Conversations with Consequences

Good friend of the podcast Kathryn Jean Lopez stops by the studio to discuss her new book, “A Year With the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living,” as well as Kathryn’s long and successful career at National Review. Kathryn is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute and editor-at-large of National Review. In addition to discussing the book, Kathryn, Grazie Christie and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer talk about the influence of the founder of National Review, Bill Buckley, as well as a life-changing trip that Kathryn took to Rome. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Year-Mystics-Visionary-Wisdom-Living/dp/1505109043 https://nrinstitute.org/ http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092919.cfm

The Catholic Association’s Dr. Grazie Christie and Maureen Ferguson discuss the recent, horrifying revelation that a late abortion doctor, who operated in Indiana, was found to have over 2,000 medically preserved fetal remains hidden at his home in Illinois. Grazie and Maureen discuss the saddening details as well as the tepid response from presidential candidate and South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg. "Our abortion culture has so dehumanized the “unwanted” pre-born child that we can't be surprised when their remains are treated disrespectfully. The societal disregard for the dignity of unborn lives has wrought a predictable end." Read Maureen’s piece on the situation: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/ulrich-klopfers-treatment-of-aborted-babies-is-horrifying-but-not-shocking

In the Catholic Church, everything was calm and placid until the Second Vatican Council…right? There’s the history of the Catholic Church and modernity that you think you know— modernity acts, Catholicism simply reacts— but there’s an “irony” in that history that you probably don’t know; one that turns the history of the Church on its head. How has the world’s largest religious body dealt with the enormous changes of last few hundred years, brought about in large part by "modernity?" George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, prolific author and prominent Catholic intellectual, has written a new book called “The Irony of Modern Catholic History: How the Church Rediscovered Itself and Challenged the Modern World to Reform.” Your hosts Grazie and Andrea engage Mr. Weigel in a fascinating and far-reaching discussion that touches the history of the Church and offers a hopeful vision of the future. Helpful links: https://www.amazon.com/Irony-Modern-Catholic-History-Rediscovered/dp/0465094333 https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/09/ironies-in-the-fire https://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092219.cfm

The sexual revolution has created a crisis of identity - leading people to cling to identity politics in their primal quest to answer the question "who am I?” This week’s amazing guest is Mary Eberstadt, senior research fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, D.C. She is a writer and essayist whose work has appeared in Quillette, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, First Things, The Weekly Standard, and more. She writes extensively about religious freedom, sexuality, and the family, and is the author of the brand-new book “Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics.” Links: https://www.amazon.com/Primal-Screams-Revolution-Identity-Politics/dp/1599474115 http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091519.cfm

This is the second episode of our special series, “Church on the Ground: Going Forward in Joy.” This week, the TCA’s Grazie Christie, Andrea Piccioti-Bayer, and Maureen Ferguson are joined by Father Bill Byrne, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Potomac, Maryland. The hilarious Father Byrne talks about his own upbringing and Catholic formation, as well as his thoughts on the scandals and the abuse crisis in light of Bishop Barron’s new book, “Letter to a Suffering Church.” And as always, Father Roger Landry offers us a beautiful reflection on this upcoming Sunday's Gospel.

On this special bonus episode of Conversations with Consequences, Dr. Grazie Christie and Andrea Piccioti-Bayer discuss Bishop Robert Barron’s new book, “Letter to a Suffering Church,” which addresses the abuse crisis head-on. Don’t miss Grazie and Andrea's timely and hard-hitting discussion from their perspective as lay women, working mothers, and concerned Catholics. Buy the book: https://order.sufferingchurchbook.com/order https://www.amazon.com/Letter-Suffering-Church-Bishop-Speaks-ebook/dp/B07RLZ5TMT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2SOPB3GZKQJIT&keywords=letter+to+a+suffering+church+barron&qid=1567613336&s=gateway&sprefix=letter+to+a+%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE5NUM0UllMMTZSQk8mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3MjI4MzYxRkY4VjI5WDFNVFZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyOTYzMzkyVTBMWjNBNFFZMk5VJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

