Ave Maria in the Afternoon

Our polarized society has one obsession that stands above the rest: identity. Debates focus less on policy and rights and more on the struggle for “recognition.” We talk about the problem with Mitchell Bahnsen. Further Reading Identity and Recognition Are the Polarized Polis’s Chief Virtues Follow Mitchell on X Guest Info Mitchell G. Bahnsen is a student at Westmont College studying Politics, Phil...

It doesn’t take a medical degree to hypothesize that women’s healthcare has gone terribly wrong. It is almost entirely structured around either suppressing or bypassing the female reproductive system altogether. And it’s why women like Katelyn Shelton are rejecting hormonal birth control. She joins us with more. Further Reading Why I Won’t Use Hormonal Birth Control Follow Katelyn on X Katelyn’s T...

On last month’s Good News Cruise, Marcus gave a talk exploring twelve ways Satan attacks marriage. But knowing the enemy’s plans is only half the battle – we must know how to engage them. Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak join us. Further Reading Marcus’ list of Satan’s Twelve Attacks on Marriage Catholic Households on Mission Guest Info Dr Greg Popcak is the founder and director of CatholicCounselors.com,...

Those suffering from infertility too often do so in silence, isolation, and even shame. Some married couples find the suffering so raw and intimate that they are unable even to lean on each other. Leigh Snead has experienced this firsthand with her husband Carter. She joins us to share her story. Further Reading Book: Infertile but Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can’t Conceive Infertile bu...

As church attendance falls, suicide rates climb, and birth rates plummet, Christian pundits have suggested disenchantment and the loss of tradition are to blame for our spiritual malaise. But what if the problem is both much simpler and much more serious? Carl Trueman argues that modern man’s crisis of meaning stems from a rejection of a simple fact—that he was made in the image of God. He joins u...

James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King Jr, was born on this day in 1928. Ironically, this date also marks the anniversary of the death of Civil Rights hero Harriet Tubman. Marcus compares their lives and how Ray’s efforts to combat civil rights ultimately drove the movement to even greater heights. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscri...

What are young people looking for in the Church? What is the meaning of marriage and family? What is the purpose of Confirmation? We explore these questions and more with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers. Further Reading Behold the Man A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality Deacon Harold’s website Guest Info Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers is a Catholic speaker and evangelist and the founder and director of...

Of all the theological errors commonly held today, the most popular is surely the denial of the doctrine of hell. Even self-described Christians question whether God would consign anyone to hell permanently. We discuss the issue with Doug Keck. Further Reading The Hell There Is: An Exploration of an Often-Rejected Doctrine of the Church Guest Info Doug Keck is emeritus president and COO of EWTN an...

Is economics just a zero-sum game? It doesn’t have to be when we view it through the lens of the common good. Dr. Mark Hoipkemier has more. Further Reading The Price of the Common Good: Markets, Corporations, and Political Economy Guest Info Dr. Mark Hoipkemier is Assistant Research Professor of Business Ethics and Society at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He’s the author of The Price o...

C. S. Lewis’s classic The Screwtape Letters brilliantly unmasked the devious psychological and philosophical roots of human temptation. Inspired by this, Samantha Stephenson has compiled the “Bellbind Letters,” unravelling the targeted attacks against the feminine genius as they manifest themselves in contemporary family life. She joins us. Further Reading Book: The Bellbind Letters Inside the Dev...

Aquinas’ Summa Theologica is one of the great works of Christian theology and philosophy, and it offers unmatched insights into God, humanity, and the path to salvation. Yet its vast scope and intricate arguments can make it daunting to modern readers. Fr. Cajetan Cuddy joins us with an accessible guide to the thought of Aquinas. Further Reading The Summa Illuminated: A Guide to St. Thomas Aquinas...

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and asks for a drink. We take a deep dive into their conversation as we unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. 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, v...

