The Benedictine Dialogues

Artificial intelligence can flatter our desires, guide us on DIY projects, console us in troubles, and even mimic the dead. But can it ever be a conscious companion? In this episode, Dr. Marielle Courtois is joined by Fr. Anselm Ramelow, who asked whether our obsession with artificial intelligence is really revealing a deeper crisis, that we have forgotten what a human being is. Before we ask what...

Kevin Matthews is a Chicago radio legend whose comedy brought entertainment to millions. When his health crumbled, and his fame began to fade, Matthews discovered redemption in a discarded statue of Mary. He now travels internationally spreading Marian devotion to the broken. Matthews’ story is told in the documentary feature, Broken Mary. His travels have brought him all the way to the Vatican an...

C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were the most powerful literary voices of the 20th century. The story of their unbreakable friendship is told in the five part documentary The Forge of Friendship by Eastgate Creative. We invited two of the filmmakers, Ralph Linhardt, and Kirk Manton, to sit down with Michael Coy, content production manager and associate professor for the Center for Catholic Media at...

Classical education is pivotal in preparing students to transform the culture in America. And Catholic institutions like Benedictine College are leading the way. They deserve the best of organizational health, the spiritual life, and strong community among staff and faculty. We invited three experts to discuss these challenges and solutions. The college's Director of Graduate Programs and Classica...

Mike Sweeney is a Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer, a 5 time MLB All-Star, and a former Benedictine College commencement speaker. He now serves in player development for the Royals and he was on campus to share his passion for the Catholic Faith and offer our students guidance in their spiritual and professional lives. Listen in as we discuss his spiritual journey, his advice to young athletes, an...

T.K. Coleman is a philosophical minimalist and a convert to the Catholic faith. He has personally coached thousands of people to unpack the baggage that weighs them down in their pursuit of a simpler, lighthearted life. Listen in as we discuss the power of prayer and scripture, the problem with emotional clutter, and the incredible grace he has received through the rosary and eucharistic adoration...

Matt Fradd is an internationally acclaimed evangelist, author, and podcast creator. He is the founder of Pints with Aquinas, the immensely popular podcast with almost 800,000 followers, which has just recently been picked up by the Daily Wire. He was on campus to speak to our students about his latest book, Jesus Our Refuge. We invited him to the studio to discuss the cultural landscape, the state...

Artificial Intelligence promises a massive shift in society, culture, and the human experience. How will the Church respond? To explore this topic in depth we brought on two contributors to ENCOUNTERING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, a book written in cooperation with the Holy See. Dr. Paul Scherz is the Our Lady of Guadalupe Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Mariele Courtois is...

Saint John Henry Newman is being inducted as a doctor of the church. So we asked Dr. Matthew Muller, who is an assistant professor of theology and the Director of the Symposium on Transforming Culture at Benedictine College, to come by the studio to discuss Newman’s life, ideas, and his lasting legacy in the Church. Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time....

Kelsey Reinhardt is the president and CEO of CatholicVote, a nonprofit that advocates for Catholic principles in American politics. She was on campus to guest lecture for the president’s leadership class. So we invited her to the studio to discuss the work of CatholicVote and her insights on how Catholics can participate in political life.   Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America o...

Siobhan Fallon Hogan is an actress, comedian, writer, and producer known for her roles in Forrest Gump, Men In Black, Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and much more. She was on campus for a film screening of her newest movie, Shelter in Solitude, and guest lectured for our Department of Theatre and Dance. We asked her to visit the studio to discuss her career, projects, and offer advice to young fil...

Arthur Brooks is a New York Times Best-Selling Author (Build the Life You Want, The Happiness Files) and Professor at Harvard School of Business. He was on campus at Benedictine College as the 2025 Convocation Speaker. He sat down with Dr. Jared Zimmerer to discuss his work on how to help people live a happy life through science and ideas. Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one...

Doctor John Bishop is the founder of FORGE, a ministry forming men in virtue. He is an alumnus of Benedictine, and was on campus for the Symposium on Transforming Culture here at Benedictine College, where he spoke about the great need to continue forming men of all ages in virtuous masculinity, in the image of Christ. I invited him to the studio to discuss the state of masculinity today, and many...

Pia de Solenni is an internationally recognized Catholic theologian and speaker. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Catholic Register; she has appeared on CNN, ABC News, and other television programs. Solenni is an alumna of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum where she earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. On November 8, 20...

Bishop James Conley serves as the Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska. He has been a long-time champion of the study of the liberal arts, and the ways in which they enlighten both the mind and the soul. He was on campus to offer a lecture for the Sheridan Center for Classical Studies. So I invited him to the studio to continue the discussion on the great books, education and the human person. Sheridan Cen...

Tom Hoopes is the Vice President of College Relations at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Through his time at the college he has worked with the administration to create unprecedented growth at one of the best Catholic colleges in America.

Fr. José Granados is the Superior General of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He is a Co-founder and President of the Veritas Amoris Project. Listen in as he and Jared Zimmerer discuss challenges facing marriage today, the crisis of meaning in the culture, and the hope that Christ offers in his life and the Eucharist. To learn more about Benedictine College and schedule a campus visi...

Hallow is the most popular prayer app in the  world and the most popular Catholic app. It offers audio-guided meditation sessions to help you grow in faith, peace, and a relationship with Christ. Listen in as I sit down with one of the co-founders and CEO of Hallow, Alex Jones. Where we discuss the origins of the idea for the app, Alex’s journey of faith, and the incredible growth since its incept...

Tim Carney is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a senior columnist at the Washington Examiner, and an author of numerous books including his latest, Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. Listen in as Tim and Jared discuss the problems facing the American family today and the political, cultural, and economic structures at the root...

Dr. Jason Baxter is the Director of the Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College. His written works include The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis and A Beginner’s Guide to Dante’s Divine Comedy, among others, and he is currently working on an original translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy with the Inferno to be released on September 22nd. His series on Dante's Divine Comedy can be viewed here...

Dr. Joseph Wurtz is the Dean of Students and the Executive Director of the Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. A graduate of Benedictine himself, Dr. Wurtz has served the college for decades in numerous roles in the Student Life Office. In this episode, Dr. Wurtz speaks to Dr. Jared Zimmerer about leadership principles from a Catholic perspective, the n...

In this special episode of The Benedictine Dialogues, Dr. Jared Zimmerer sits down with Dr. Matthew Ramage, Fr. Daniel Cardó, and Dr. Michael Dominic Taylor to discuss the life and works of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). Fr. Cardó is the editor of a new volume entitled "The Cambridge Companion to Joseph Ratzinger," and Dr. Ramage and Dr. Taylor have each published essays in the companion. L...

Marcie Stokman is the Founder and President of Well-Read Mom, an international movement and book club. She is a former nurse practitioner in mental health and home school educator. In this episode, she sits down with Dr. Michelle Zaleski, Assistant Professor of English and Writing Center Director at Benedictine College. Listen in as they discuss the encouragement of community among women, her visi...

Jake Tawney serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies, a network of classical charters schools across multiple states. Previously he taught high school mathematics and computer science, and courses in in Euclid and the philosophy of mathematics at Josephinum, a Pontifical college. Listen in as we discuss the definition of classical education, the nature of mathematics and its...

Dr. Anika Prather taught in the classics department at Howard University as a full-time lecturer. She is an international speaker on the topic of the relevance of classical studies to the Black community. She is the co-author of "The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature." Listen in as we discuss the history of classical education in America, why great books can hea...