Ave Maria in the Afternoon Segments

In her long career as a nurse, Janet Richards has often found herself crossing the “River Sorrow.” She joins us with stories of heartbreak and healing to share what she has learned about suffering.Further ReadingBook: Crossing the River Sorrow: One Nurse’s StoryGuest InfoJanet Richards is an artist, wife, mother, nurse, and volunteer. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Colorado and is the author of Crossing the River Sorrow: One Nurse’s Story 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 marks three historical anniversaries including three of the most significant figures of the last century. On this day, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated, and Winston Churchill was laid to rest. If these three very different men were to meet, what would they say to each other? Marcus imagines a dialogue. 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 The American Republic, the American writer Orestes Brownson reflected on the meaning of Loyalty. He declares that Loyalty is the “highest, noblest, and most generous of human virtues, and is the human element of that sublime love or charity which the inspired Apostle tells us is the fulfilment of the law.” Michael Pakaluk joins us.Further ReadingOn LoyaltyGuest InfoMichael Pakaluk, an Aristotle scholar and Ordinarius of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, is Professor of Political Economy in the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America. He lives in Hyattsville, MD with his wife Catherine, also a professor at the Busch School, and their children. His collection of essays, The Shock of Holiness (Ignatius Press) is now available. His book on Christian friendship, The Company We Keep, is now available from Scepter Press. He was a contributor to Natural Law: Five Views, published by Zondervan last May, and his most recent Gospel book came out with Regnery Gateway in March, Be Good Bankers: The Economic Interpretation of Matthew’s Gospel. You may follow him on Substack at Michael Pakaluk. 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

Nigeria is home to an estimated 35 million Catholics and has one of the highest rates of Mass attendance in the world. Yet despite Catholicism’s rapid growth, Africa’s most populous nation has never had a native canonized saint. That could change with Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, a Nigerian priest known for his holiness, pastoral zeal and asceticism. We get to know him with Matthew Bunson.Further ReadingCardinal Arinze Shares Memories of Priest Who Could Become Nigeria’s First SaintArchbishop Gomez Shows Openness to Immigration Bill to Create Legal ProtectionsExiled Venezuelan Warns Tyranny Follows Post-Christian CultureLeo urges doctrine office to give clear guidance in face of new challengesGuest 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

A German cardinal has declared his participation in the controversial German Synodal Way finished, expressing deep skepticism about plans to establish a permanent synodal conference. Carl Olson joins usFurther ReadingGerman cardinal: ‘For me the Synodal Way is over’ Guest InfoCarl E. Olson is editor of Catholic World Report and Ignatius Insight. He is the author of Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, Will Catholics Be “Left Behind”?, co-editor/contributor to Called To Be the Children of God, co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax (Ignatius), and author of the “Catholicism” and “Priest Prophet King” Study Guides for Bishop Robert Barron/Word on Fire. His recent books on Lent and Advent—Praying the Our Father in Lent (2021) and Prepare the Way of the Lord (2021)—are published by Catholic Truth Society. The Most Asked Questions about Faith, Reason, Jesus, and the Bible, co-authored with Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., will be published by Ignatius Press in Spring 2026. He is also a contributor to “Our Sunday Visitor” newspaper, “The Catholic Answer” magazine, “The Imaginative Conservative”, “The Catholic Herald”, “National Catholic Register”, “Chronicles”, and other publications. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @carleolson. 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

January 30 marks the anniversary of the infamous Bloody Sunday, one of the darkest days in Northern Ireland’s tumultuous history. Friedrich Nietzsche famously declared that we had killed God, but he also feared the implications of a Godless world. Marcus discusses the violent results of taking God out of our culture. 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 us not to hide our “light” under a bushel basket. The entire passage is deeply rooted in history, as God has long revealed Himself through the light. Marcus discusses more on the Covenants. 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

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films are back in theaters this month to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the premiere of The Fellowship of the Ring. The trilogy is one of the most critically and financially film series of all time – but would Tolkien have accepted it as a faithful adaption of his novels? Austin Freeman joins us.Further ReadingBook: Tolkien Dogmatics: Theology through Mythology with the Maker of Middle-earthGuest InfoAustin M. Freeman is the chair of apologetics at Houston Christian University. He is the author of Tolkien Dogmatics (Lexham Press) and editor of Tolkien among the Theologians (Walking Tree Press), Theology, Fantasy, & Imagination (Lexington Press), and has published many other works on theology and literature. 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 rules of Ignatian discernment provide a structure for people of all vocations, in all stages of life actually, to live the spiritual life with hope, with joy, with fruitfulness. 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