The abuse crisis has rocked the Church. Should we assume that any priest accused is guilty? The conviction of Australian Cardinal George Pell should give any Catholic and defender of the rule of law pause. An incredible allegation of abuse formed the basis of Pell's conviction and his accuser's perceived credibility was recently cited in dismissing his appeal. What about the overwhelming evidence of the improbability— and perhaps even impossibility— of the abuse even occurring? Phil Lawler, editor of Catholic World News, joins TCA's Dr. Grazie Christie and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer for a lively discussion of the case crafted against Cardinal Pell, the basis for his appeal to Australia's highest court and what this means for the Church. Helpful articles: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1358 http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cardinal-pells-unsuccessful-appeal-and-reason-for-hope

Planned Parenthood will no longer receive Title X funds, after refusing to separate out abortion from the rest of what they do. Now what? Women in need can look forward to the expansion of federally-funded family planning clinics that truly support "positive birth outcomes and healthy families" — the primary goal of the Title X grant program. TCA's Dr. Grazie Christie and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer are joined by pro-life OBGyn Dr. John Bruchalski, founder of Tepeyac OB/GYN clinic and Divine Mercy Care in Northern Virginia, in a bonus episode to discuss the future of Title X family planning grants and the federal government's renewed support for healthcare for women and their families. Learn more at: https://tepeyacobgyn.com

Is late term abortion ever medically necessary? Can the abortion pill really be reversed, or is that just a pro-life twisting of the facts? Our host Dr. Grazie Christie interviews another doctor, Dr. Mary Jo O’Sullivan, about late term abortion, pro-life bioethics and how Dr. O’Sullivan works to reverse medication (abortion pill) abortions. Helpful links: https://www.abortionpillreversal.com/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23191936 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK132781/

What does “sex” mean? What about “gender?” There’s a lot of competing information out there about the ways in which men and women are different, and why it matters. Your host, Dr. Grazie Christie, sits down with the Catholic Association’s Ashley McGuire and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer to talk about Ashley’s 2017 book, “Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female." We talk about what the breakdown of sexual differences means for women in sports, sex selective abortions, the #Metoo movement and more. Ashley’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Scandal-Drive-Abolish-Female/dp/1621575810/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=sex+scandal&qid=1565894478&s=gateway&sr=8-2 TCA clips: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/administration-moves-to-enforce-abortion-restriction/2019/08/09/392efdc6-bac4-11e9-8e83-4e6687e99814_story.html https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/08/09/archbishop-naumann-fighting-abortion-is-most-important-human-rights-effort-of-our-time/ https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/foster-to-adopt-parents-share-their-life-changing-stories-of-the-gift-of-fa

Planned Parenthood: With revenues of over half a BILLION dollars a year from taxpayers, is this giant corporation a “healthcare” provider or a political machine? We argue that the recent firing of Dr. Leana Wen tells us Planned Parenthood is not interested in women’s health, but only in their bottom line and political clout. Dr. Grazie Christie and Ashley Mcguire of The Catholic Association drill down in lively conversation. Helpful links: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/455901-dr-wens-departure-from-planned-parenthood-seemed-to-be-about-one-thing https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/07/25/planned-parenthood-firing-dr-leana-wen-captures-truth-column/1815089001/ TCA Clips: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/08/04/pope-encourages-priests-disheartened-by-sex-abuse-fallout/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jul/31/advocates-aim-to-overturn-new-york-state-ban-on-su/

Are we a suffering Church? A Church in crisis? Yes. But we are also a Church deeply alive. Parishes across the U.S. are vibrant and energetic, filled with luminous men and women who are busily doing their part to bring about the Kingdom. Our new series “The Church on the Ground: Going forward in Joy” will highlight some of these ordinary, extraordinary people and their marvelous work. Our inaugural show of this series features Father Christopher Pollard of McLean, Virginia, pastor of St. John the Beloved, where both the ordinary form of the Mass and the Latin Mass are celebrated. The solemnity of both forms has a transformative effect and inspires both reverence and enthusiasm both in this priest and among the faithful. Rather than foment distinct "Catholic communities," Father Pollard has a secret for keeping his parish united. We also talk about the continuous stream of young men responding to their priestly vocations in the diocese of Arlington, Virginia and one priest's reaction to the clergy abuse crisis. Helpful links: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080419.cfm https://www.stjohncatholicmclean.org/ TCA Clip: https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/the-supreme-court-review-of-sharonell-fulton-et-al-v-city-of-philadelphia/

