Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full Hours

Segment 1: The Day I Met Fulton Sheen Matthew Bunson was a seven-year-old boy living in Hawaii the day his family hosted Fulton Sheen for dinner. He shares some memories. Segment 2: The enduring power of the Constitution On September 17th, citizens of the United States celebrate Constitution Day. The Constitution has extraordinary durability. It’s encouraged generations to quote it reverently. But...

Segment 1: What forgiveness demands In today’s Gospel, Jesus meets a sinful woman, who anoints his feet with oil. Jesus tells her that her sins are forgiven. Forgiveness is far deeper than the mere “cancellation” of sin. And receiving forgiveness from Jesus changes what we are capable of giving to others who’ve wounded us. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Matthew’s Gospel – the Key to Jesus (3 segments...

Segment 1: Chicago Nuns exempt from assisted suicide law The Archdiocese of Chicago and a group of Catholic religious sisters won a temporary reprieve against Illinois’s assisted suicide law this week, with a federal judge ordering the state not to enforce the law against the Catholic objectors while a federal lawsuit continues. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has the details. Segment 2: A Firsthand Look a...

Segment 1: The Corrective Role of Religion Pope Benedict XVI is well known for his profound teachings on Faith and Reason, and pointed out that religion plays a “corrective role” in the pursuit of Reason. Marcus has more. Segment 2: UK Parliament rejects assisted suicide The UK Parliament has voted not to legalize assisted suicide in the nation, a move many are calling an unexpected victory for th...

Segment 1: The Difference between Guilt and Scrupulosity Guilt can serve a healthy purpose and can even become an important part of living a healthy and abundant life. But it can also cause problems when it transforms into scrupulosity. We talk about it with Dr. Greg Popcak. Segment 2: Sorrowful Sanctification One of the strange ironies of the Christian life is that sorrow and suffering are to be...

Segment 1: Love: It’s more than a feeling Pope Leo recently reflected how love is much more than a fleeting feeling. Our hearts long for love, and this longing reminds us that our very nature was created for love. Marcus has more. Segment 2: The Unknown Sorrows of Mary (3 segments) Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Mary suffered far more than the traditional Seven Sorrows that w...

Segment 1: AOC Claims of “Modern-Day Lynching” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has publicly claimed that there has been a recent onslaught of “modern day lynchings,” citing several cases of Black Americans found hanged. However, investigations have found that most of these tragic cases were suicides, while others are still unresolved. Lynching has a specific history. Treating that word as...

Segment 1: The central symbol of the Christian life Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Cross is the central symbol of the Christian life. It is the place where all of history reaches its divinely intended goal. Those who embrace the cross long for the salvation that comes from it. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Alzheimer’s Patients in the Crosshairs of Self-Starvati...

Segment 1: “How often must I forgive?” (2 segments) The readings this Sunday are dominated by themes of mercy and forgiveness. “Wrath and anger are hateful things,” we hear from Sirach. “The Lord is kind and merciful” we say in the Responsorial Psalm. And in the Gospel, Jesus tells Peter he must forgive his brother seventy-seven times. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. Segment 2: Can Americ...

Segment 1: “Never Forgetting” 9/11 means being honest about its cause When the Jewish people celebrate Passover, they recite a millennia-old question: “Why is tonight different from all other nights?” Commemorating important events is an essential part of preserving our heritage. When the attacks happened on September 11, Americans swore to “never forget.” But Never Forgetting means being honest a...

Segment 1: Confusion at the Catholic Biblical Association? (2 segments) The Catholic Biblical Association has announced a conference exploring issues of women and gender. With topics like “Queering Resistance at Masada” and “Sarai and Eve as Intercessors in Apocalyptic Imagination,” it seems to be presenting some confusion takes on a Biblical view on gender. Matthew Bunson has more on this and oth...

Segment 1: God dwells among His people Today’s Office of the Readings reflects on what it means to dwell in the House of the Lord. It can be easy to take for granted how radical an idea this is – to have a God who wants to dwell among His people. But this was a historically novel concept – the God who created the universe didn’t only appear when He had received enough sacrifices. Marcus has more....