In the shadow of the nation’s capital, a growing number of Washington-area families are quietly rethinking where and how their children learn. From the economically struggling neighborhoods of Anacostia to the affluent suburbs of northern Virginia, families of faith are discovering an alternative to the region’s increasingly polarized debates over curriculum and school governance. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has the details.Further ReadingA classical education revival hits the capital regionGuest 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

In the past eight-hundred years, it is possible that no other theologian has shaped our understanding of God, man, and the Church more than St. Thomas Aquinas. While many people are familiar with his most famous work, the Summa Theologiae, fewer know of his important role as a biblical theologian. Michael Dauphinais joins us.Further ReadingBook: Thomas Aquinas, Biblical TheologianGuest InfoMichael Dauphinais, Ph.D., is co-director of the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal. He chairs the Theology department at Ave Maria University and is the coauthor of Thomas Aquinas, Biblical theologian 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’s reading from the Second book of Samuel contains a scene of immense Biblical weight. King David sits in silence, pondering over the fact that he rests within a house of cedar, while the Ark of the Covenant remains beneath cloth. And God makes a promise to him that expands towards Israel’s entire future. That same God shows faithfulness to us as well. 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

Speaking this week about continued immigration crackdowns, Tim Walz stated “Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank. Somebody’s gonna write that children’s story about Minnesota.” The comparison confuses genocide with governance, racial annihilation with civil law, and totalitarian extermination with constitutional enforcement, thereby trivializing one of the gravest crimes in human history while offering zero serious illumination of the present controversy.Marcus has more. Further ReadingTim Walz and Anne Frank: Restoring Moral Clarity to the Immigration Debate 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 students are celebrating Catholic Schools Week. In an era where our society has forgotten truth, the need for truth-based education has never been greater. Dan Guernsey joins us.Further ReadingThe Remedy for “Canceling” and Division: Catholic EducationThere Is No AI Shortcut to Real EducationLeo XIV’s Vision of Catholic EducationNational Association of Private and Independent Catholic SchoolsGuest InfoDan Guernsey, Ed.D., is a Senior Fellow at The Cardinal Newman Society and Director of Ave Maria University’s Master of Education in Catholic Educational Leadership Program. He is also Executive Director of the National Association of Private and Independent Catholic Schools. 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 report in the Wall Street Journal finds that Chinese billionaires are taking advantage of US Surrogacy laws to father dozens of children. We look at the problems at hand with Jennifer Roback Morse. Further ReadingSurrogacy Gone Wild Treats Babies Like Orders to Be FilledRuth InstituteGuest InfoJennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D., is founder and president of the Ruth Institute, which helps the victims of the Sexual Revolution recover from their experiences and become advocates for positive change. 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 24 we celebrate the Feast of St Francis de Sales. In his Treatise on the Love of God, he writes that “Nothing so much presses men’s heart as love.” We talk with David Bonagura about finding perfect love in Jesus. Further ReadingSt. Francis de Sales: Love for a loveless ageDavid’s website Guest InfoDavid G. Bonagura, Jr. is the author, most recently, of 100 Tough Questions for Catholics: Common Obstacles to Faith Today, and the translator of and the translator of Jerome’s Tears: Letters to Friends in Mourning. An adjunct professor at St. Joseph’s Seminary and Catholic International University, he serves as the religion editor of The University Bookman, a review of books founded in 1960 by Russell Kirk. Visit him online at his personal 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

Pope Leo has made it clear that addressing the risks of AI is a key component of his papacy, and his message for the Vatican’s 2026 World Day of Social Communications highlights this. William Schmitt joins us to talk about it.Further ReadingWorld Communications Day Message Outlines AI’s Risks for HumansPope Leo: Digital Innovation Cannot Be at the Expense of Human DignityGuest InfoBill Schmitt is a Catholic communicator. Visit his Substack blog at Phronesis in Pieces. 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 27, 1945, Soviet troops entered the death camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau. What they saw defied description or imagination. This date now stands as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the decades since the liberation of Auschwitz, the horror has faced a new enemy - an enemy that seeks to deny it ever happened. Marcus discusses how Holocaust denial has persisted and how it abuses 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

After Vladimir Lenin’s death, his body was placed in a mausoleum in Red Square – preserved as a saint of the new faith of Marxism. He envisioned a society without God – but this society created its own gods, with disastrous results. 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