Does your family have its own "family" culture? Are you reacting to the challenges of parenting or do you have a plan? This week's guests on Conversations with Consequences, Mike and Alicia Hernon, share their experience in running the Messy Family Project (messyfamilyproject.org). This dynamic husband and wife duo not only raised 10 kids, but also seek to help other parents become more "intentional" in parenting with marvelous tips and resources (and a fabulous podcast of their own). Listen and learn their tips and ideas for strengthening your family. Helpful links: https://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072819.cfm https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/messy-family-podcast-catholic-conversations-on-marriage/id957216506 TCA Clip: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/454426-faith-based-health-clinics-spurn-contraceptives-under-trump-rule

Is an abortion the best "care" for a child with limited life expectancy? Recent extreme abortion legislation has enshrined the "right" of New Yorkers to an abortion up until the moment of birth. Illinois took things one step further by stripping any regulation directed to the safety and well-being of women in the state. Are women well-served by "progressive" deregulation of abortion? This week's guest, Mary FioRito, joins TCA's Dr. Grazie Christie and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer to discuss recent legislative travesties and how perinatal hospice cares for both mother and child. Helpful links: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072119.cfm https://eppc.org/author/mary_fiorito/ TCA Clips: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/us/politics/planned-parenthood-wen.html https://www.wsj.com/articles/pompeo-gets-religion-11563405522 https://angelusnews.com/voices/grazie-pozo-christie/a-quiver-of-gladness

Public education in America is in a sorry state; maybe it's time to "Get Out Now." The greatest threat to our children is not poor academic performance but the push for ideological conformity in the classroom. Promoting gender ideology, kicking God out of the classroom, and encouraging a victim mentality are pillars of today's "progressive" curriculum for public school students in America. Parents can't opt their children out. Even teachers feel compelled to go along. What is the answer? Mary Hasson, the Ethics and Public Policy Center's Kate O'Beirne Fellow, and Theresa Farnan, Phd. in philosophy, argue that the best answer is to GET OUT NOW! These two delightful women join TCA colleagues Dr. Grazie Christie, Ashley McGuire and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer to discuss the exhaustively researched new book "Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public School Before It's Too Late." This is an important podcast for all parents and people interested in America's future. Maybe public schools can be fixed, but not soon enough for today's children. Helpful links: www.eppc.org https://www.amazon.com/Get-Out-Now-Should-Public/dp/1621576469/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=get+out+now&qid=1562906706&s=gateway&sr=8-1 http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071518.cfm TCA Clips: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/never-accept-separation-of-faith-from-political-engagement-chaput-says-60220 https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2019/07/54599/ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-migrants/pope-defends-migrants-after-clashes-between-italy-and-rescue-ships-idUSKCN1U3152 AP-NORC Poll: Americans rarely seek guidance from clergy - The Washington Post

Do women make important contributions to the world of work? Yes, absolutely! In this week's podcast, Grazie is joined by Ashley and Andrea to talk with two Catholic women who are making their mark on the media. Meg McDonnell, editor-in-chief at Verily magazine, discusses her professional ascent and Verily's purpose to "elevate what is honest, real, and beautiful for the modern woman." And Susanna (Susie) Pinto shares her unique professional trajectory as a young journalist with the Holy See's Press Office in Rome, in a busy newsroom in Chicago, and now at the helm of EWTN News as Executive Producer. Susie answers questions about being a woman working at the Vatican and her experience as one among millions during Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines among other fascinating anecdotes. Don't miss out hearing from these two fabulous women as well as Father Roger Landry's inspired thoughts in preparation for Sunday mass. Helpful links: https://verilymag.com/ https://www.ewtnnews.com http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070719.cfm TCA Clips: https://www.wsj.com/articles/church-school-and-the-supreme-court-11561932658 https://www.wsj.com/articles/vatican-hits-back-at-attempts-to-break-confession-secrecy-11561987796

