Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full Hours

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Source of All Human Rights Today is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The world had staggered out of a period in history in which industrialized nations used their technology to achieve a brutality many would have thought unthinkable. From this, the world reached for a moral vocabulary that would clarify human di...

Segment 1: Thanksgiving Draws us to Christmas Did you find yourself simply “surviving” the stress, chaos, and family tensions of Thanksgiving? Are you already dreading going through it at Christmas? Or did you have a great time and want to make Christmas even better? Dr. Greg Popcak has some tips. Segment 2: Archbishop Sheen: The Convert-Maker (2 segments) Venerable Fulton J. Sheen was one of Amer...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: FIFA Pride Match to Feature Iran, Egypt The United States is collaborating with Mexico and Canada to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Seattle has been planning an “LGBT Pride” theme for the game it will host in late June, to coincide with the city’s Pride Weekend observances. When FIFA officials revealed the tournament groups yesterday, observers quickly realized tha...

Segment 1: Mary: Our Ally in the War on Womanhood Our Blessed Mother is the perfect example of heroic feminine virtue. We celebrate her Immaculate Conception with Doug Keck. Segment 2: Steve Ray answers questions on the Immaculate Conception (3 segments) “The phrase ‘Immaculate Conception’ isn’t in the Bible!” “Mary was a sinner like the rest of us!” “The Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception wasn...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Western Civilization’s Debt to the Immaculate Conception (2 segments) Many contemporary scholars assume the Marian doctrines are mere “ornaments” within greater Catholic theology. This worldview collapses when we look at how the Marian vision helped give birth to an entirely new worldview. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Does the Development of Doctrine Change Church Teac...

Segment 1: “Prepare the Way of the Lord!” (2 segments) This Sunday’s Gospel takes us into the wilderness of Judea, where John the Baptist warns us to repent and prepare the way of the Lord. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. Segment 2: Stalin Purges his Enemies (2 segments) The Soviet Union adopted Stalin’s Constitution on this day in 1936. This document laid the foundation for the next seve...

Segment 1: Mozart’s Lacrimosa Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on this day in 1791. Raised a Catholic, he remained a devout member of the Church throughout his life and his faith influenced his works. Marcus shares some clips of Mozart’s music and comments on their significance. Segment 2: Suicide Prevention Group Breaks Silence on Assisted Suicide One of the great ethical ironies of the age has been...

Segment 1: Meet the Real St Nicholas (2 segments) This Saturday is the Feast of St. Nicholas, one of the great heroes of the early Church - he joins us in the studio to tell his amazing story! (Many thanks to Fr. Joseph Marquis!) 5:30 – What Has Arius to Do With Jesus? (2 segments) On his visit to Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Pope Leo XIV took up two them...

Segment 1: “Drip-Feed, Conspiracy Para-Journalism” There’s a conundrum facing our society - reporting that presents itself as investigative journalism, but actually reveals very little of substance. It’s not a new phenomenon, but the internet has allowed it to spread in new forms. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Stop trying to change the Church’s teachings In its second interim report issued last mont...

Segment 1: Supreme Court Scrutinizes Bid to Unmask Pro-Life Donors The United States Supreme Court heard oral argument Tuesday morning in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Platkin, a case that has drawn an unusually broad coalition in defense of donor privacy and access to federal courts. Segment 2: GK Chesterton’s Defense of “Father Christmas” GK Chesteron once wrote that “there is n...

Segment 1: Ideas have Consequences: Lessons from the Cold War Today is the anniversary of the 1989 declaration by Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush that the Cold War had ended. The nearly 50-year conflict grew from ideological roots that ran deeper than troop movements or diplomatic cables. Marcus looks at these intellectual and ideological foundations of the Cold War. Segment 2: Meet the Si...

Segment 1: The Biblical Roots of Lebanon (2 Segments) Pope Leo has finished his visit to Lebanon, an ancient land that appears prominently in the Scriptures. We discuss the Biblical roots of the country and the papal visit with Fr. Roger Chikri. Segment 2: Bioethics in a Secular World (2 segments) Medicine and bioethics are going through profound changes in the Western world, as practices that pri...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Facebook Employees Compare Themselves to Drug Pushers Recently unsealed court documents show employees at Facebook’s parent company Meta were aware of the adverse effects social media has on kids’ mental health, calling Instagram a “drug” and referring to themselves as “pushers.” Marcus has some thoughts. Segment 2: Instead of the 1619 Project, what about the 1531 Pro...

