The Simple Truth

12/3/25 - Brother Marcel Van, a Vietnamese Redemptorist known as the "Apostle of Love," grew up in a small Catholic village in northern Vietnam, where he experienced a profound personal conversion to Christ as a child. Embracing radical humility and mystical intimacy with God, he followed St. Thérèse of Lisieux's "Little Way," dedicating himself as the "heart of priests" through prayer, suffering,...

12/2/25 - Jim sits down with Dr. Marie Meaney to discuss her book "When Expecting Doesn't Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope." As a bioethicist, Dr. Meaney brings a wealth of knowledge on the ethical, medical, and spiritual dimensions of infertility and reproductive technologies. In this episode, she explores the journey of infertility and secondary infertility, how couples can nav...

12/1/25 - Dr. Joseph Meaney, Senior Fellow of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, examines the growing threats posed by artificial intelligence to human dignity, conscience, and the moral order. He warns that AI-driven technologies, if left unchecked, risk reducing human life to data, replacing personal responsibility with automated decision-making, and undermining the ethical foundations of m...

11/26/25 - Maria Esperanza de Bianchini was born on November 22, 1928, in Barrancas, Venezuela, and from the age of five experienced mystical visions, including Thérèse of Lisieux appearing from the Orinoco River and giving her a red rose. At twelve, gravely ill, she saw the Our Lady of the Valley, who foretold her mission to "help save this world," after which her health was miraculously restored...

11/25/25 - Bishop Joseph Strickland unpacks his pastoral letter, "The Truth About Vatican II", revealing that while the Council was born from holy intentions, it was also shaped by human frailty and deliberate infiltration that has contributed to widespread confusion in the Church. He explains how many of Vatican II's ambiguous teachings have been twisted into a "spirit of rupture" that undermines...

11/24/25 - Fr. Francis Mary Roaldi, CFR, joins us to address the deep wounds and hidden suffering experienced by women and men after abortion. With compassion, clarity, and the heart of a true shepherd, Fr. Roaldi explains why no sin is beyond God's mercy, how Christ longs to restore every soul, and what the Church offers for real healing—from the Sacrament of Confession to ministries like Rachel'...

11/21/26 - We explore the growing movement for legal and spiritual recognition of every pre-born child as a human person made in the image of God. As personhood becomes an increasingly urgent topic in the public square, we reflect on the Church's clear and unwavering teaching that human life must be protected from the moment of conception. We also highlight recent signs of hope, such as the Nation...

11/20/25 - Today on The Simple Truth, Jim Havens recaps the Men's March to Abolish Abortion as well as the Rally for Personhood. If you enjoy The Simple Truth and the other great Catholic programs from The Station of the Cross, please consider making a donation of any size to support our apostolate! As a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, your donations are tax deductible and help us to contin...

11/19/25 - We are joined today by Joanne Wright, co-founder of The Station of the Cross Catholic Media Network! If you enjoy The Simple Truth and the other great Catholic programs from The Station of the Cross, please consider making a donation of any size to support our apostolate! As a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, your donations are tax deductible and help us to continue spreading the...

11/18/25 - Bill Baaki, attorney and dedicated board member of the historic Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Fultonville, New York, shares the deeply personal journey that drew him into a life of faith, service, and devotion to the North American Martyrs. Bill reflects on the moments of grace, suffering, and providence that shaped his spiritual path, the role the Shrine played in strengthening his lov...

11/17/25 - Dr. Elizabeth Rex, president and co-founder of the Children First Foundation and one of the nation's leading advocates for "snowflake" embryo adoption, joins us for an in-depth Catholic examination of the moral questions surrounding the rescue and implantation of frozen embryos. Drawing on decades of pro-life research and testimony, Dr. Rex explains how embryo adoption developed in resp...

11/14/25 - We examine Bishop Joseph Strickland speaking out during the USCCB fall assembly about a confirmation liturgy on 8 November in which Gio Benítez - in a civil same‑sex marriage - was confirmed, his spouse acted as sponsor, and both received Holy Communion at a Mass concelebrated by James Martin, S.J. Bishop Strickland told the Committee on Doctrine, "Since we're in the area of doctrine… p...