George Orwell has been dead for more than 75 years, but his influence has never been greater. His political influence is arguably more significant than any commentator alive today. We discuss his impact and his views on religion with John Rodden. Further ReadingAnimal Farm at 80Why Orwell Still MattersBook: Scenes from an Afterlife: The Legacy of George OrwellGuest InfoJohn Rodden has taught at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin. His books include The Cambridge Introduction to George Orwell, The Politics of Literary Reputation: The Making and Claiming of “St. George” Orwell, and Becoming George Orwell. 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 death of Alex Pretti has swept up the news and social media. And like all issues, there are multiple conflicting reports and narratives from multiple sources. Terry Mattingly joins us to help straighten it out.Further ReadingToday’s ice (and ICE) storm realitiesConnecting the dots in clashing news reportsGuest InfoTerry Mattingly is the former editor of Get Religion. He is a journalist and professor who writes at the Rational Sheep blog. Follow him on X @tweetmattingly. 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

Vice-president JD Vance addressed huge crowds of pro-lifers on Friday before the March for Life in Washington, DC. In his speech, he reassured the crowds that “you have an ally in the White House,” but largely sidestepped the issues that have been at the heart of critics. Doug Keck joins us with more.Further ReadingVance Addresses Pro-Life Critics at the March for Life — But Not Their Big CritiqueVance, Lawmakers Defend Trump’s Abortion Policies at March for LifeGuest 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

While Christians have targeted the specific products of the feminist ideology, such as abortion and transgenderism, we have missed the bigger picture of how feminism’s shadow church has captured the psyche of Western women. Even amongst some Christians today, feminist ideology is seen as a path to true equality and freedom. Carrie Gress responds to these claims.Further ReadingBook: Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused with ChristianityBook: The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing the Culture from Toxic FemininityBook: The Marian Option‘Something Wicked’: Why Feminism Was Never (And Will Never Be) a Christian ProjectCarrie’s websiteTheology of HomeGuest InfoCarrie Gress, Ph.D., is the founder and editor at the online women’s magazine TheologyofHome.com and the author of ten books, including the Theology of Home series, The Anti-Mary Exposed, and The End of 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

There is another effect of the ICE shooting and protests in Minnesota – a potential government shutdown. Some Democratic senators have said they will not vote for a massive government funding package if it includes money for DHS, which oversees immigration enforcement. President Trump’s immigration policies were a key part of the “No Kings” protests – but enforcing a duly enacted law is not a royal prerogative. We discuss the duty to enforce the law with John McGinnis.Further ReadingThe Duty to Enforce the LawGuest InfoJohn O. McGinnis is the George C. Dix Professor in Constitutional Law at Northwestern University and a senior writer at Law & Liberty. He is the author of Accelerating Democracy (2012) and coauthor, with Mike Rappaport, of Originalism and the Good Constitution (2013). He is a graduate of Harvard College; Balliol College, University of Oxford; and Harvard Law School. He has written for leading law reviews, including Harvard, Chicago, and Stanford, as well as The Yale Law Journal, and in journals of opinion, including National Affairs and National 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

The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good are tragic and eminently avoidable. They emerged from volatile circumstances where passions ran high, when authority was challenged at close quarters, and prudential judgment failed on multiple levels. How can we as Catholics contribute to better civil discourse? 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 Natural Law is the foundation upon which our laws, ethics, and policies are built. And following the principles of the Natural Law is a surefire way to lead to greater human flourishing. We explore it with Melissa Moschella.Further ReadingEthics, Politics, and Natural Law: Principles for Human FlourishingGuest InfoDr Melissa Moschella is Professor of the Practice in the Department of Philsophy at Notre Dame. She is the author of Ethics, Politics, and Natural Law: Principles for Human Flourishing. Follow her on Twitter @melissamoschell 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

Denyse Shannon was working the assignment desk at a local TV station when she learned of a horrendous story – a two-year-old child kidnapped and feared dead. As she reflected on the tragedy, she began to hear a calling from God – it was time for a change. She shares her story.Further ReadingGod Changed My Plans: Why I Traded News for Pro-Life WorkGuest InfoDenyse Shannon is a freelance journalist and retired reporter, living in mid-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

Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989. Before his execution, he discussed his previous addiction to violent pornography. Marcus discusses how pornography devalues the human person and leads to a culture of death. 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

