Ave Maria in the Afternoon

Bishop Jerry Vincke of Salina, Kansas joins us to share his experiences of spiritual fatherhood and how he has seen the Holy Spirit transform lives as we continue from the 2026 Encounter Conference. Guest Info Bishop Jerry Vincke is the Bishop of Salina, Kansas. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.subs...

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the famous Parable of the Sower. Rob Corzine joins us to unpack the readings. Guest Info Rob Corzine is the Vice-president of Programs for the St Paul Center for Biblical Theology. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com

In Romans 12:2, St Paul calls on us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is the essence of metanoia – a transformation of our hearts and souls in how we view the world, empowered by Christ’s Spirit. We talk more with Matt Ingold. Further Reading Metanoia Website Guest Info Matt Ingold is the CEO and Cofounder of Metanoia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

In his work with St Paul Street Evangelization, Adam Janke brings the heart of the Gospel to people in their everyday lives. He joins us at the 2026 Encounter Conference. Further Reading Catholic Street Evangelization: Stories of Conversion and Witness Catholic Evangelization St Paul Street Evangelization Guest Info Adam Janke is the President of St Paul Street Evangelization. Adam is a “revert” t...

On July 10, 1925, the Scopes Monkey Trial began. The state of Tennessee accused John Scopes, a high school teacher, of violating the Butler Act, which prohibited teaching human evolution in a state-funded school. The trial brought national attention to the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy, a debate over the compatibility of Scripture and modern human science. Marcus looks back. This is a publi...

We must never forget that the Scriptures are the Father’s love letter to us, inviting us to join Him in covenant life. Part of this covenant life is understanding where God is calling us. Dr Mary Healy joins us to discuss reading the Scriptures from the Heart and Mind of the Church. Further Reading Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Genesis Mary’s website Guest Info Mary Healy (STD, Pontific...

Pope Leo XIV has named the first moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Rome, as the pontiff continues to reform the diocese’s central organization in the wake of administrative upheaval. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news. Further Reading Pope Leo XIV Continues Reform of Diocese of Rome With Addition of Leadership Position Archbishop Gänswein: ‘Time Is Ripe’ to Lift Restrict...

As the rector of St Paul Seminary, Fr. Joseph Taphorn spends his life helping young men discerning the priesthood to discover the power of the Spirit in their lives. The King of the Universe has a plan for all of us – including you! Fr. Joseph joins us to discuss the power of the Holy Spirit in discernment. Guest Info Fr Joseph Taphorn is the Rector and Vice-President of St Paul Seminary in Minnes...

It feels perfectly natural to tell friends – and even strangers – about our favorite movie, why our favorite team keeps coming up short, or a new restaurant we just discovered. So why does it sometimes feel so unnatural to share the transforming story of the Gospel? Pete Burak joins us. Further Reading A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father Guest Info Pete Burak is the vice pres...

We are surrounded by tribes: political, professional, online, ideological. Each offer belonging at a price. Join, and you risk dissolving into a ready-made identity. Refuse, and you risk drifting into isolation. Either way, the modern person is pulled toward the same end: forming a fragmented self that is easier to manage, easier to sell to, and easier to recruit. Luke Burgis joins us with an alte...

Benjamin Franklin famously described the American government as “a Republic – if you can keep it.” In his Farewell Address, George Washington issued a warning to America about how that Republic might be lost – and it bears striking similarities to what Moses warned the Israelites thousands of years before. Marcus has more. Further Reading Moses Warned His People. So Did George Washington. This is...

Do you ever find yourself out sorts doing the summer months, once you get out of the regular routine of the school year? Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has felt this way, and found that incorporating the Examen into her evening routing helped her to find order in the chaos. She joins us. Further Reading The Quiet Potential of the Daily ‘Examen’ Guest Info Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is a legal analyst for EWTN...

