Dr. Kenneth Craycraft of Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology in Cincinnati discusses his most recent book, Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America. The book aims to help Catholics recover the grammar and moral imagination of Catholic teaching in their engagements with American culture.…

Bishop Robert E. Barron, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, discusses the mental health crisis among young people with two Catholic psychologists. The discussion touches on issues such as social media, depression, and spiritual engagement.Av USCCB Clips

Guests Jeffrey Monforton, chair of the Subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, and Fr. Anthony Corcoran, SJ, Apostolic Administrator of Kyrgyzstan, discuss the mission of the Catholic Church in Central Asia and the importance of solidarity among Catholic globally.Av USCCB Clips

Dr. Abigail Favale of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame discusses her book The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory, which weaves personal experience with expert knowledge to provide an in-depth yet accessible account of the gender paradigm—a framework for understanding reality and identity that has recently ris…

Carol Glatz, Correspondent with Catholic News Service Rome, speaks with Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly about diplomacy and working with the Vatican on global issues such as peace, human trafficking, and environmental concerns.Av USCCB Clips

Hope and Healing After Abortion – Project Rachel Ministry by USCCB ClipsAv USCCB Clips

Ministries Along the Border and the Need for Immigration ReformAv USCCB Clips

Michael Dunnigan discusses his book Religious Liberty and the Hermeneutic of Continuity: Conservation and Development of Doctrine at Vatican II. He addresses issues such as the foundation of religious liberty, whether Vatican II changed Catholic teaching, and what Dignitatis humanae is most fundamentally about.…

Guests Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Kyiv Andriy Khimyak and Jennifer Healy, Director of the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, discuss the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine on the faithful and how the support of Catholics in the United States has brought hope to people in need.…

Guest Father Dustin Dought, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship, discusses the observance of Ash Wednesday and Lent.Av USCCB Clips

Catholic Current talks with veteran Vatican reporter Cindy Wooden about her recent meeting with Pope Francis in Rome and the Holy Father’s message for the global Church.Av USCCB Clips

Dan Balserak, Director of Religious Liberty at the USCCB, discusses the USCCB's first Annual Report on Religious Liberty in the United States.Av USCCB Clips

We are currently experiencing the largest and fastest religious shift in US history. Political scientist Ryan Burge, who contributed to the book The Great Dechurching, by Jim Davis and Michael Graham, joins Mary and Aaron to talk about who's leaving, why they are going, and what it will take to bring them back.…

Fr. Gregory Schnakenberg of the Dominican House of Studies talks about the history, meaning, and contemporary relevance of the Solemnity of Christ the King.Av USCCB Clips

Richard Garnett of the University of Notre Dame discusses the book Religion and the American Constitutional Experiment, 5th edition. He talks about how different understandings of religion contributed to our constitutional order, and describes six principles of the American vision of religious freedom.…

Vincent Phillip Muñoz discusses his book Religious Liberty and the American Founding, which explores the political philosophy of the Founders and their understanding of religious freedom.Av USCCB Clips

Jose Pulido knows what it takes to evangelize men and to drive men to evangelize others. He's done it in his ministry At the Service, and he knows how scripture can help make it happen. Later, (21:10) Kara joins to get a jump on the upcoming Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer by looking back at Inception and its overlooked emphasis on the role of o…

We’re back with the rest of our conversation with Jason Evert on his book Male, Female, Other? and how it can help us approach gender theory and those who experience gender discordance. Then (19:35), Kara joins to finish talking about Pixar’s Inside Out.Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2023/06/23/ep-116-jason-evert-on-gender-…

Jason Evert of the Chastity Project joins to discuss his new book Male, Female, Other?, which addresses the current state of gender theory in our culture. He goes into great detail about how to address the problems in the ideology, but more importantly he provides insight into how to lovingly speak and listen to someone struggling with gender disco…

Does God need us? Why would he create us (or anything) if he didn't? How is God's relationship with us and with the world different than any other religion's account? How does it change the way we love? Bishop Robert Barron, head of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and Word on Fire, discusses how the Christian distinction answers all of those questi…

