Noll's Nephew

Are we really living in a secular age? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we examine our contemporary religious landscape through the lens of Strange Rites. While traditional religious affiliation may be declining, the human search for meaning, identity, ritual, and belonging has not disappeared; it has simply been remixed. Drawing on theology and cultural analysis, this episode explores why the...

Is drinking a sin? In this episode of Noll’s Nephew , we examine alcohol through the lens of virtue theology, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Catechism. The Church does not condemn alcohol itself. Creation is good, but she does warn against excess. Drunkenness becomes sinful when it impairs reason and undermines temperance, the virtue that orders pleasure toward the good. We explore the difference bet...

This episode explores how the Cross, once a scandal and symbol of death, becomes the source of hope and glory through Christ’s Resurrection. Beginning with Luke 9:23, we see that Jesus calls His followers to take up their cross even before Calvary, inviting them into redemptive suffering. In Gethsemane, Christ embraces the cup the Father does not remove, revealing that salvation comes through suff...

Lent is more than “giving something up.” In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the theology behind the Church’s forty-day journey into the desert. Drawing from Scripture and the Church Fathers, we examine how Lent renews our baptismal identity, disciplines disordered desire through fasting, and reorders love through prayer and almsgiving. The desert is not punishment but formation, partic...

Should Catholics date non-Catholics? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the idea sometimes jokingly called “flirt to convert.” Without giving a simple yes or no, this conversation looks at the theology of marriage, the importance of unity of faith, and the real spiritual risks and possibilities involved. Relationships can be places of witness and grace, but emotional attachment can als...

What does it really mean to say “God has a plan”? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the Catholic teaching on divine providence without falling into clichés or fatalism. Drawing from the Catechism, we unpack how God governs creation with wisdom and love, permits evil without willing it, and works through human freedom—not around it. Suffering is not called good, but in Christ it can be...

Why doesn’t the Christian life get easier after grace? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we tackle a common misunderstanding: that sanctifying grace should eliminate struggle. Drawing on Catholic theology, this episode explains what sanctifying grace truly is, why concupiscence remains after Baptism, and how effort still matters in the spiritual life. Grace does not overwrite our humanity, it pe...

“I’ll get serious later” is one of the most common, and most dangerous, lies in the spiritual life. In this episode of Noll’s Nephew , we confront the habit of delay that quietly erodes discipline, prayer, and obedience. Holiness doesn’t arrive with age, stability, or better circumstances; it’s formed through action taken today. This episode challenges comfortable faith, exposes the myth of the “f...

Well... I'm back! I apologize for being away for a few weeks, but I'm sure you if you give this episode a listen, you'll understand! Life has been busy, and things have been stacking on top of each other, but WE ARE SO BACK!

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , discover why the Church insists that Catholic weddings take place in a church or chapel, what canon law actually says, and how the Eucharist lies at the very heart of the sacrament of Matrimony. If you’ve ever wondered why the beach isn’t a liturgical option (no matter how good the vibes are), this episode will finally make it make sense.

In this episode of Noll’s Nephew , we break down one of the most misunderstood aspects of Catholic life by taking deep Catholic theology and turning it into bite-sized clarity. Drawing on Archbishop Noll’s belief that education dispels confusion, we explore what a declaration of nullity truly means, why the Church cannot “undo” a valid sacramental marriage, what the annulment process looks like, a...

How Literal Should Catholics Take the Creation Story?

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we dive into one of the most familiar yet misunderstood words in Catholic life:  Eucharist . Where does the term come from? What did the earliest Christians mean when they used it? And how did the Eucharist arrive on American soil long before the Pilgrims ever set foot at Plymouth? We explore the Greek roots of  eucharistia  (“thanksgiving”), trace its use throu...

In this episode of Noll’s Nephew , we break down what it really means to become Catholic , not just the steps, but the heart behind the journey. Whether you’re curious, returning after years away, or walking with someone who’s discerning the faith, we’ll walk through OCIA, the sacraments of initiation, the role of sponsors and catechesis, and what it looks like to join the Church at the Easter Vig...

What  are  angels, really? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we dive deep into  St. Thomas Aquinas’s angelology , one of the most straightforward and most influential explanations in the history of the Church. Are angels material or immaterial? How do they think? How do they act? Do they move from place to place? Can they protect us, teach us, or influence the world? Drawing from the  Summa Theo...

In this episode of Noll’s Nephew , we delve into why Catholics venerate the relics of the saints and how this practice dates back to Scripture and the early Church. From Elisha’s bones to the relics of St. Polycarp, the faithful have honored the bodies of the holy as signs of God’s power and the promise of resurrection. Drawing from the Catechism and the Church Fathers, we’ll see how relics expres...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the mysterious “Woman clothed with the sun” from Revelation 12 — and how her image comes to life in  Our Lady of Guadalupe . Drawing on early Church Fathers like St. Epiphanius and St. Augustine, we’ll see how this vision of Mary and the Church reveals God’s victory over darkness. From the crown of stars in heaven to the tilma on earth, the same truth...

Does the Father punish Jesus on the Cross? In this episode, we talk about Penal Substitution and why the Catholic Church doesn’t teach it. Instead, we look at Scripture, the Catechism, and what the early Christians actually believed: that Jesus freely offered Himself in love, uniting us back to the Father and healing us from the inside out. The Cross isn’t divine anger — it’s divine love confronti...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we break down the Vatican’s 2025 doctrinal note on Mary, Mother of Jesus and the title  “Co-Redemptrix.”  Learn why the Church says Mary is  not  a co-redeemer in the sense often misunderstood, how she cooperates with Christ, and how to honour her faithfully without confusing her role with that of Jesus.

Why did God become man? In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore St. Anselm’s  Cur Deus Homo  — one of the greatest works in Christian theology. We’ll see how sin created a debt humanity couldn’t pay, how only the God-Man could restore what was lost, and why the Incarnation is not just logical but beautiful. Scripture, reason, and love all meet in Jesus Christ — God in human flesh. Discover...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the meaning of  All Souls’ Day  and why the Church dedicates the month of November to praying for the faithful departed. Drawing from Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism, we uncover the biblical roots of purgatory and the profound charity of praying for the dead. Discover how every Mass, rosary, and act of penance can bring light to souls...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore the  degrees of glory in Heaven : why some saints shine brighter, yet all are perfectly happy. Drawing from Scripture and St. Augustine’s  City of God , we uncover how God rewards each soul according to its love and cooperation with grace. By imagining another baseball analogy, we learn why no one will envy another’s joy, and how our daily choices inc...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we tackle a key apologetics question:  The Bible and the Church — who came first? We’ll explore how the early Church lived the faith before the New Testament was written, how the canon of Scripture was discerned by the Church under the Holy Spirit, and why the Bible can only be fully understood within the Church that preserved it. Discover why Catholics can conf...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore one of Mary’s most beautiful yet misunderstood titles —  Mediatrix of All Grace.  What does it mean that Mary “mediates” grace, and how does that fit with Christ as the one Mediator? Drawing from Scripture, Church teaching, and insights from Archbishop Noll, we uncover how Mary’s maternal intercession always leads us to Jesus — never away from Him. Le...

In this episode of  Noll’s Nephew , we explore how the  Rule of St. Benedict  — written for monks 1,500 years ago — can transform the daily lives of lay Catholics today. We’ll unpack the basic principles of the Rule: prayer, work, community, silence, and moderation, and discover how these simple rhythms bring balance and peace to modern life. Learn how to make your home a “domestic monastery,” you...