Is abortion good for minority women and minority communities? Is it possible to be a woman of color and be pro-life? How does an abortion culture affect the disabled? "Big Abortion" is inherently racist, from its inception by the infamous eugenicist Margaret Sanger to today, with most Planned Parenthood clinics located in minority neighborhoods. Today’s guests Gloria Purvis and Notre Dame Professor Carter Snead, along with the Catholic Association’s Grazie Christie and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, discuss the eugenic history and present of abortion. We also examine a well-written opinion by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in a recent case involving selective abortion, Box v. Planned Parenthood, where he laid out the long and sordid history of Planned Parenthood and its decades-long attack on children of color. Helpful links: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/18-483_3d9g.pdf https://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/063018.cfm https://ewtnmorningglory.com/ https://www.c-span.org/person/?graziechristie https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2019/01/48245/ Links to TCA clips: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/21/joe-biden-abortion-hyde-amendment-1543804 https://www.wsj.com/articles/cradles-pews-and-the-societal-shifts-coming-to-politics-11561382477

In this very special bonus episode, the TCA's Grazie Christie, Andrea Picciotti-Bayer and Ashley McGuire bring you the latest on an important Supreme Court decision: the Bladensburg Cross. Don't miss this helpful analysis of a significant religious freedom case that happened just this week. https://thecatholicassociation.org/tca-statement-on-bladensburg-peace-cross-supreme-court-ruling/

TCA’s Grazie Christie, Maureen Ferguson and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer welcome Christopher Scalia to speak about “On Faith: Lessons from an American Believer.” This gem of a book edited by Chris and the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s Ed Whelan compiles speeches and opinions by the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on his Catholic faith and the role of faith and religion in America. Chris gives wonderful readings from some of the most beautiful excepts found in this compilation. Helpful links: https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Lessons-American-Believer/dp/1984823310/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=on+faith&qid=1560788283&s=gateway&sr=8-2 https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jun/13/book-review-on-faith-by-antonin-scalia/ http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062319.cfm Article referenced in the TCA clips section: https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/06/britain-needs-its-own-mexico-city-policy-to-stop-funding-abortion-overseas/ https://thecatholicassociation.org/tca-statement-on-bladensburg-peace-cross-supreme-court-ruling/

Our host Grazie is joined by our TCA colleges Maureen and Andrea for a fascinating conversation with two of the founders of Canavox.com. Dr. Ana Samuel and Ana Victoria Bethencourt talk about this dynamic, locally-based reading group program for today’s woman. Marriage is a big topic for Canavox study groups! You don’t have to grapple with the complex cultural issues of the day all alone. Helpful links: https://canavox.com/ http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061619.cfm Links to articles from the TCA Clips section: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/new-vatican-document-says-gender-theory-is-cultural-and-ideological-revolution-88531 https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/grazie-christie/planned-parenthood-cannot-hide-truth-cost-abortion-high-and-women-are https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/a-new-kind-of-sacrament

Your TCA hosts Grazie Christie, Ashley McGuire and Andrea Picciotti-Bayer are joined in studio by Montserrat Alvarado, Vice President and Executive Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. A lively discussion about why Catholics and Americans are defending religious freedom— including how the Church's teaching can be helpful in defending liberty— as well some of the current attacks on this fundamental aspect of human dignity. Find out all about Becket's work, including their advocacy for the Little Sisters of the Poor going on right now: https://www.becketlaw.org/ Links to articles referenced in the “clips” section: www.nationalreview.com/news/texas-ag-sues-for-access-to-records-related-to-san-antonios-chick-fil-a-ban/amp/ https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/06/04/omar_errs_in_her_views_on_women_--_and_religious_belief_140479.html https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/09/12/universities-diversity-inclusion-religious-liberty/1281306002/