Nations across the globe are scrambling to reverse collapsing birth rates, but they’re unlikely to accomplish this through policy intervention alone. Sub-replacement fertility is rooted in a cultural shift that has embraced a false narrative—too often viewing another child as a burden or impediment rather than a gift and source of meaning. Reversing demographic decline is not to be found in policy...

We’ve talked much before about the wisdom of St. John Henry Newman, especially when it comes to education. Fr. Nate Davis joins us with more, looking virtue formation and his approach to education through personal encounter. Guest Info Fr Nathan Davis is Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Community in Covina, California This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples to go out into the world and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It’s an invitation for us to unite ourselves at the Heart of the Father and center everything on Jesus, the true King. Marcus has more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack....

As an Eastern Catholic deacon, Father Deacon Robert Klesko has a unique view of unity with Rome and why it is essential. He joins us. Further Reading The Church Fathers Explain Why Union With Rome Is Essential Guest Info Father Deacon Robert Klesko is an EWTN Theology Advisor, married to Aundrea with five boys and one girl, and is a deacon in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church. He writes fr...

The media is reporting that a Dutch doctor euthanized a sick twelve-year-old child with a non-disclosed illness. It is a “first” under a new Dutch law that allows euthanasia for children ages one to twelve. But it’s hardly the first pediatric case we have seen in recent years. Wes Smith has more. Further Reading Twelve-Year-Old Euthanized in the Netherlands: Not a First Guest Info Wes Smith is the...

The U.S. Department of Education has announced a major escalation in protecting parents’ rights. In a report published last week, the D.o. E. alleged that a Kansas City school district overstepped major student privacy laws when teachers hid student’s new transgender identities from parents. Theresa Farnan has more. Further Reading US DOE Cracks Down on Schools for Hiding Student’s Gender Dysphori...

In an increasingly secular world, Christians are often pulled in two directions. Some urge us to retreat and build insular communities. Others call upon us to wage a culture war, harnessing the government to shore up Christian cultural power. But there is another way—and it’s as old as the church itself. Stephen Presley joins us. Further Reading Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the...

A Michigan branch of Catholic Charities has filed a lawsuit against the state, after the state stripped its Cristo Rey Counseling Center of its designation as a women’s specialty services organization because of the organization’s religious on abortion and birth control. Jeremiah Galus of the Alliance Defending Freedom has more. Further Reading Michigan officials target Catholic ministry serving v...

After French star Kylian Mbappé eliminated her country from the World Cup, a progressive senator from Paraguay unleashed a tirade of racist taunts against him on social media. Mbappé criticized her, saying she was a “despicable woman who is unworthy of office,” and in response she accused him of sexism and threatened legal action if he didn’t apologize. The senator’s comments are another example o...

On this day in 1535, Thomas More was taken from his cell in the Tower of London to his execution. He spent his final months on this earth extensively writing, especially on the topic of death. We look at his advice for living and dying well with Stephen Smith. Further Reading The Last Riddle: Advice on Living and Dying Well from the Imprisoned Saint Thomas More The Essential Works of Thomas More T...

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, who were married this weekend, reportedly signed one of the most elaborate prenups ever written. The practice of prenups has skyrocketed in recent years, and there are popular arguments for their use. But they also lay the groundwork for the marriage to fail. Marcus has more. Further Reading Taylor and Travis, a Prenup Won’t Protect Your Marriage This is a public epi...

America’s greatness has never rested in her military strength or economic prosperity alone. It has rested in her willingness—even after failure—to strive toward justice, virtue, and the dignity of every human person. Lisa Wheeler has more. Further Reading America at 250: The Last, Best Hope Guest Info Lisa Wheeler is the founder and president of Carmel Communications, a premier PR and marketing ag...

When Fr. Matt DeGance tells engaged couples they should refrain from having sex during the six-month waiting period before their wedding — even for those living together — there’s a palpable tension in the silence. Even among couples who seek to be married in the church, the concept of abstaining from sex is countercultural. But research shows that, once again, the Church’s teachings lead to stron...