True love knows no limit in giving more, being more, forgiving more. In marriage, husbands and wives are called to love one another without limits and to not lose sight of the fact that they are on the same team. When tempted to calculate or complain, they must simply love. Troy and Kathleen Billings share lessons they have learned from the highs and lows of their marriage. Further Reading Simply...

Ave Maria Radio is excited to announce the next annual edition of Familiaris Consortio, in partnership with Emmaus Health and Fr. Gabriel Richard High School. What does it mean to be a Man on Purpose? Pete Burak and Fr. Josh Fons will discuss how we can combat the crisis of masculinity in our culture. Pete joins us. Further Reading Register for the Conference A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life fro...

The battle of the Alamo ended on this day in 1836. The defenders of the fort lost the battle, but their sacrifice became a powerful symbol of courage, liberty and the fight for independence. 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.com

Last month we received the exciting news that Fulton Sheen’s beatification can finally move forward. When Matthew Bunson was a young boy, he met Archbishop Sheen in person. He shares his memories, looking at the unique connection between Sheen, Jimmy Lai, and the rise of Communism. Further Reading Jimmy Lai’s Sentence Is a Stark Symbol of Authoritarian Overreach 3 Spiritual Guides for Lent: Pope L...

In Matthew’s Gospel, James and John’s mother kneels before Christ and asks that her sons may sit at His right and left in the Kingdom. Her request has historical context – she thinks that Christ’s kingdom will reign on earth as David’s did. In response, Jesus asks her to “drink from the cup.” He’s telling her that her sons need to join Him in suffering. Marcus looks at the Biblical meaning of drin...

March 5 is the anniversary of two separate, yet linked events: Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946, and Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953. Paul Kengor looks at the relationship between these events and what they mean for us today. Further Reading When Winston warned America: Churchill’s Iron Curtain at 72 Paul’s articles Paul’s books Guest Info Paul Kengor is author of several books, mos...

Around the world, some of the most developed and advanced nations are reporting low birth rates and aging populations. Many are discussing why no one wants to have children. Experts debate the causes, but few present convincing conclusions. We discuss the cultural shifts that have happened with John Horvat. Further Reading Making Sense Out of Our Childless & Childish Age Guest Info John Horvat II...

In March of 1981, Walter Cronkite signed off CBS’ evening broadcast for the final time. He represents an era when the news industry was trusted, conveying a sense of authority with every declaration of “And that’s the way it is.” Al Kresta frequently observed that the industry has devolved into “News as Entertainment” and multiple surveys show public trust in mainstream news is plummeting. What ha...

The Church dedicates the month of March for a special devotion to St. Joseph, who in many ways is the silent hero of the Gospels. We get to know him better with Steve Ray. 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

There is a new kind of radical on college campuses today, and they look nothing like what we have come to expect. They are not barricading buildings or shouting down speakers. They are not demanding the overthrow of institutions or vilifying those who disagree with them. Instead, they are challenging institutional decisions and the dominant culture of their peers while living according to their de...

On March 4, 1933, as the nation sat stagnant in the Depression, newly inaugurated President Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced the nation and declared, “the only thing we have to fear is Fear itself.” He insisted that the country would endure has it had endured before, based on a shared civic sense of faith in our Constitutional order. Marcus has more on FDR’s sense of sacred duty. This is a public e...

The Catholic faith gives us a unique sense and understanding of beauty. Mosaics, paintings, sculptures and other artwork in our churches help give us a sense of a world greater than our own. Fr. Chas Canoy’s parish has its own special artwork – he joins us to talk about it. Further Reading Major New Mural Joins Heaven and Earth at St. John the Evangelist Church Guest Info Fr. Chas Canoy is the Pas...

For the next several days, Marcus will be on a mission trip with Renewal Ministries to Taiwan, spreading the Gospel in a country where a mere one percent of the population is Catholic. Where do you begin evangelizing someone who may never have even heard of Jesus and has no inherent understanding of their value as a human person? Tom Edwards joins Marcus. Further Reading ‘She Had Never Heard the N...