Catholic Spirit Radio

Deacon Al Lundy reflects on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, combining Independence Day gratitude with readings from Zechariah, Romans, and Matthew. He explores Christ’s peaceful kingship, Paul’s message about life in the Spirit, and Jesus’ promise of rest with a yoke tailored to each believer. The episode also addresses current concerns about unity in the Church and invites listeners to pray, le...

Host Stan Ketcik talks with Father Michael Driscoll—priest, hospital chaplain, and author—about his books on demons and angels, Catholic teaching (including St. Thomas Aquinas), and how faith, prayer, and the sacraments shape our approach to the spirit world. They discuss the rarity of possession, the comforting role of guardian angels, cautions about occult and sensational media, and practical st...

Deacon Al shares travel stories and reflections on the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, exploring how kindness, baptism, and the costly call to discipleship flow from sacrificial love. Email your questions to Deacon AL:     goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn discuss pressing social issues like the housing shortage and its political consequences, then turn to a thoughtful exploration of consciousness—examining the Shroud of Turin, near-death experiences, and how science and faith intersect. This episode blends personal stories, scientific speculation, and Catholic reflection on the mystery of the mind and the meaning thes...

Deacon Al Lundy shares a personal storm-and-flood anecdote, reflects on Scripture readings (Jeremiah, Romans, Matthew) about suffering, the redemptive value of the cross, and trusting God, and encourages listeners to practice small acts of love in everyday life. He also includes local parish news, radio announcements, and invitations to community events. Email your questions to Deacon AL:     good...

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn explore the origin of consciousness, reading an Epoch Times article and drawing on Scripture, near-death reports, and modern physics theories like string theory and wormholes. They discuss NDEs, life reviews, gamma-wave bursts in dying brains, pre-birth memories, and how science and faith may intersect in explaining consciousness and the afterlife.

Deacon Al shares a personal week of storms and a friend’s funeral to show how God’s love appears in suffering. Using readings from Exodus, Romans, and Matthew, he reflects on Christ’s saving love, the call to discipleship, and the comfort of the sacraments. Listeners are invited to turn hardships into growth, to serve others without reward, and to trust the promise of eternal life as they live mor...

Theresa Chambers talks with Fr. David Richardson of Epiphany Parish about his vocation story and a powerful rosary sign that led him to the priesthood. They also walk listeners through Catholic funeral rites—Mass, prayers, anointing of the sick, apostolic pardon, burial procedures—and discuss cremation, green burial options, and how to plan a Catholic funeral in advance. The episode emphasizes pas...

Deacon Al explains the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, reflecting on John 6, the real presence of the Eucharist, and why this teaching calls for a personal choice of faith. He also connects Scripture to everyday life—stewardship, the beauty of creation, and current events—and invites listeners to pray and reflect on what they truly believe. Email your questions to Deacon AL: ...

Joyce Holm, a rosary repair volunteer from Crystal Lake, shares how she fixes and makes rosaries, gives them away, and supports parish ministries. Through small repairs and custom creations, Joyce restores cherished prayer tools, comforts families, and inspires community service. This episode explores her story, the spiritual meaning behind ladder rosaries, and how a simple craft became a ministry...

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn examine historicism — the idea that dogma and moral truth shift with history — using Richard A. Spinello's New Oxford Review essay and the writings of theologians like Lonergan, Rahner, and Herring. The episode contrasts classicism's claim of an immutable natural law with progressive historicism, considers Vatican II's role, and argues for the enduring nature of huma...

Deacon Al Lundy explores the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, reflecting on the Sunday readings and the mystery of one God in three persons. He weaves biblical insight with relatable stories—his trip to Las Vegas, family moments with a model train, and parish fundraising—to show God's mercy, love, and call to live in unity. This episode encourages listeners to recognize God’s presence in daily life,...

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn review John Ford’s classic The Searchers while exploring deeper questions about nationhood, belonging, and exile. They summarize the film’s plot—Ethan Edwards’s five-year hunt for his abducted niece—and highlight themes of anger, prejudice, and the search for home. The episode ties the movie to contemporary concerns: cultural fragmentation, Generation Z’s search for...