Our host Dr. Grazie Christie is joined by TCA colleague Andrea Picciotti-Bayer and George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, to discuss the highly suspect conviction on charges of the child sexual abuse of Australian Cardinal George Pell and the pending appeal that will be heard next week. And, as always, Father Roger Landry offers a preview of Sunday’s homily, this week offering a meditation on the Ascension of our Lord. Helpful links: https://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060219-ascension.cfm https://eppc.org/author/george_weigel/ https://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2019/03/20/the_catholic_church_needs_an_innocence_project.html https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/05/the-pell-case-developments-down-under Links to articles referenced in the “clips” section: https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/05/28/mccarrick-correspondence-confirms-restrictions-speaks-to-wuerl-and-china/ https://catholicherald.co.uk/author/andrea-picciotti-bayer/ https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/445159-tweeting-wont-solve-frances-deeper-church-fire-problem-prime-minister

We discuss the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and around the world with Father Benedict Kiely, an expert on the topic who has visited Iraq many times and runs a charity to help Christians rebuild their lives after suffering unimaginable persecution. Helpful links: https://www.nasarean.org/ https://www.nasarean.org/Driver-has-new-taxi http://usccb.org/bible/readings/052619.cfm Links referenced in the “clips” segment: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/two-dozen-states-municipalities-sue-over-trumps-conscience-rule/2019/05/21/564d61c6-7c09-11e9-a5b3-34f3edf1351e_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/abortion-extremism-in-new-york-and-virginia-paved-the-way-for-alabama-and-georgias-laws/2019/05/17/ffad643a-78f0-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/05/21/la-archbishop-says-amended-confession-bill-still-targets-priests-catholic-employees/ https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2019/05/19/womens-advocate-calls-widows-hidden-victims-of-china-one-child-policy/

Author and noted commentator Mona Charen joins the podcast to discuss her book "Sex Matters: How Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense." Then Mary Hasson of the Ethics and Public Policy Center is on to talk feminism, marriage, life, and love. Helpful links: https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Matters-Modern-Feminism-Science/dp/0451498399 https://eppc.org/author/mary_hasson/ Links to articles referenced in the "Clips" section: Pope saddened by attack in Burkina Faso: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/05/13/pope-saddened-by-church-attack-in-burkina-faso-vatican-spokesman-says/ US birth rate drops: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-births-fall-to-lowest-rates-since-1980s-11557892860 Abortion laws and the Supreme Court: https://thecatholicassociation.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d1c628b8f196b52bd284f6a39&id=e23e51bbad&e=e0d4984c86

This week your hosts Grazie and Andrea discuss adoption and foster care with Kathryn Jean Lopez, an expert on the topic and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, who joins us all the way from Rome. Then, Father Roger Landry offers a preview of this Sunday's homily to get you ready for Mass. Finally, Grazie takes you through a collection of news clips, curated by the Catholic Association, to help you be stay informed about the latest news that matters to people of faith. Kathryn tweets at https://twitter.com/kathrynlopez. https://youtu.be/394aCwA3ebw Links to stories referenced in the "Clips" segment: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/grazie-pozo-christie-freedom-conscience https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2019/05/08/asia-bibi-reported-to-be-on-her-way-to-canada/ https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/how-the-south-sudanese-bishops-are-working-to-promote-peace-45523

Our most important relationship is with “the One with whom we hope to spend eternity.” In this episode Grazie and Andrea speak with Father Roger Landry about his book “Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God.” Father Landry suggests concerted steps to center our life on God. He also inspires our embrace of God’s Mercy as we prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday and beyond.

Welcome to Conversations with Consequences, a weekly hour of thoughtful dialogue with the movers and shakers in our society. Our inaugural episode is dedicated to introducing the women of the Catholic Association. We are mothers, professionals, and faithful Catholics. In this episode we share a little about ourselves and the work we do to offer a faithful Catholic voice in the public square. We are Dr. Grazie Christie, Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, Ashley McGuire, and Maureen Ferguson.