Segment 1: Pope Leo Entrusts Lebanon to Saint Charbel Pope Leo XIV began his second day in Lebanon on Monday with a deeply symbolic pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf, entrusting the country and the wider Middle East to the intercession of the saint whom many Lebanese, Christians and Muslims alike, invoke as the “heavenly physician.”. We talk about it with Doug Keck. Segment 2: Pope...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Rosa Parks Refuses to Give up her seat On this day in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat. Marcus looks back on what this heroic event means for today’s race relations. Segment 2: Marcus’ Monologue: “Lord, I am not worthy…” In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of a Roman centurion who said he was not worthy to have Jesus enter his home, and that all He ha...

Segment 1: “At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (2 segments) This Sunday is the start of the Advent season. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us what will happen at the coming of the Son of Man and that we must always be prepared for we do not know when that will happen. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine. Segment 2: Pope Leo visits Turkey (2 segments) Pope Leo’s first trip outs...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Monogamy of Marriage The Vatican doctrinal note Una Caro explains why the Church has always defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Marcus traces the meaning of marriage back to Genesis. Segment 2: Making Sense of our Childless Age Around the world, some of the most developed and advanced nations are reporting low birth rates and aging populations. Many...

Segment 1: President Washington and America’s National Holiday (2 segments) Thanksgiving is a peculiar holiday. It’s religious by nature but is celebrated in a nation that is, at least as far as the law is concerned, secular. It reminds us of the peculiar character of the American nation and the President’s role in it. We talk more with Richard Samuelson. Segment 2: Thanksgiving: The Holiday at th...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Thankful on Thanksgiving Blessed Thanksgiving to you! Marcus reflects on the importance of being thankful to God for all he has given us. Segment 2: The Spirituality of Gratefulness In a consumer-drive culture, it’s easy to forget about the importance of gratefulness. Sure, we’re encouraged to take a few minutes at Thanksgiving to “count our blessings,” but it doesn’t...

Segment 1: From maintenance to mission: A bishop’s vision for the Church Although we have seen some signs of resurgence in Church attendance, overall numbers are still on the decline. The Church needs to shift its mindset from one of maintenance to one of mission, taking cues from St. Paul and the early disciples. Bishop Robert Gruss of Saginaw has more. Segment 2: What does it mean to be “sent” b...

Segment 1: How Thanksgiving Shapes the American Imagination Thanksgiving remains one of the few days on the American calendar when we can gather to share a meal. It remains a symbol of simplicity and hope against today’s cynicism. Marcus shares some thoughts. Segment 2: Threat to donor privacy unites Right and Left at Supreme Court The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next week in First Choi...

Segment 1: A Survivor’s Guide to Thanksgiving The thought of Thanksgiving with the family is enough to give some of us indigestion – and not from eating too much turkey. Whether it be a political argument, a religious barb, or just digging up old family gossip, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before someone’s feelings are hurt and they start throwing stuffing. Dr. Greg Popcak joins us wit...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Thanksgiving Heals the Wounded Heart We all experience times in life where we seem to be walking through unending shadow. But if we keep a spirit of thanksgiving to God, we can be healed of these wounds. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Ten Battles Every Catholic should Know: The Real Vlad the Impaler We continue our look at the most important battles in history with Micha...

Segment 1: Notre Dame restores Catholic mission statement The University of Notre Dame has reversed changes to its list of staff values and has reinstated “Catholic mission” at the top of the list. We talk about the meaning of Catholic identity with Doug Keck. Segment 2: Ten Maintenance Rules for Marriage Have you ever felt that everyone’s marriage is perfect – except yours? Costanza Miriano joins...

Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Impact of Saying “Jesus Loves You” Over the weekend, Marcus had a chance encounter with a young man who was clearly going through some hard times. Marcus offered to pray for him and said “Jesus loves you,” something the young man hadn’t heard before. We must never forget the impact that such a simple phrase can have. Marcus shares more. Segment 2: Why the Gnostic...