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The editing for this week's normal episode has been delayed by hazardous air conditions.  But never fear!  Nicholas comes to you from his home studio to talk a little about the shows we have coming up as well as our plan for Advent this year.  Tune in to listen to Nicholas and Cassius the Cat as we explore some of the exciting content we have in store for you!

On September 7th, 2025, we will be canonizing the first two saints under the papacy of Pope Leo XIV:  Carlo Acutis, known as the first millennial saint, and Pier Giorgio Frassati.  Who were these two young men?  What were their contributions to the Church and the people of God?  Lydia Schmidt, our associate producer, joins us to look at the lives of these two holy men.

2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the first of what came to be known as ecumenical councils.  Nicea, and the many subsequent councils held by the titans of the church, has helped to codify our beliefs and teachings and promote greater understanding of the precepts of our faith.  The Catholic Church we know today was built on the foundations of the unity these councils esta...

Padre Pio is coming to St. Francis Xavier in Missoula, Montana!  On August 25th and 26th, people will have the wonderful opportunity to venerate this marvelous saint of healing.  This is known as a devotion, which is a practice of faith which may involve prayer or other activities but is not part of official liturgy and doctrine.  It is meant to deepen our love and reverence for God and those who...

The word 'miracle' is often used to describe a variety of positive occurrences: a good day, a gorgeous sunrise, or the birth of a child.  These may be wonderful things, but a miracle as defined by the Catholic Church is a highly specific concept.  There is a process for determining whether or not a phenomenon qualifies, involving exhaustive testing and evaluation by the Vatican, scientis...

Religious liberty is not just a concept enshrined by secular governments.  It is also taught as a critical piece of Catholic social teaching.  The Second Vatican Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom, Dignitatis Humanae, promulgated on December 7th, 1965, by Pope Paul VI, gives Catholics an essential framework for understanding our duties when interacting with the secular world and with...

In scripture, the Lord often calls us to charity.  We are charged, as God's people, to take care of one another unconditionally.  From charitable works to serving as honor guard, the Knights of Columbus serve as a solid foundation and a beacon of hope in their communities.  Join us as Bob Lawrence delves into the history and purpose of the Knights of Columbus.

When we are in mourning, we hardly feel blessed.  Grief can shatter us in mind and spirit, it can take a heavy toll on the body, and it can devastate our faith.  In these moments of weakness it is often difficult to see the light.  The love of God is always there, but sometimes we can render ourselves numb to His compassion.  But God can use our grief to help others and to build a bridge between u...

It is hard to imagine Christianity without the prophets of old.  They correct us when we've gone astray and speak to God on our behalf.  Most importantly, they point to the coming of our Savior.  Their words ring true throughout the ages, touching our hearts and guiding us even today.  Many women also had the role of a prophet, though their contributions of often tragically overlooked.  Fr Vi...

One of the core Catholic experiences is participation in the Rite of Reconciliation, commonly known as Confession.  We reflect on where we have fallen short of God's expectations and bring this to a priest who serves as Christ's messenger of absolution.  Beyond the rote recitation of sins, it is an invitation to go deeper into our own nature with the intent of not just identifying our si...

The Summa Theologica is a masterpiece in the Catholic lexicon.  St. Thomas Aquinas beautifully lays out a logical way of understanding God and our faith.  Our episode today specifically concerns his proofs of the existence of God.  Using human reasoning and our understanding of the world around us, St. Thomas expertly explains this deepest of mysteries.  To help us understand these concepts better...

In 2022, St Francis Xavier Parish was blessed by the arrival of Father Paul Cochran.  In his time here he has proven vital to our community.  Whether delivering moving homilies or mentoring the faithful, his service to this parish has earned him the love of its congregation.  The path that brought him to us is a fascinating one, full of lessons and inspiration.  In this episode, Nicholas has the h...

Throughout history, the Holy Spirit has moved our faith to greater understanding of God's remit for us.   As our society has evolved over the last century, the ways in which women participate in and shape our faith have expanded and become more prominent.  From the heroines of the Old Testament to the devoted disciples of Christ, women have walked with the Spirit in a myriad of ways.  In this...

