Catholic Theology Show

How can faithful Catholics reclaim the healing mission of medicine in an era of ideological pressures and fragmented care? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. James Breen, family physician, author of Benedict Medicine: A Catholic Response to Rescue the Profession's Healing Mission, and founder of the Benedict Medicine practice in Fort Myers, Florida, to explore the tensions between Catho...

How can Catholics address the challenges of sexual addiction and pornography in a culture that often normalizes these behaviors? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Rachael Killackey, founder and executive of Magdala Ministries and author of  Love in Recovery , to explore the complexities of sexual addiction, particularly among women. And how faith in God’s mercy offers guidance and a path to he...

How does J.R.R. Tolkien's Catholic faith infuse his tales with sacramental wonder and redemptive hope? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Ben Reinhard, professor of English at Franciscan University of Steubenville and author of The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination, to uncover the liturgical foundations of The Lord of the Rings. During their conversation, they als...

Have you ever wondered why Christmas carols move us so deeply? In this special Christmas episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Daniel Lendman (Dean of Students and Theologian at Ave Maria University) to explore the profound theology hidden in our favorite Christmas hymns. From the soul-stirring power of “O Holy Night” to the triumphant joy of “Hark!...

How can C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity illuminate the truth of the Catholic faith for seekers and believers alike? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Andrew Swafford, professor of theology at Benedictine College and author of Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism in C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, to explore apologetics rooted in Lewis's trilemma on Jesus&#3...

How can Catholics address the ethical dilemmas in modern medicine and public health policy? Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a Catholic psychiatrist and former professor, to discuss his experiences challenging unethical medical mandates and his new book, Making the Cut: How to Heal Modern Medicine . They exploreKheriaty’s legal battles against university vaccine mandates, his advoc...

In this special live episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes guests Kara Johnson, John Mortensen, and Beth Mortensen before a student audience at Ave Maria University to discuss integrating the intellectual life with family life.  Drawing heavily from A.G. Sertillanges’s classic 1920 work,  The Intellectual Life,  the panel shares personal experiences and practi...

How can Catholics understand the sacraments through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica? Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore Aquinas’s treatment of the sacraments in the third part of the Summa. They discuss how the sacraments, as efficacious signs instituted by Christ, extend His redemptive work by addressin...

How can Catholics deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae? Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Father Guy Mansini, a Benedictine priest and the Max Seckler Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore the Christology of the Summa’s third part. They discuss how Aquinas presents Christ as true God and true man, situating His id...

How can Catholics understand the moral life within the framework of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae? Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Fr. Romanus Cessario, a Dominican priest and the Adam Cardinal Maida Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore the moral theology presented in the second part of the Summa. They discuss how Aquinas situates moral theology between...

How can Catholics deepen their understanding of God and His creation through the lens of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Daniel Lendman, a professor of theology and dean of students at Ave Maria University, to discuss the first part of the Summa Theologiae. They explore Aquinas’s approach to God’s existence, divine simplicity, provi...

How can Catholics approach the study of theology through the lens of Saint Thomas Aquinas? Dr. Michael Dauphinais engages with Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P., a Dominican priest and professor of theology at the Dominican House of Studies, to explore the significance of Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae . Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. also shares insights from his book, The Summa Illuminated , which aims to make Aquin...

What does it mean to evangelize through theology in a world of bad ideas about God and deepening cultural crises? To mark the third anniversary of The Catholic Theology Show, host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes back his colleague and frequent guest, Dr. Roger Nutt, provost and professor of theology at Ave Maria University. Together, they reflect on the podcast's roots in St. John Paul II'...

How can Catholics engage with the mystery of God through reason and faith? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. James Brent, O.P., assistant professor of philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies. They explore how philosophy in the perennial tradition raises profound questions about God’s existence, His plan, the problem of evil, the human soul, life after death, and the pursuit of ultimat...

How does beauty guide Catholics toward God and shape their moral and spiritual lives? Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Janice Chik Breidenbach, a professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University, to explore the profound role of beauty in faith. They discuss how beauty, as seen in nature, art, and moral goodness, serves as an accessible yet demanding path to God, reflecting His creative order...

How can Catholics find meaning in suffering and grow closer to God through it? Dr. Michael Dauphinais engages with Megan Hjelmstad, author of Offer It Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering , to explore the theological and practical dimensions of suffering. They discuss how suffering, often an obstacle to faith, can be transformed into a path toward redemption by uniting it...

How can we find authentic identity in an increasingly digital world? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Paul Vitz, Catholic psychologist and professor emeritus, to discuss his book, Analog Hunger in a Digital World: Confronting Today's Identity Crisis . They explore the tension between the analog experiences that ground human identity in reality and the digital world's tendency to disconnec...

How can Catholics faithfully approach the concept of miracles and prayer? Dr. Michael Dauphinais engages with Anthony DeStefano, a Catholic author with over 30 books, to explore his latest work, The Miracle Book: A Simple Guide to Asking the Impossible .  DeStefano shares practical, theologically sound steps for seeking divine intervention and reflects on his personal journey from skepticism to fa...

What caused the crisis of faith in the Catholic Church following Vatican II? Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Dr. Larry Chapp, a retired theology professor and founder of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Farm, to discuss the cultural and theological turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. Chapp shares his journey to starting the Catholic Worker Farm, inspired by Dorothy Day’s radical yet devout Catholicism, an...

How can Catholics address the perceived conflict between faith and science to strengthen belief, especially among youth? Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Fr. Robert Spitzer, president of the Magis Center and a leading Catholic scholar, to discuss this critical issue. They discuss Fr. Spitzer’s mission through the Magis Center, including his book Father Spitzer’s Universe: Exploring Life’s Big Question...

Why is governance essential for fostering Christian perfection and societal order? Dr. Michael Dauphinais engages with Dr. Donald Prudlo, author of Governing Perfection and Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, to explore the necessity and value of governance in both ecclesiastical and secular contexts. They discuss how governance, rooted in the Christian tradition, balances...

How can Catholics engage with contemporary debates on sexuality and gender through a lens of faith and reason? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Michele Schumacher, private docent at the University of Freiburg, Switzerland, and author of Metaphysics and Gender: The Normative Art of Nature and Its Human Limitations , to explore these questions. Dr. Schumacher shares her journey from questio...

How does the Catholic Church understand the unique role of Jesus Christ in salvation? Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Dr. Eduardo Echeverria, author of Jesus Christ: Scandal of Particularity, Vatican II, A Catholic Theology of Religion’s Justification and Truth . They explore Vatican II’s teachings, the importance of apologetics, the dangers of religious indifference, and Echeverria’s journey from ev...

How can the historical wisdom of the Habsburg dynasty guide us in modern times?  Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria and author of  The Habsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times , to explore lessons from 800 years of Habsburg history. They discuss the seven principles that shaped the dynasty, including the importance of marriage, the Catholic faith, and how these...

How can Catholics navigate the challenges of modern social interactions while staying true to their faith? Dr. Michael Dauphinais, in a talk given at the SEEK 2025 conference hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, explores how to live meaningfully in a world facing social and spiritual challenges. He proposes seven practices—digital detoxing, acknowledging personal failings, int...