Debates over issues such as marriage, infertility, divorce and adoption tend to consider the issue solely from the adult’s perspective and “rights.” But what about the Rights of the children? Stacy Manning joins us to flip the script on the conversation.Further ReadingThem Before Us website Book: Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children’s Rights MovementGuest InfoStacy Manning is the co-author of Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children’s Rights Movement. 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

What distinguishes men from women? Many of the discussions around what it means to be a woman, or conversations around the significance of maleness and femaleness, fail to take into account the angle of the questions asked or misunderstand the position that another is coming from. A “3-D” reality is condensed to a “2-D” explanation. Kerri Christopher joins us to discuss more on the reality of womanhood.Further ReadingDo Women Have a Universal Vocation?Kerri’s blog Guest Info Kerri Christopher, M.A., S.T.L., is a writer, speaker, life consultant, and occasional professor of theology living in Oxfordshire, UK. Her writing has appeared in First Things, Dappled Things, Public Discourse, and Blessed is She. She has taught at universities in the U.S. & U.K. and also serves as director of the Humanum Institute. After realizing how many of her students had trouble with decision-making, Kerri founded Clarity Life Consulting to help individuals learn to discern well, discover their priorities, and make better plans to move forward with purpose and peace. She writes regularly about these topics on her Substack, Cultivating Clarity. 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 began on the shores of Galilee – Jesus called a man named Simon, later Peter, to follow him. Peter was far from perfect and he knew it, asking the Lord to depart from him for he was a sinful man. But throughout history God uses broken, sinful man for his plan for the world. 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

Is doubt the sign of a lack of faith? Can faith and doubt co-exist? Do people who have faith also have doubts? We know from the events of Holy Week that even the apostles had doubts, but the manner of their deaths also shows their faith. We discuss the nature of faith and doubt with Randall Smith.Further ReadingFaith, Doubt, and the Dilemma of Being HumanGuest InfoRandall B. Smith is a Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. His latest book is From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality, and the Resurrection of the Body. 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 has invited the Vatican and several other European countries to join a “board of peace” to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Matthew Bunson has the details, and also honors the late Vatican journalist John Allen, who passed away this week.Further ReadingJohn Allen Jr., author and longtime Vatican reporter, dies at 61Pope evaluating Trump’s invitation to join Board of Peace, Vatican’s official saysGuest 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

Where do the threads that form the Western Tradition originate, and how were they woven together throughout the millennia? What are the sources of our modern ideas about science, freedom, equality, law, and good government? James Hankins has authored a massive volume exploring this history, and he joins us.Further ReadingBook: The Golden Thread: A History of the Western TraditionPicking up the Golden Thread of Western CivilizationGuest InfoJames Hankins is Professor of History at Harvard University, where he teaches Western intellectual history, the history of the classical tradition, and the Italian Renaissance. His prize-winning book, Virtue Politics: Soulcraft and Statecraft in Renaissance Italy, was published by the Belknap Press of Harvard University in November 2019. 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 find yourself “hopping” from parish to parish in search of the one that will best suit your needs? While it’s important to search for parishes that will support you and your family, we cannot overlook the role the laity have to play in forming strong parishes. Jason Negri has more.Further Reading All Hands on DeckGuest InfoJason Negri received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Franciscan University and his law degree as a member of the inaugural class of Ave Maria School of Law. He is a practicing attorney and the Supervisor of Hamburg Township in Michigan. He is a member of Holy Spirit Church in Brighton, where he sings in the choir and runs the parish marriage ministry with Samantha, his beloved wife of 30+ years. He is also the founder and executive director of the Daniel Coalition, an organization of laity formed to advocate for victims of clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Lansing. He and Samantha have 5 children and a flock of grandchildren. 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 Monday the Indiana Hoosiers football team – historically one of the worst programs in the country – completed a dream undefeated season by winning the National Championship. They’re led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a devout Catholic who’s never backed down from sharing his faith. Fr. Patrick Hyde, pastor of the Catholic Center at IU, joins us with more.Further ReadingThe Joy of Being a Hoosiers FanGuest InfoFr. Patrick Hyde is a Dominican friar and serves as pastor of St. Paul Catholic Center at Indiana University. 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 interruption of Sunday services at a church in Minnesota marks a watershed moment in the moral and religious imagination of the American Republic and the Western world. If even religious worship may be interrupted in service of political expression, then truly nothing is sacred. Marcus has more.Further ReadingDesecration in Minnesota and the Ecclesiology of Public Worship 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

