Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full Hours

Segment 1: How Peru Shaped Pope Leo XIV (2 segments) When Pope Leo XIV visits Peru next week, it won’t be just an ordinary papal trip. It will be more like a homecoming. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news. Segment 2: Understanding your Spouse’s Four Deepest Needs (2 segments) Most couples don’t drift apart because they stop caring. They drift apart because they stop understandin...

Segment 1: Let Jesus heal your resentment We all long for peace in our lives, but our peace suffers when we let political conflict seep into our hearts. God has claimed our hearts through His covenant with us. Today’s Responsorial Psalm proclaims “Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.” It reminds us to be grateful in remembrance. It reaches directly into our resentment. Marcus has more. Segm...

Segment 1: Election brings mixed results for pro-lifers The midterms brought mixed results for pro-lifers on state ballot initiatives. Missouri voters rejected a constructional amendment that would have repealed the state’s 2024 right to abortion, while Virginia decisively voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that embeds expansive abortion rights into the state Constitution. And in Idaho,...

Segment 1: The Perils of Political Deification There are many takeaways from the midterm elections. Democrats have achieved a massive victory, flipping Senate seats they have not held in Decades and securing control of both chambers of Congress. Analysts say the results show a clear rejection of Donald Trump – but the issue is bigger than that. The Trump phenomenon is a symptom of a larger problem...

Segment 1: When Politics divides a Family A survey published by the APA Newsroom found that 21% of Americans have become estranged from a family member, 22% have blocked a family member on social media, and 19% have skipped a family event because of disagreements over controversial topics. As we wrap up a contentious political cycle just in time for the holidays, we speak with Dr. Greg Popcak. Seg...

Segment 1: “Every knee shall bow” In today’s First Reading, St Paul promises that one day, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow. These words were especially provocative at a time when emperors claimed divine honor and demanded worship from their subjects. They’re also important words to keep in mind as we elect our new leaders. The fullness of Christ’s scriptures and revelation can bring abo...

Segment 1: Why pray for the Dead? (2 segments) To many people, even many Christians, purgatory is a fantasy or worse, a wicked lie invented by the Church to make salvation complicated and keep people in fear. But apologist Karlo Broussard says that purgatory is fact, not fiction. The Bible supports it, Christians have historically believed in it, and it makes theological sense. He joins us. Segmen...

Segment 1: “Pray for the Living and the Dead” This weekend, nine people boarded a private jet in Florida, fully expecting to reach their definition. Their lives ended in a devastating crash. Detroit Lions star linebacker Jack Campbell went to make a routine tackle – and suffered a devastating neck injury that left him in the hospital through at least Monday evening. On this All Souls Day, Marcus r...

Segment 1: “Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus delivers the Beatitudes. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. Segment 2: The Gift of Sainthood (2 segments) On Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. We talk about the saints, and their families, with Patrick O’Hearn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscrib...

Segment 1: Why would a bishop say the Church “isn’t here to convert?” In an interview with Belgian media, Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers reflected on the role of the Church in Algerian society, noting that “We are the Church of this people. Not a proselytising Church, not a Church that is there to convert, but a Church that aspires to be one of the components of this people.” Why would a bish...

Segment 1: With the midterms approaching, what do Catholics value? (2 segments) A new survey from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate finds that the majority of Catholic voters cite the cost of living, inflation and unemployment as higher priorities than life issues. Matthew Bunson joins us with more. Segment 2: Lying and “the Right to the Truth” (2 segments) It’s a classic moral puz...

Segment 1: The Strange Slavery of Addiction Matthew Perry died on October 28, 2023. While the public knew him for his leading role on one of the top sitcoms of the 1990s, he battled massive addictions to drugs and alcohol. Marcus explores the spiritual battle of addiction. Segment 2: What to do when your diocese restructures Across the US and the Western world, Catholic dioceses are undergoing sig...

Segment 1: Religious freedom is a foreign policy priority Each year on Oct. 27, the U.S. marks International Religious Freedom Day, the anniversary of the 1998 law that made defending conscience abroad a standing aim of American foreign policy. The observance is best understood as a statement about what keeps a country stable, ours included. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has more. Segment 2: Would You At...