11/13/25 - We welcome Ann Koshute, co-founder of Springs in the Desert, a Catholic ministry dedicated to walking with those struggling with infertility. Ann shares her own journey and the mission behind Springs in the Desert: to bring hope, understanding, and healing to men and women who often suffer in silence. We discuss the emotional, spiritual, and even marital challenges that accompany infert...

11/12/25 - Venerable Patrick Peyton was a priest whose devotion to the rosary reached millions worldwide. Born in 1909 in Ireland and later emigrating to the United States, Fr. Peyton experienced the hardships of immigrant life, which shaped his mission to strengthen families through prayer. As the founder of the Family Rosary Crusade, he used radio, television, and film to bring the rosary into h...

11/7/25 - Jim Havens and Father Stephen Imbarrato, co-founders of the National Men's March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood, look back on a powerful weekend in Boston, Massachusetts — a gathering of thousands of men of faith who marched, prayed, and publicly witnessed to the truth that abortion is the preeminent moral crisis of our time. Jim and Father Imbarrato share firsthand account...

11/6/25 - Many of the sharpest divisions between Catholics and Protestants trace back not to Scripture itself, but to how words and ideas have been interpreted across centuries of separation. Dr. Adam Van Wart, professor of theology at Ave Maria University, unpacks the roots of these misunderstandings and offers a path forward rooted in truth and charity. Dr. Van Wart explains how key debates - su...

11/5/25 - Teresa Helena Higginson (1844‑1905), born in Holywell, Wales, spent her life as a humble schoolteacher while living a remarkable hidden sanctity. From her childhood in a devout Catholic family to her work in schools across Wigan, Bootle, and Edinburgh, she quietly bore suffering, illness, and the challenges of teaching with unwavering faith. On Good Friday 1874, she received the first of...

11/4/25 - Dr. Gerald P. Boersma, Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University and Humboldt Fellow at the University of Tübingen, shares his personal journey of faith, scholarship, and conversion of heart through the wisdom of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. In this conversation, Dr. Boersma reflects on how studying the Church Fathers and the great scholastics deepened his love for Christ an...

10/31/25 - Tomorrow, men from across America will gather in Boston, Massachusetts, for the National Men's March to Abolish Abortion—and this is your final call to stand up for life. Join Jim Havens and Father Stephen Imbarrato, co-founders of the Men's March, as they deliver one last powerful invitation for men of faith and courage to take their rightful place in the public square, defend the unbo...

10/30/25 - Jim Havens sits down with pro-life powerhouse Pam Stenzel to preview this weekend's National Men's March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood, a bold public witness calling men of faith to rise up and lead in the defense of life. Pam shares how this movement is awakening Catholic and Christian men across the nation to take responsibility, speak truth, and stand for the dignity o...

10/29/25 - Servant of God Frank Duff (1889–1980) was an Irish layman whose deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary led to the founding of the Legion of Mary in Dublin in 1921. Rooted in the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort, Duff encouraged ordinary Catholics to become apostles through prayer, humility, and personal outreach. His vision transformed lay involvement in the Church, inspiring millio...

10/28/25 - Join us for a powerful and timely conversation with Bishop Joseph Strickland as he addresses the Catholic Church's moral duty to speak clearly and forcefully against abortion. Drawing from his recent pastoral letter, "Before I Formed You in the Womb, I Knew You," Bishop Strickland responds to Pope Leo XIV's recent remarks and the controversy surrounding Cardinal Cupich's decision to hon...

10/27/25 - We're joined by Allan Parker Jr., President of The Justice Foundation, as he shares the history, mission, and spiritual conviction behind one of America's most influential pro-life legal ministries. Founded in 1993, The Justice Foundation provides free legal representation to protect life, faith, and family while defending the constitutional and moral foundations of our nation. Parker,...

10/24/25 - Jim and Father Imbarrato faithfully unpack remarks made by Tucker Carlson at a Turning Point USA campus event at Indiana University, in which he characterized abortion as "murder… the same ritual that every civilization ever studied has engaged in… human sacrifice," and asserted that "the only thing that matters is having children" in contrast to pursuing career ambitions. We'll examine...

10/23/25 - Catholic filmmaker Royce Hood shares the extraordinary story behind Incorruptible: The Life and Faith of Sister Wilhelmina, a new Catholic film that explores the miraculous discovery and profound holiness of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, foundress of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. When her body was discovered remarkably preserved four years after her death in 2019, the worl...