Bridge Builder Podcast

In this episode we’re discussing the intersection of faith and science. In our world that seems to be increasingly consumed with a need for data and science is there still room for faith? How can the Church respond to this increasing scientism? Will address some of these questions and more with nationally recognized author, speaker, and educator Dr. Stacy Trasancos. Professor Trasancos teaches in...

In this episode we continue our “Catholics at the Capitol” feature where we speak with Catholics who are working at the state capitol in a variety of ways. We are speaking with Representative Jon Koznick of District 58-A which covers Lakeville, one of 36 Catholics currently serving in the state legislature. He has his bachelors in marketing from St. Cloud State. He and his wife have two children....

In this episode we have a great discussion about the role of faith in how judges make decisions. Should their faith influence outcomes? Plus, we delve into the potential impacts the Supreme Court’s decision on an employment discrimination case could have down the line especially for religious employers. We are joined by Professor Hadley Arkes the Founder and Director of the James Wilson Institute...

In this episode we have a great discussion about G.K. Chesterton – who was Chesterton and why is he still relevant today especially when it comes to bridging the gap between faith and politics. We are now joined by Dale Ahlquist, President of the American Chesterton Society and The Chesterton Schools Network and co-founder of Chesterton Academy in Minneapolis. In our mailbag segment we’re talking...

In this episode we have a great discussion on a Supreme Court Case that was heard this fall. A decision in the Fulton v. City of Philadelphia case is expected this spring and it could have vast implications for religious liberty in the United States. We are joined by Nick Reaves. He serves as legal counsel at Becket where his practice is focused on First Amendment and appellate litigation. In our...

In this episode we have a great discussion on engaging in politics in a post-Christian era. Plus, we discuss Pope Francis’ recent encyclical “Fratelli Tutti’ – on fraternity and social friendship covers a lot of ground. We’re going to examine what the Holy Father has to say in his letter about engaging in politics. We are joined by Dr. Bill McCormick, SJ who is a research fellow at St. Louis Unive...

In this episode we have a great discussion on what impacts the newly elected Congress and the next presidential administration could have on the poor and vulnerable. We are joined by Anthony Granado the Vice President of Government Relations for Catholic Charities USA whose mission it is to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire chur...

We have on the show Michelle Benson. Senator Benson is a republican senator from Ham Lake, Minnesota. She served as Deputy Majority Leader in the Minnesota State Senate and Chair of the Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee. She was originally elected in 2010 and began her service in 2011. In our mailbag segment we’re covering a question about presidential powers – why does the pr...

In this episode we have a great discussion on Christ the King and not only the celebration of this feast but delving into what Christ’s kingship means for issues of religious liberty. We are joined by Dan Balserak. Dan is the Director of Religious Liberty and Assistant General Counsel at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In our mailbag segment we’re covering a question about helping friends...

In this episode we're going to talk about the Church's participation in public life and how Catholics can engage effectively after the election results have come in. We are joined by Russell Shaw is the author of more than twenty books, including three novels and volumes on ethics and moral theology, the Catholic laity, clericalism, the abuse of secrecy in the Church, and other topics. In our mail...

In this episode we’re talking about the Civil Rights Act and the impacts it continues to have on society today. We’ll be speaking with Christopher Caldwell, the author of “The Age of Entitlement: America since the sixties.” He is journalist and a former senior editor at The Weekly Standard, as well as a regular contributor to the Financial Times and Slate. He is a senior fellow at the Claremont In...

In this episode we’re talking about the role of Catholic and other private schools in forming students who go on to form more stable families. We are joined by Brad Wilcox. He is an associate professor in the department of sociology at the University of Virginia, where he directs the National Marriage Project. Wilcox is also a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he d...

In this episode we’re talking about the ethics of a COVID-19 vaccine with Dr. John Di Camillo a staff ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center. Dr. Di Camillo has been a full-time staff ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center since 2011. His work includes moral analyses of Catholic health care affiliations and of health insurance plans and claims. He provides ethics education...

In this episode we’re talking about totalitarianism and the newly released book, “Live not by Lies: A manual for Christian dissidents.” We are joined by Rod Dreher, author of the Amazon #1 best seller, “Live not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents”. Mr. Dreher is a senior editor at The American Conservative. He has written and edited for the New York Post, The Dallas Morning News, National...

In this episode we’re talking with about racism, the Church’s response and what can be done from a policy perspective to promote racial equity. We are joined by Dr. Jacqueline Rivers, the director of the Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies. She earned her doctorate in African-American Studies and Sociology at Harvard University. Dr. Rivers is a doctoral fellow in the Multidiscipl...

In this episode we’re talking with Sr. Norma Pimentel who is executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley to learn more about the realities of life at the United States southern border. It’s a timely topic as we’ve just marked Immigration Sunday Minnesota which coincided with World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sunday, September 27th. In our mailbag segment we’re covering a...

In this episode we’re talking with newly retired Archbishop Robert Carlson of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Some of our listeners will recall him from his time here in Minnesota. Formerly he served as Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Bishop of Sioux Falls, and Bishop of Saginaw. We’re speaking with him about gender identity ideology. In our mailbag segment we’re covering a timely ques...

In this episode we’re talking about questions surrounding where people live, the economic and societal influences and even how COVID-19 may continue to influence these aspects of life. We’re joined by James Howard Kunstler. He is an author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger. He is best known for his books The Geography of Nowhere, a history of American suburbia and urban development, The...

In this episode, election day is drawing nearer so we’re talking about living out our call to be faithful citizens and what that means in the realm of politics and public life. We’re joined by Dr. Steven Millies, associate professor of public theology and director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union. In our mailbag segment we’re covering a question about policies impacting Cathol...

In this episode we’re talking about the importance of family, community, and industry to the nation's liberty and prosperity. We’re joined by Oren Cass. Oren is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the executive director of American Compass, whose mission is to restore an economic consensus that emphasizes the importance of family, community, and industry to the nation's liberty and prosperity. Pr...

In today’s episode we’re talking about Christopher Columbus, the expansion of Christendom to the New World, and how history is memorialized. We are joined by Dr. Robert Royal, the founder and President of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C. and Editor-in-Chief of The Catholic Thing. Dr. Royal is the author of many fine books including “1492 and All That” which discusses the journey an...

In today’s episode we’re talking about religious liberty – its roots, and the relationship it has with the state. We are joined by Dr. Robert Louis Wilkin. Robert Louis Wilken is a Distinguished Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Virginia. Dr. Wilken is the author of 10 books, including “Liberty in the Things of God...

In today’s episode we’re talking about stewarding God’s creation and diving into the concept of integral ecology ahead of the upcoming World Day of Care for Creation on September 1st. We are joined by Bill Jacobs, Founder and Executive Director of the Saint Kateri Conservation Center. In his day job, Bill is the co-founder and program manager of the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area. Bi...

In today’s episode we are joined by by Dr. Michael Hanby Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy of Science at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America. We talk about the intersection of philosophy, science, and technology and the moral dilemmas our culture is creating, and how Christians can respond both in politics and...

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Gladden Pappin, assistant professor of politics at the University of Dallas. Dr. Pappin frequently writes on the contemporary political situation, especially as it relates to Church. He earned his bachelor’s in history and doctorate in government from Harvard before co-founding the journal American Affairs which examines public policy and political thought. In...