All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)

Episode Title:  029 – The 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Church   Description:  This episode explores the 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church. It discusses the historical context, key decisions, and theological debates of each council, highlighting their significance in shaping Catholic doctrine and practices. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding these councils to appreciate...

This episode is a review of St. Augustine's book,  "The Confessions." It was the first autobiography ever written.  Augustine lived 354 - 430. He is the most quoted Church Father in the Liturgy of the Hours as well as the most quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas. This book walks through his life, his time with the Manichean religion, his struggles with pride and sensuality, and his ultimate conversion to...

Episode Title:  027 – On Becoming Roman Catholic   Episode Summary:  In this episode, Dr. Bickford shares the journey of writer Thomas Howard from being Protestant to becoming Anglican and then finally a Roman Catholic. Dr Bickford made a very similar journey and shares it. This episode explores the historical divide between Catholics and Protestants, the theological differences, and the challenge...

Episode Title:  026 - Christmas   Description:  In this episode, Dr. Bickford explores the historical, theological and cultural aspects of Christmas. We review the meaning of the Incarnation, prophesies of the birth of the Messiah, the birth of Jesus, and various cultural practices that have developed. Recommended Reading: The True Meaning of Christmas by Michael Patrick Barber.   Key Points: Hist...

Episode Title:  025 - Miracles   Description:  In this episode, Dr. Bickford delves into the fascinating topic of miracles. Whether you believe in miracles or not, this episode will challenge your perceptions and encourage you to listen with an open mind. We explore various types of miracles, their significance, and provide numerous examples from history and modern times.   Recommended Reading: "T...

024 – Prayer   Understanding Prayer: The episode delves into the purpose of prayer, highlighting that it is not just about asking God for things but about building a relationship with Him. Principles of Prayer: The episode discusses the common mistake of treating prayer as a one-sided conversation where we only ask for things. Dr. Bickford emphasizes the importance of listening to God and not gett...

Introduction to the Sanctification of Time: The importance of integrating faith into daily life calls for making time holy Daily Practices: Explanation of Catholic virtue ethics and the development of virtuous habits. Various daily prayers such as Novenas, the Rosary, and Lectio Divina. The significance of the Liturgy of the Hours (Daily Office) and its structure. Liturgical Seasons: Overview of t...

Where does everything come from, and if God created everything to be good, then why did we have "The Fall"?   Here, we look at some creation stories from other religions and see how the Bible is so profoundly different. We also explain how the Big Bang theory addresses questions of "what" and "how", but the Genesis story focuses on the                 question of "why".   We then look at "The Fall...

Can Church doctrine develop over time? If it does, then does that mean it can change into something different as society changes? John Henry Newman wrote "A Essay On the Development of Christian Doctrine" and this book addresses those specific questions.   True doctrine develops over time and brings us into a deeper understanding. A corruption of doctrine brings us to a different or changed belief...

Pilgrimages are trips to places that are important to the Faith. They are different from vacations in that they seek to have a deeper encounter with God, experience a healing, or do penance for restoration. They have always been part of the Judeo-Christian experience.   This episode explains what a pilgrimage is, why they are important, why it is a Catholic practice more than a Protestant one, and...

The purpose of the Christian life is to develop holiness. Catholic Virtue Ethics is a big part of the process that helps get us there. There are 4 Cardinal and 3 Theological Virtues that are key.   The 4 Cardinal Virtues are Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude. Cardinal means "hinge" like on a door and all virtues swing on the hinge of these four. We cultivate them through the development...

Virtue Ethics is the system of behaviors and actions that allow us to cultivate virtue and become holy. Ethics isn't just about do's and don't's … its about cultivation of a virtuous and holy life. Some history is given on how Plato and Aristotle wrestled with the questions, but the focus is on the First Part of the Second Part of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologia   If you have questions, comments,...

This episode explores the subject of evil. It focuses on evil as being an effect of Free Will and uses Augustine's idea of evil being the absence of good. It also talks about demonic attacks on the Christian life.   If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know at: MSBickford@AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   Please follow, subscribe, and leave a review! Also check...

This episode talks about suffering. It explores Tragic Suffering and uses the story of Job from the Bible. It also explores Malevolent Suffering and uses Romans 5:1-5 to explain how we should deal with it.   This episode also examines the 1984 Papal Letter, Salvifici Doloris, which can be downloaded here: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1984/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_1102...

This episode talks about the Nicene Creed. This Creed is recited at every Mass in Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Why is it so important? This episode explains that. We go through the Council of Nicaea in AD325 where it was written and then go through each sentence and talk about what it means. It is a very important part of Catholic Faith!   If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for fut...

This episode explores how the Church believes in Absolute Truth and sets various levels of authority to dogmas, doctrines, and church documents. It covers Papal Infallibility, Classical Theism, Nominalism, and all those documents with Latin names that get published by the Vatican.   If you have questions or suggestions for future episodes, let me know at MSBickford@AllRoadsLeadToRome.net

This episode explores the history and development of the Rosary, including its presence in  Marian Apparitions as well as at the Battle of Lepanto. It then walks through how to pray it and why it is a powerful Prayer Discipline as well as a Spiritual Growth Discipline.

This episode explains who the saints are, how they get named saints, and why this is the goal all of us have in life. It also shows how the supernatural surrounds them. Stigmata, Levitation, and Bi-Location examples are given.

What happens if we are destined for heaven, but still have bad habits, character, or behavior. We must be purified before getting to heaven, or else our presence will not make heaven perfect for everyone else. What is that purification? Catholics call it Purgatory. This episode walks us through it

The Eucharist is "The Source and Summit of the Christian Life." This episode explains why. It also explores the Biblical understanding (drawing from John 6 and I Corinthians 11), what the early Church Fathers believed, how Thomas Aquinas wrestled with it, and how the Catechism describes it today. Both "Real Presence" and "Transubstantiation" are explained as well.   

This episode explores the Sacraments of the Sick, of Holy Orders, and of holy Matrimony. It also explores Sacramentals and the role they play in the Christian life

The Church hs 7 Sacraments. This episode explores what a Sacrament is and then walks through Baptism, Confirmation, and the Sacrament of Penance. Episodes 9 and 10 will explore the rest.

There are many aspects to the Roman Catholic Mass that can be confusing. This episode walks through all of it to show what is being said, what is being done, and what miracle is talking place.

The early church encountered all sorts of challenges and problems. How they addressed them defined the Catholic Church then and defines the Catholic Church today. 

This episode explores the origin and function of the Papacy. It also walks through Canon Law and the role of the Curia (bureaucracy of the Church)