Deacon Al Lundy explores Ascension Sunday on Good News, walking through the readings from Acts, Ephesians, and Matthew and explaining how Jesus’ Ascension sends the apostles into mission through the Holy Spirit. He shares a personal reflection on ministry and loss, offers a Memorial Day reminder, and encourages listeners to embrace their call to carry the Gospel with hope and prayer. Email your qu...

Bob Johnston and Lynn discuss two New Oxford Review articles that explore communism’s religious nature, Stalin’s daughter Svetlana’s conversion to Catholicism, and how Marxist ideas have resurfaced in modern cultural movements. 

Deacon Al Lundy reflects on family news, backyard wildlife, and upcoming travels, then goes through the Sixth Sunday of Easter readings—highlighting Philip the deacon, the role of confirmation, and how the Holy Spirit and living out Christ’s commandments make faith visible in everyday life. Email your questions to Deacon AL:     goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

On this episode of Catholic Conversations, host David Liptak speaks with Wendy, Kelly, and Nancy, co-founders of Allies Against Trafficking, a new Illinois nonprofit. They discuss how human trafficking often goes unseen, the importance of prevention and collaboration with law enforcement, healthcare, schools, and churches, and the warning signs of grooming and exploitation. The guests share exampl...

Deacon Al Lundy talks with seminarian Jarod Raber about Emmaus Days, a series of retreats for boys and young men to encounter Christ through Scripture, prayer, Mass, and community activities led by seminarians. The episode also reflects on the fifth Sunday of Easter readings, the meaning of priesthood and baptismal vocation, and how faith shapes daily life. Email your questions to Deacon AL:     g...

Deacon Al Lundy reflects on the Fourth Sunday of Easter readings—Acts, Psalm 23, 1 Peter, and John—focusing on baptism, Christ as the Good Shepherd, and the humanity of King David. He also critiques cinematic Bible portrayals, praises series like House of David and The Chosen for scriptural accuracy, and shares local Catholic news including Fulton Sheen’s beatification and Catholic Spirit Radio ev...

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn reflect on the deep human need for "home," exploring how belonging, tradition, and faith shape personal and civic life. Drawing on an essay about the split in modern conservatism, the episode examines tensions between universal moral principles and particular cultural loyalties, the Catholic longing for stability (including the Latin Mass), and the dangers of constan...

Deacon Al leads Good News on Catholic Spirit Radio for teens and almost-teens, exploring how the Gospel applies to everyday life. In this episode he prepares listeners for Palm Sunday and Holy Week, reads the Passion according to Mark, and reflects on the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. He also discusses leadership as service, shares insights from his confirmation students about the reality of crucif...

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn discuss the Insurrection Act and the constitutional authority of the U.S. presidency, tracing its roots from George Washington and the Whiskey/Shays rebellions through Lincoln, Little Rock, and modern enforcement actions. They draw a parallel between the presidency’s decisive, tradition-rooted authority and the hierarchical tradition of the Catholic Church, addressin...

Catholic Conversations on Catholic Spirit Radio with David Liptak features Fr. Leo Joseph, pastor-director of the Shrine of St. Joseph and national head of the Pious Union of St. Joseph, discussing the shrine’s history, mission, and outreach to the sick and dying. Father Leo explains how to join the Pious Union, enroll Gregorian and other Masses, and offers seven practical bedside prayers and devo...

Deacon Al mixes personal stories—starting a GLP-1 weight-loss regimen, family moments, and ministry updates like OCIA candidates and a Cursillo retreat—with reflections on this weekend's Mass readings. He focuses on John’s account of the man born blind as a Lenten reminder that Christ brings us from darkness into light and invites listeners to examine and deepen their faith. Email your questions t...

Bob and Lynn Johnston examine R.R. Reno’s article on Christian nationalism and a New Oxford Review piece diagnosing modern "progressive religion" as a neo-Gnostic force reshaping schools, media, and family life. They argue the Church must shift from Christendom mode to an apostolic approach to rebuild faith and resist cultural decline. The episode covers media influence, education, declining marri...