fact-checking. Marcus shares 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

Hollywood is in the midst of a resurgence of romance films, highlighted by the box office-leading Wuthering Heights. Film execs understand that audiences desire intimacy, passion, and emotional fulfillment – but their attempts to fulfill these needs will inevitably fall short. Marcus reflects on how Christians can live out true romance.Further ReadingHollywood is thirsty for more romance adaptations 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

Paul Thigpen, the noted theologian and convert to the Catholic faith known for his prolific writing career that included an in-depth survey of extraterrestrial life and the Catholic Church, died on Feb. 24. He was 71. His friend Matthew Bunson honors his life.Further ReadingPaul’s booksGuest 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 readings highlight a theme of beginning the journey of faith, telling us the story of God’s Covenant with Abraham and Jesus’ Transfiguration. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.Guest InfoRob Corzine is the 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

The Catholic Church has always recognized that philosophy is necessary both to understand the faith as well as to defend it, and the need for a philosophically-informed faith has become more acute with the rise of secularism. James Jacobs joins us with an introduction to Catholic philosophy.Further ReadingSeat of Wisdom An Introduction to Philosophy in the Catholic TraditionGuest InfoJames M. Jacobs is the author of Seat of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy in the Catholic Tradition. He’s director of philosophy programs and associate academic dean at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans, LA. 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 Supreme Court struck down many of the tariffs that have become a landmark part of President Trump’s economic policy. In response, he enacted further tariffs. What’s next? Robert Whaples joins us.Guest InfoRobert M. Whaples is a professor of economics at Wake Forest University. He is also the editor of The Independent Review 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 political philosopher Robbie George shared some thoughts on social media regarding President Trump, observing “you are not required to let him cause you to forget or abandon your principles, to turn against what you once believed, or to become an ideologue who simply reacts to him pro or con.” But even this call for rational dialogue produced little more than furious, reactionary responses. At the end of the day, Christians are called to a higher level of rationality and civility. Marcus has more.Further ReadingThe Scandal of Sanity 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 a popular claim that if one is against abortion, they must also be against the death penalty, for they are both incompatible with a pro-life worldview. But what does the Church actually say about the death penalty? Does it still have a place in modern society? Marcus weighs in. 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 month, a young woman named Fox Varian won a medical malpractice lawsuit against doctors who convinced her to get a mastectomy so she could “live as a boy.” The case is being hailed as a landmark victory for opponents of prepubescent sex change treatments, but we must use caution. Those same cheers were heard when Roe v Wade was overturned, without a cogent plan for the next steps. Marcus looks at lessons we can learn from the case.Further ReadingA Landmark Lawsuit, But Let’s Not Cheer Too 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

Pope Leo XIV responded to an atheist who paradoxically described himself as someone who “loves God,” explaining to him that “the real problem of faith” isn’t believing or not believing in him but seeking him. Marcus discusses this and other Church news with Dr. Matthew Bunson.Further ReadingPope Leo XIV Responds to an Atheist ‘Who Loves God’Spanish Bishops Speak Out After Leaks of Their Meeting With Leo XIVVatican Announces Pope Leo XIV’s 11-Day Pastoral Visit to 4 African Countries in AprilGuest 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

Known as the protoevangelium, Genesis 3:15 promises that the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. In what sense does this apply to Jesus? Mark Heffley joins us.Guest InfoDr Mark Heffley is Assistant Professor of Theology and Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. 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