Catholicism has a deep tradition of faith and science, but scientific approaches rarely allow for the role of God in our observations of the physical universe.  Fr Ed Kohler proposes a new paradigm to unify hard science with our understanding of God's creation.  Part theology, part physics, Divine Mechanics provide a bridge between the two.   Further explorations of the world of Divine Mechan...

1.4 billion voices lifted in joy on May 8th when the announcement rang out: Habemus Papam!  Though his Papacy is only just taking form, we can see much of the character of Leo XIV in his Augustinian charism, his missionary work in the world, and his cardinalate.  The name Leo also has great historic significance that gives us a vision of his hopes for our future.  Fr Hightower joins us to give som...

Early on Easter Monday in the Jubilee Year 2025, Pope Francis went home to the Lord.  His legacy is sure to be one of compassion and humanity, always focusing on and lifting up the voices of the poor and disenfranchised, in the spirit of the Jesuit charism of drawing in the people of God rather than hiding behind a veil of clericalism.  The first Pope from the Americas, as well as the first Pope f...

Easter is more than just a single day.  True, one Sunday a year we dedicate our joy to our risen Lord, but the Easter Season continues for the next 40 (+10) days.  During this time, we are invited to reflect on what Jesus was trying to teach his disciples after his resurrection, to transform them from followers into true missionaries.  In contemplating this within the context of our own lives, we...

The third day of the Eucharistic Congress for the Diocese of Helena culminates with a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Helena, a Eucharistic Procession to Carroll College, and a Benediction at All Saints Chapel.  Our Eucharistic Congress commentary is capped off by an interview with Dr. Hannah Hemphill, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at Carroll, where we explore the origins and evolution of E...

The second day of the Eucharistic Congress was by far the most busy.  From sun up to sun down there were both general presentations and more in-depth explorations concerning all manner of topics around the Eucharist.  The first of our interviews features Brooke, a high-schooler from Helena who shares with us a touching and inspirational story of conversion.  The second interview is with Dr. Charle...

In our first episode covering the Eucharistic Congress for the Diocese of Helena, we set the stage for the upcoming days.  Alex Kautzky, the Diocese of Helena's Director of Pro Life, Faith, and Evangelization and one of the main organizers for this event, brings us through the preparations for an event of this scale and the Diocese's faith formation mission.  Dr. John Ries, Professor of...

It is time once again for the Novena of Grace here at St. Francis Xavier Parish.  This year's presenter is Dr. Katherine Greiner, an Associate Professor of Theology at Carroll College in Helena, MT.  Her topic is the Poverty of Spirit spoken of in Matthew 25, specifically the need for God's presence and support in our lives.  Nicholas sits down with Dr. Greiner to discuss this commonly m...

In this episode we cultivate a deeper understanding of gratitude, patience, temperance, and diligence.  Fr Cochran joins Nicholas for the second half of our discussion regarding the Seven Heavenly Virtues.  

When deciding how to engage with others, we take as inspiration the virtues laid out for us by our faith.  Virtue is integral to the practice of the Christian faith, and it is our responsibility to cultivate it through moral discernment.  We do so not only to practice good deeds, but to avoid falling into sin.  Father Cochran joins us to explore the first of our Heavenly Virtues, and the roots of...

A Jubilee Year are special times in the calendar of the Catholic Church.  With its origins in the celebration prescribed by God in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, it invites us to contemplate God's love and grace, seek redemption from our sins, and be a sign of God's mercy to those around us.   Shai Hill joins us to talk about the opportunities we can take to deepen our faith during...

We continue our exploration of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic faith by looking into the Sacraments of Service: Reconciliation, Anointing, and the vocations of holy orders and marriage.  These sacraments invite us to open our hearts to the will of God by intimately sharing with one another our inmost frailty and strength.  They represent our continuing and evolving relationship with the Churc...