Through his work at the Coming Home Network, JonMarc Grodi has talked with hundreds of people about their journeys to the Catholic Church. What has talking with converts taught him about the prospects of Christian unity? He joins us.Further Reading Coming Home NetworkGuest InfoJonMarc Grodi is the Executive Director of the Coming Home Network and the Host of the Journey Home. 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 the summer of 2024, thousands of Catholics flocked to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. In the months since, the organizers have conducted research to try to quantify the effects of the Congress and make plans for the next one. Jack Figge has more.Further Reading‘Let Jesus do the heavy lifting’ — Lessons of the National Eucharistic Revival reportGuest InfoJack Figge is a journalist and contributor to The Pillar and the National Catholic Register. Follow him on X @JackFigge 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 role should our government play in the life and death choices we all face? Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is featured on an upcoming PBS series that will explore this question. She joins us.Further ReadingFollow Andrea on XWatch Breaking the DeadlockGuest 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

This week, we continue to pray for Christian unity. And in the eyes of the Church, no Christian unity can be achieved without considering the Jewish people. Andre Villeneuve joins us.Guest InfoAndré Villeneuve (PhD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem) is associate professor of Old Testament and biblical languages at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. He received his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Commission in Rome. He is the author of Divine Marriage from Eden to the End of Days and the director of Catholics for Israel. 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 21, 1793, the guillotine fell upon the neck of French King Louis XVI. The execution of the French monarch was a symbolic moment then because the revolt ceased to be rhetorical. At that point, it became a public declaration of warfare. Unlike the American Revolution, which sought continuity with inherited law, custom, religious conviction, natural law, the French revolt pursued rupture, willfully so. 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

This week the Franciscan University community was rocked by the sudden death of two of its students. Luke Reimer and Mary Mich were found inside of a car in a campus parking lot and investigators believe they died from an engine gas leak. In times of such tragedy, we grasp to understand why God allows this to happen. The Catholic faith offers the only honest approach to death because it integrates truth and hope without compromise. Marcus has more. Further ReadingImportant Message From Fr. Dave to the Campus Community 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, Catholics and many other Christian denominations are celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Dr. Charlie Self joins us with a look at Jesus’s words in John 17 and other scriptures, discussing the hope and promise for Christian unity.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

The mission, plantation, pioneer homestead, immigrant colony, mission farm, and remote job-homeschooling homestead―this is the story of the American Catholic Land Movement. Jared Staudt joins us to talk more about it.Further ReadingBook: The American Catholic Land Movement: Past, Present, and FutureGuest InfoR. Jared Staudt is a teacher, writer, and speaker committed to helping others enter into the living and vibrant tradition of Catholic culture. He serves as Director of Content for Exodus 90, writes a syndicated column called The Catholic Culturalist, and teaches classes for various Catholic institutions. He holds a PhD in systematic theology from Ave Maria University and is a Benedictine oblate. He and his wife Anne have six children. 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

Many Christians struggle with confidence because we’ve absorbed the world’s definition of it. The culture tells us that confidence means believing we’re strong, capable, and talented enough to handle whatever comes our way. If we don’t feel competent or certain, we assume something is wrong with us. But the Theology of the Body offers a radically different—and deeply freeing—understanding of confidence. Greg Popcak gives us a Christian view of what it means to be confident.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. 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

Tomorrow night, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Plymouth will host a Rose Ceremony during Mass to remember all the lives lost to abortion. Monica Miller joins us with the details.The Mass begins at 6:00 pm.Further ReadingAbandoned: The Untold Story of the Abortion WarsGuest 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

In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees accuse Jesus and His followers of breaking the Sabbath. God commands us to keep the Sabbath holy and observe the day of rest - but we can only join in that Sabbath rest if we take our Sundays seriously. Going to Mass is not an obligation. It is an invitation to be elevated into the divine intimacy and life of our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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

January 15 was the 25th anniversary of the first edits on Wikipedia and many consider the date to be the website’s “birthday.” Wikipedia has grown from the website your teachers warned you never to cite as a source, to one of the most widely-used resources on the web. But while it can provide us with knowledge about countless topics, it cannot give us wisdom. Knowledge is valuable, but wisdom is invaluable. 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 iconic “I have a dream” speech, Martin Luther King shared his vision and understanding of Justice in America. We discuss it with Nathan Schlueter.Further ReadingOne Dream or Two?: Justice in America and in the Thought of Martin Luther King JrGuest InfoNathan Schlueter is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Hillsdale College. He’s the author of many books, including One Dream or Two? Justice in America and in the Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr. 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