Gotta Be Saints

Send us Fan Mail As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Brendan welcomes Dr. Anthony Rizzi for an extended presentation on the philosophical foundations of the American experiment. Drawing from his work on natural law, philosophy, and the history of America's founding, Dr. Rizzi shares his perspective on why America's enduring strength lies in its founding principles. Throughout th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan sits down with Dr. Greg Bottaro to discuss the importance of holy curiosity and what it means to truly listen well. In a culture marked by division, assumptions, quick judgments, and constant noise, Dr. Greg explains why authentic listening is essential for healthy relationships, meaningful conversations, healing, and Christian witness....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan sits down with Peter Giersch to discuss one of the most important realities Christians can reflect on: eternity. Through the beauty of France, the witness of the saints, the art of Michelangelo, and the Catholic understanding of death, judgment, heaven, and hell, Peter invites listeners to rediscover what so much of the modern world has...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is Part Two of a special series in partnership with Franciscan University of Steubenville. In Part One, I sat down with Dr. Stephen Hildebrand to discuss why authentic Catholic education matters. Today, we turn our attention to another essential aspect of the Christian life: encounter. Joining me is Brian Kissinger, Executive Director of Steubenville Conferences, for...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, I sit down with Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP, to reflect on the beauty and power of the Eucharist as we prepare for Corpus Christi. Together, we discuss why Jesus chose to remain with us in the Blessed Sacrament, how the saints were transformed through Eucharistic devotion, and practical ways we can grow closer to Christ through silence, prayer, ador...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, Provost of Franciscan University of Steubenville and Professor of Theology, for a conversation on the importance of Catholic education in today’s culture. We discuss why Catholic education is about far more than academics. It’s about formation, holiness, truth, community, and becoming the person God created you to be. We al...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan sits down with Dr. John Cuddeback to discuss what it truly means to live intentionally within the home. Together, they explore how modern life often pulls families toward distraction, busyness, and drifting, while God calls us to deeper presence, sacrifice, prayer, and authentic relationship. Drawing from philosophy, family life, friends...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by actor Michael Girgenti, who portrays Jesus in the new docudrama That They May Be One , coming to theaters nationwide May 19–20 through Fathom Events. Inspired by Jesus’ prayer in John 17, the film explores Christian unity, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the invitation for all people to come to know Christ more deeply....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Brendan Gotta sits down with Peter Carter to explore the beauty, purpose, and deeper meaning of sacred music in the life of the Church. Music has always played a central role in Christian worship, from the Psalms of the Old Testament to the chants of the early Church. But what actually makes music sacred? And what role should it play in helping us encounter God mo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Brendan Gotta sits down with Father Peregrine to explore the powerful and mysterious story of Saint Philomena and why her witness still matters today. Though little is historically known about her life, Saint Philomena’s story has captivated the Church for centuries. From the discovery of her relics to the widespread devotion of saints like John Vianney, her life...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Brendan Gotta sits down with Dr. Thomas McGovern to explore the reality of what Jesus endured during His Passion—and why it matters for our spiritual lives today. During Lent, and especially on Good Friday, we hear the Gospel accounts of Christ’s suffering: the agony in the garden, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of the cross, and the crucifi...

Send us Fan Mail Ida Görres is one of the most insightful Catholic writers of the twentieth century—yet many Catholics today have never heard her name. In this episode, Brendan Gotta sits down with Jennifer Bryson to explore the life and legacy of Ida Görres, a fearless German Catholic thinker whose writings on holiness, suffering, and the lives of the saints continue to challenge and inspire read...

Send us Fan Mail Gossip. Lying. Flattery. Crass words. Most of us recognize that sins of speech quietly undermine our pursuit of holiness. In this episode, I sit down with Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., to discuss his book Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech and the path toward verbal virtue. Drawing from Thomistic wisdom and pastoral experience, Fr. Gregory explains why speech is order...

Send us Fan Mail About This Episode Lent has a way of catching us off guard. One moment we’re settling into the new year, and the next we’re being invited into forty days of prayer, sacrifice, and renewal. In this episode, Brendan Gotta sits down with author and homeschooling mom Colleen Pressprich to discuss her new book Lenten Prayers for Families and how families can enter more intentionally in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Steph Stampfer , a Catholic writer and podcaster living in Vienna, to share her powerful and honest journey to the Catholic faith. Steph’s story moves through spiritual searching, travel, Eastern spirituality, New Age practices, and deep interior brokenness—before ultimately leading her home to Christ and the Catholic...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast , I sit down with Dr. George Delgado , a family physician and one of the pioneers of abortion pill reversal (APR) , to talk about the science, the stories, and the hope behind a medical protocol that gives women a second chance after beginning a chemical abortion. Dr. Delgado is the founder of the Abortion Pill Reversal Network and th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast , I’m joined by Dr. Angela Costley , a Hebrew Catholic theologian and Scripture professor based in the UK, to talk about what it means to be both Jewish and Catholic —not as a contradiction, but as a fulfillment. We discuss why the phrase “Jewish Catholic” can sound confusing at first, how the Church is grafted onto the “olive tree” o...

Send us Fan Mail The Reason to Stay Catholic (with Colleen Dulle) In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Colleen Dulle — wife, mother, Vatican reporter, and author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter . We talk honestly about why we remain Catholic in a wounded Church: how to stay when you’ve seen the worst, how to wrestle with God without...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast , I sit down with Dr. Michael Pakaluk — husband, father of 15, philosopher, and author of The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life . We talk about the beauty of the Catholic faith, why holiness is both deeply attractive and deeply demanding , and how God meets us in the very ordinary, sometimes messy, details of dai...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and timely episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Charles “Charlie” Camosy — moral theologian, bioethicist, and author of Living and Dying Well ( order here ). Charlie shares deep insights into the cultural push toward physician-assisted killing, why our society is at a “tipping point,” and how the Catholic vision of life and death offers a radi...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and deeply moving episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast , I’m joined by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI — priest, theologian, and author of beloved spiritual classics The Holy Longing and Sacred Fire . Fr. Ron shares wisdom from his new book, Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years , exploring what it means to grow old with grace, purpose, and hope. Toge...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints , I sit down with author and Catholic coach Belinda Terro Mooney to talk about living real friendship with Jesus and praying with the saints—especially on their feast days. With All Saints’ Day right around the corner, we dive into why the saints’ stories matter, how ordinary people become holy, and practical ways to invite the saints to interced...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Gotta Be Saints , Brendan Gotta welcomes back Dr. Julia Sadusky , a clinical psychologist and author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth . Together, they unpack the complex and often misunderstood topic of conversion therapy —how it’s defined, what the law says, and how Catholics can approach questions of faith,...

Send us Fan Mail Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuận spent 13 years imprisoned by the communist regime in Vietnam—nine of them in solitary confinement. In this moving conversation, his sister Elizabeth shares intimate family memories, the roots of his priestly vocation, and the crucible of prison where the Eucharist became his lifeline. She recounts how the meditations that became The Road of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I am joined by Kevin Matthews, legendary Chicago radio personality and author of Broken Mary . For nearly two decades, Kevin was the voice millions tuned in to hear every morning. Known for his unforgettable characters, sold-out comedy shows, and larger-than-life presence, he seemed to be living at the peak of success. But in 2008, Kevin was diagnosed with multipl...