Segment 1: Florida’s Catholic School Vaccine Fight Doesn’t Need a Winner and a Loser Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s clash with the state’s Catholic bishops over vaccine policy in Catholic schools threatens the eligibility of Catholic schools to participate in Florida’s universal school choice program. Andrea Picciotit-Bayer believes this case does not need a winner or a loser - Florida...

Segment 1: “Blessed are They...” - The Promises of the Beatitudes In today’s Gospel, we hear from the Beatitudes. Blessed are those who suffer, for they will be comforted. When we suffer for Jesus, He sees that suffering and will reward us in the next life. The Father in Heaven wants you to consecrate every fiber of your being to Him. So ask yourself right now, what is the 10%, the 20% that you’re...

Segment 1: A Catholic Guide to Postpartum Depression (2 segments) Postpartum depression affects about one in seven new moms. The good news is that, with proper treatment, research shows that the vast majority of mothers make a full recovery. Dr. Greg Popcak joins us with a look at some things that Catholic moms (and the people who love them) need to know about postpartum illness. Segment 2: Nation...

Segment 1: The “most boring passage in the Bible” - isn’t Today’s Gospel for the Nativity of Mary traces the Genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Abraham. At first glance, it may seem to be one of the more boring passages in the Gospels. But this meticulously detailed list is key to understanding Jesus’ identity as Messiah. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother! Today we cel...

Segment 1: A Family-Focused Approach to Consumption (2 segments) Our consumption decisions should be focused on the needs of our family members. This requires attention to unglamorous factors such as budgets and nutritional requirements, instead of being up-to-date with the brands and campaigns that purport to solve the world’s problems by selling us products. Clara Piano discusses what this means...

Segment 1: “Too many non-working holidays?” A 2025 Truth Social post from President Trump resurfaced in the lead up to Labor Day this year. In the post, he writes that America has “too many non-working holidays.” He’s not the first to express such a sentiment – some people, even well-meaning Catholics, can fall into the trap of thinking that a work-rest balance is a sign of sloth. Marcus looks at...

Segment 1: “If your brother sins against you” (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus lays out the steps for how we should respond when someone does us wrong. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. Segment 2: The Real Legacy Of Gloria Steinem (2 segments) Glowing obituaries are pouring in after the death of feminist icon Gloria Steinem, It is hard to overstate her influence upon Western wome...

Segment 1: What it means to be “Poor in Spirit” In today’s Office of the Readings, Pope St. Leo the Great reflects on the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” The word poor, from the Greek word patokos, describes someone who has been reduced to depending upon another for his sustenance. What Jesus is effectively trying to say here is blessed are those...

Segment 1: Catholic Church Weighs Legal Challenge to New Anti-Conversion Law in India (2 segments) Indiaʼs Maharashtra state enacted a sweeping anti-conversion law on Aug. 28, prompting Catholic leaders to call for prayer and a legal challenge. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news. Segment 2: The Sacred Heart: Our Light in the Darkness (2 segments) More than 350 years ago, Jesus u...

Segment 1: What a Tornado taught me about St. Gregory (2 segments) Just before we went on the air today, a tornado warning was issued for our county. On this Feast of Gregory the Great, Marcus reflects on our duty to share the Gospel and some lessons he learned from today’s storm. Segment 2: The ecological and human concerns of AI (2 segments) Pope Leo has offered the most serious look to date at...

Segment 1: Massachusetts Court Says Town Can’t Build Statues Of Christian Heroes Because They’re Christian Massachusetts’ highest court just handed the ACLU a powerful new tool for scrubbing religious references from public life. The Supreme Judicial Court blocked Quincy, Massachusetts, from installing two bronze statues of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian outside its new public safety bu...

Segment 1: Longing for our children to return to Church Today’s First Reading, taken from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, brings to mind the pain felt by parents who long for their children to return to the faith. Marcus shares some thoughts. Segment 2: The challenge – and importance - of talking about difficult things On yesterday’s program we talked with Ken Craycraft about alcoholism. A...

Segment 1: Helping your kids express their emotions Children often need help with the basic skill of expressing their emotions. Dr Greg Popcak frequently hears from parents, even parents of teenagers, whose children have anger issues that can explode out without warning. What can you do in this situation? Segment 2: Three Ways Satan Attacks our Happiness A quote popularly attributed to St Anthony...