All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

You've heard of her care for the poor. But do know about her extraordinary interior life? “I have been burning with a longing to love Him as He has never been loved before.” - St. Mother Teresa.  

What does one do when the Pope is accused of being associated with covering up abuse in the Church?  On one hand, one must avoid rash judgment and jumping to conclusions. At the same time, Cardinal DiNardo (president of the US Bishop’s Conference) calls for a “thorough examination” of the questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick. DiNarco wrote: “The questions raised deserve answers that are...

Many Catholics are feeling bewildered in the wake of horrific revelations about clergy abuse. We must, however, go deeper spiritually and theologically to face the present challenges. In times of sorrow and crisis, Scripture and the Catholic Tradition have always pointed to the three crucial acts of penance as a source of healing and hope.  But can my prayer, fasting and almsgiving really mak...

Where do Catholics get the idea that Mary was assumed into heaven? Is there any Scriptural basis for this doctrine? Or is this just a Catholic exaggeration of Mary’s role in the Christian life?

When it comes to romantic relationships, people often question whether they should follow the head or the heart.  But what about our friendship with God?  Is the head or the heart more important in the spiritual life?   The two, of course, go together. If you want to love Jesus more, it's absolutely crucial that you form your mind with his truth. For every new thing you learn about...

How do you respond when you feel stretched: overwhelmed, in-over-your-head, drowning, not sure you’re up for the task?  Jesus reminds us to turn to him. He can make up for our deficiencies, just as he did that day when he fed 5,000 with only five loaves of bread.  

Do you know the one verse that gives the framework to the entire Gospel of Mark?  Edward Sri unpacks the opening of this Gospel, which the Church is focusing on this liturgical year.   

God wants to meet the real you - as you are - with all your weaknesses, wounds and faults.  As St. Therese of Lisieux once told her sister Celine, "You want to scale the mountain of sanctity. But God wants to meet you down low, in the fertile valley of humility." Only when we allow God to encounter us as we really are, can we be fully lifted up by his grace and transformed.

How do I experience the transformation God wants to work in my life? How do get my spiritual life from where it is now to where God wants it to be? It’s not enough to go through the motions of the faith and believe the right things. We must learn to follow Jesus each day as a disciple. Only then will we be "changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another" (2 Cor. 3:18). This presenta...

You become a Tabernacle when you receive Holy Communion—a holy dwelling place for the presence of God.  You also become like Mary: Just as Mary carried Jesus in her womb for nine months, you carry the Body and Blood of Jesus sacramentally within your soul in those moments after receiving the Eucharist. So when we sit down after Communion, this is not the time to look around and see who is at...

Love wants to be near the one it loves. That’s why Jesus remains close to us in the Eucharist. He gives us his very Presence in all the Tabernacles throughout the world - And He longs for us to draw near to him.  Do you make it a priority to meet him? To visit him in the chapel? To spend time resting in the presence of the One who loves us so much? Encounter the blessing and power of Chr...

Catholics talk about "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." But how was the Mass like those Biblical sacrifices of old - violent rituals with animals being cut up, set on fire and their blood being poured out on altars? The Mass I attended each week didn't look like that! But if we can understand Jesus' words at the Last Supper the way a first century Jew would, we'll come to see that Jesus didn't just...

"He's a great guy, BUT...."   Many Christians have fallen into the sin of gossip with statements like this - statements that begin with a compliment but end with criticism.  Yet, sins of speech fall under the 5th Commandment, "Thou shall not kill." For when we gossip, we kill a person's reputation, which lives on long after they have died.  In this week's episode, Edward Sri sh...

The emerging generation brings many gifts and energies. But fear of discipleship may keep many from being the best they can be. In this episode, Edward Sri traces how the Enlightenment and the 20th century psychology of self-esteem movement have shaped a generation of parents, educators and young people - making it harder for people to receive the tradition of the virtues and the "art of living."...

Do you take the Eucharist for granted? Yes, we know it's the Real Presence and that we "have to go" to Mass each week, but do we long for the Eucharist like the early Christians did? As we approach the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Edward Sri reflects on three ways we can rise above the routine and deepen our devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. Recorded in Rome, he sums up three reflections based o...

We're in Rome today for the very first celebration of "Mary Mother of the Church" - the new feast instituted by Pope Francis this year. But why do Catholics call Mary "Mother of the Church"?  Is there any Biblical basis for this?  And what does this mean for us today? Recorded live in St. Peter's Square with Edward Sri's annual Rome pilgrimage group.

"Heaven is not a place in the universe, but a person: Jesus Christ. And the closer we draw near to Jesus, the more we bring heaven on earth." - from this week's podcast. As we reach the climax of the Easter Season, Edward Sri takes us through the last chapter of Mark's Gospel as he unpacks the three key events of the last 50 days: the Resurrection, Ascension and Commissioning of the Apostles.&nbsp...

Dr. Edward Sri answers listeners' questions about topics such as Mary, marriage and this week's feast of the Ascension of Our Lord.

Edward Sri discusses the real challenges every married couple faces but not many people talk about. And he unpacks three practical ways to experience the beautiful transformation God wants to work in our hearts - not in spite of, but precisely through the real struggles of daily married life.

Let’s unpack the Church’s top 3 ways to grow in virtue.   Episode Notes: Edward Sri recommended the following books in this episode: - Donald DeMarco,  The Heart of Virtue  -  Stephen Jensen,  Living the Good Life -  Aristotle,  Nicomachean Ethics      

The real question is not “Do I tolerate others?” but “Do I have the ability to love people?”  We tolerate cold weather or a traffic jam. But Jesus calls us to love the people in our lives, not just tolerate them. And that requires virtue. If we want to have good friendships and dating relationships; if we want to build a strong marriage and family life; if we want to care for the poor and bui...

"Don't impose your views on me! I'm free to do whatever I want with my life!"   There are two views of freedom competing for our attention. Knowing the difference can make or break a marriage. It can start a dating relationship on the right foot or lead you toward another dead-end romance. It can help you to succeed or fail in your parenting.   Will you embrace the modern notion of freed...

There’s great spiritual power for us in the title “Mary, Ark of the Covenant”—much more than anything Harrison Ford and the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark may have imagined. But what does the ancient Ark of the Covenant have to do with the Blessed Virgin Mary? In this episode, Edward Sri unpacks the Biblical background of this Marian title and how turning to Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant can...

Why is Simon of Cyrene a model of compassion? He didn’t lovingly volunteer to carry Jesus’ Cross. He was forced to do so! The Gospels, however, give us one small detail that indicates Simon was personally transformed through his encounter with the Cross on Good Friday.  And his example reminds us that the crosses bearing the most fruit are often not the ones we seek out, but the unexpected cr...

Do you know the Palm Sunday Prophecy? Discover the Biblical background to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Edward Sri unpacks the prophecies fulfilled in this scene and the personal application for our lives today. Finish Lent strong by starting Holy Week well.