Segment 1: Patriotism emerges from our Christian identity. Why do we obey the law? Because we love the Lord first. Why do we follow civic virtues that are necessary for the flourishing of society? Because we love the Lord first. Our patriotism must emerge from our Christian identity. Genuine love for our country becomes increasingly virtuous only when our national commitments are governed by the m...

Segment 1: Persecuted and Forgotten: The Latest Data on Christians Worldwide The latest report from Aid to the Church in Need shows that millions of Christians around the world continue to live under persecution. Ed Clancy has the latest data. Segment 2: Bishops: Don’t apologize for doing your duty Multiple US Bishops have now issued apologies or clarifying statements following a controversial pho...

Xavier Randolph: Racing Towards Heaven (4 segments) Last summer, Catholics in Ann Arbor and beyond mourned the loss of Xavier Randolph, a young man who died in a drowning accident on Lake Michigan. Xavier loved to run, he loved his family and friends, and he had a deep love for Jesus. His brother Peter, who is now a priest, preached a powerful homily at his funeral and his family has been a remark...

Segment 1: What Good Is Sacred Tradition? (2 segments) Some Protestants object to the Catholic view on Sacred Tradition on the grounds that we can’t know its content the way we can know the content of Scripture. Tom Nash joins us. Segment 2: Thinking Politics through a Catholic Lens (2 segments) The Church has always taught that the Gospel bears social implications, shaping how Christians live in...

Segment 1: “Behave like God as his very dear children” Our good works don’t earn salvation, but they are a direct participation in Christ’s ongoing work of sanctifying our souls. Our covenant relationship with the Father stipulates that we strive for obedience to him and work to evangelize the world. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Should the bishops pray for Trump? A group of US bishops were recently...

Segment 1: What is the Greatest Commandment? (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, the Pharisees approach Jesus with another question – which is the greatest commandment? Rob Corzine joins us to unpack the readings. Segment 2: Dawkins’ Delusions: Has the New Atheism gotten Old? (2 segments) In October 2006, Richard Dawkins published his book “The God Delusion.” As one of the “Four Horsemen” of the...

Segment 1: Communism always leads to Tyranny Seventy years ago today, thousands of Hungarians took to the streets of Budapest in defiance of the Communist government, demanding the fundamental freedoms we take for granted every day. The reprisal was swift and brutal. Events like this should remind us how extraordinarily privileged we are to inhabit a civilization whose political institutions were...

Segment 1: Father Ripperger agrees to 1-year ‘fast’ from public speaking (2 segments) Archbishop James Golka of Denver has asked Father Chad Ripperger to take a yearlong break from public speaking and interviews. Matthew Bunson joins us with a look at this and other Church news. Segment 2: How John Paul II changed the world (2 segments) Today we celebrate the Feast of John Paul II, one of the most...

Segment 1: The Supernatural Transformation of the Human Person In today’s First Reading, St. Paul writes about how salvation involves the supernatural transformation of the human person through the indwelling of God. He prays that Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith. Christ’s love surpasses our human knowledge. Its infinite excellence exceeds the complete comprehension of any created int...

Segment 1: Religious Liberty on Display in Virginia Catholics in all 70 parishes of the Diocese of Arlington heard the same letter read from the pulpit last month. Bishop Michael Burbidge asked every priest to urge a “no” vote on the two amendments to the Virginia Constitution that voters will decide on Nov. 3. This is religious liberty at work, and in much of the world a bishop who did it would p...

Segment 1: Religion can save the West In recent years, more and more scholars - even those that don’t profess a Christian faith - have recognized the positive effect religion has on society. Marcus reflects on how a renewal of religious conviction can help save society. Segment 2: The Grace of Gratitude Studies are showing that gratitude is on the decline in the developed world. We have lost our s...

Segment 1: What is Pastoral Counseling? With the mental health crisis reaching unprecedented levels, the Church is finding the role she can play in counseling. What is pastoral counseling, and how does it differ from clinical counseling and spiritual direction? Segment 2: Bishop removes St Michael prayer from end of Mass Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville, Tennessee has ordered priests to stop prayi...