Our conversation on human ecology continues with Dr. Jennifer Frey, who dives deeper into the mind of the Church and the work of the Institute for Human Ecology. Then (19:15), we celebrate Mother’s Day with Kara by talking about Lady Bird. The prestigious 2017 movie has a surprisingly nuanced take on family life and love-related wounds, without tur…

When talking about humanity's relationship with nature, John Paul II used the phrase "human ecology". Benedict XVI used a similar phrase. So did Francis. What do they all mean by it? Dr. Jennifer Frey, of the Institute for Human Ecology and a philosophy professor at the University of South Carolina, helps unpack this theme in the Church's recent tr…

Dan Balserak and Madeleine Ostertag talk with Mary and Aaron about the latest updates on the seven proposed federal regulations that could harm religious freedom for healthcare workers, religious student groups, and faith-based organizations.Av USCCB Clips

Happy Easter! We're back with a shorter episode during the Easter Octave, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Sleepless in Seattle! Kara and Andrew complete their coverage of the Nora Ephron-Meg Ryan romcom trilogy. Destiny takes a hand, or does it?Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2023/04/14/ep-111-sleepless-in-seattle/…

The addictive danger to our families from pornography is far too great to ignore, which is why Amanda Zurface of Covenant Eyes is here to help. She talks about how communities and families can guard against these risks, and how parishes can do the same, with Safe Haven Sunday. Then, Kara joins (18:00) to chat about the recent AI/chatGPT news develo…

When you think of your soul leaving your body, what image comes to mind? If it's a ghostly duplicate of your physical body, boy do we have a show for you. Dr. Therese Scarpelli Cory joins from Notre Dame's philosophy department to examine how that view has some unintended side effects for our sense of self, how to improve on that view, and what it …

Robert Vega, Director of Public Policy for the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, discusses recent attempts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and why the USCCB is concerned.Av USCCB Clips

Why do we feel more isolated than ever? How do kids from smaller families have a harder time forming connections later in life? What do people mean when they talk about identity, using phrases like "it's who I really am"? Mary Eberstadt discusses answers to those questions, her new book Adam and Eve After the Pill Revisited, and the unfolding impac…

Our coverage of the National Eucharistic Revival continues with Sr. Alicia Torres, managing editor of the Eucharistic Revival's newsletter, who shares how her relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist animates her calling as a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist. Later (18:45), Kara Bach joins as we attempt to wrap our minds around Everything Everywh…

Lucas Koach talks with Aaron Weldon and Todd Scribner about the 2023 International Religious Freedom Summit, and about the USCCB's role in promoting religious freedom around the world.Av USCCB Clips

Kara and Andrew devote an entire episode to Titanic on the 25th anniversary of the film's long run in theaters, which happens to coincide with director James Cameron's new film, Avatar: The Way of Water. The aquatic adventure from 1997 has quite a bit more to offer for reflection on the call to love, however. As is unavoidable when talking about th…

We are kicking off the new year with a look at the Eucharistic Revival! Fr. Craig Vasek gives us the scoop on this growing movement to restore faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Then (27:35), Kara Bach joins to talk about Steven Spielberg's Oscar-contending autobiographical family drama, The Fabelmans.Episode Notes: https://www.m…

We're ending the year by celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Muppet Christmas Carol! Kara and Andrew wax theological about this all-time classic, which builds in surprising ways on Charles Dickens's original 1843 novella. According to this version of Scrooge, love is the only thing sillier than a Merry Christmas. How's that working out for him?…

What did Aquinas say about marriage? How does he reveal the true nature of marriage as we live it out today? Did he get everything right, and if not, how do we approach it now? Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, joins to answer those questions and more! Then, Kara joins (22:30) to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Casablanca and how world events impact the call…

Kara and Andrew finally complete their quest to review season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power! Most of the story is not original to Tolkien and was produced by a company whose practices diverge considerably from the Gospel. So why does the show quote almost directly from scripture and the moral theology of Thomas Aquinas with strange…

Canavox's Lucas Fennell joins to talk about what we can learn about friendship and its impact on fatherhood, drawing from his years of experience working with teenage boys and incarcerated men. Then (25:10), Kara and Andrew finally start their coverage of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Now that season 1 is complete, we can finally talk …

William McCormick, SJ, discusses his book, The Christian Structure of Politics: On the De Regno of Thomas Aquinas, with Aaron. The book discusses key principles of Catholic political thought, as well as offering a close reading of an important work by St. Thomas Aquinas.Av USCCB Clips

We're celebrating 100 episodes by celebrating the movies! Deacon Steven Greydanus of Decent Films joins to offer some perspective on our approach to film, declining religious themes in Marvel movies like Thor: Love and Thunder, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, plus a plethora of recommendations!Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforarea…

Dr. Andrew Sodergren brings his psychological expertise to the podcast to help us tackle questions surrounding the development of men and women. This fascinating look includes Attachment Theory, questions about gender discordance and dysphoria, and how to treat people with those experiences compassionately and truthfully. Then (36:55), Kara joins t…

Experts in medicine, psychology, philosophy, and theology recently collaborated on a new book, which comprehensively outlines a coherent view of the human person. Dr. Paul Hruz, one of the medical contributors to Sexual Identity: The Harmony of Philosophy, Science, and Revelation, joins to talk about the book and what exactly are the factors of bio…

Should health care workers be mandated to perform gender transition procedures? Abortions? Lauren McCormack, Robert Vega, and Dan Balserak talk with Mary and Aaron about new, concerning regulations and legislation and the Church's role in promoting life, marriage, and religious freedom.Av USCCB Clips

Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira of WalletWin are back to offer more financial help, combining the vocation of Catholic families with money management wisdom. And we return to last episode's cliffhanger ending (16:40) to wrap up Before Midnight, but not before Andrew tries yet again to find a secret Catholic meaning, which Kara may or may not validate.…

For as much stress as they can cause to marriages, finances don't usually get a lot of direct attention around here. Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira of WalletWin are here to help, combining the vocation of Catholic families with money management wisdom. Kara joins (16:40) to find Andrew debuting an exciting new podcast segment coinciding with the fina…

Helen Alvaré discusses her recently published book, Religious Freedom after the Sexual Revolution: A Catholic Guide, which aims to help Catholics both defend religious liberty and explain how our institutions and communities foster authentic love, freedom, and happiness.Av USCCB Clips

Fresh off their talk at the 2022 World Meeting of Families in Rome, Soren & Ever Johnson join to talk about discernment in family life, how it's oriented toward communion, and their ministry with Trinity House Community. Later (23:15) Kara joins to continue our trek through Richard Linklater's "Before trilogy" with its exciting midpoint, Before Sun…

Before Sunrise came out 27 years ago. Its sequel, Before Sunset, came out 18 years ago. The finale in the trilogy, Before Midnight, came out 9 years ago. Today, Kara Bach joins to kick off our series on the trilogy, starting with Before Sunrise. It follows a couple meeting, falling in love, and asking the big questions about love, God, and the worl…

Historian Michael Breidenbach discusses his book, Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America, which looks at how English Catholics in Maryland helped to shape the American founding.Av USCCB Clips

Friend of the podcast, Dr. Abigail Favale, returns to talk about her new book, The Genesis of Gender! We visit disparate sources like Plato, Stranger Things, and Simone de Beauvoir, but we promise you one thing: by the end we will arrive at stable definitions of “man” and “woman”. Later (29:40), Kara joins for even more Stranger Things! We wrap up …

Lauren McCormack and Aaron Weldon discuss the bishops' focus for Religious Freedom Week 2022 on how the Catholic Church can promote religious freedom and a culture of life.Av USCCB Clips

We're heading to Rome! The Tenth World Meeting of Families is happening and we are going to be there. That's great, but... what does that mean? The USCCB's own Julia Dezelski joins us to answer that question and more! Then (18:45), Stranger Things returns! Kara Bach joins to chat about the entire show up through Season 4, volume 1, with spoilers! I…