The Art of Catholic with Matthew Leonard

Far too many Catholics are unaware of the transformative power of the Catholic mystical tradition, especially deep meditative and contemplative prayer. There is an urgent need to understand the absolute necessity of diving into authentic Catholic spirituality given to us by spiritual giants like Sts. Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Francis de Sales, and many others. If you want your life to be...

Is there ever a time when obedience is no longer a virtue? Is there a point when a Catholic can abandon ship? What about when there are doubts concerning particular matters or teaching? These are real issues and can confusing to a lot of Catholics. On this Art of Catholic, Matthew Leonard lays out some basic principles for Catholics to keep in mind. After laying out some preliminary remarks and ad...

Humanity is having an identity crisis of major proportions. People don't know who they are. And it's literally wreaking havoc across the world at this very instant. And St. John Paul II saw it coming. In fact, he provided the answers before many of the questions were even posed. Expanding upon the work of St. Thomas Aquinas and others, he developed a philosophy of the person called, appropriately,...

Even in the face of terrible tragedy like suicide, Catholic doctrine is clear that there is always hope. This is particularly the message of Divine Mercy taught by St. Faustina Kowalska (originator of the Divine Mercy Chaplet). Unfortunately, too many Catholics don't truly understand what the Catholic Church has to say in these matters. It's important not only for those who may have died, but for...

Matthew Leonard interviews Dr. John Bergsma about his conversion to Catholicism, as well as discussing an overview of all of salvation history.

In this special 100th episode of the Art of Catholic, Matthew Leonard brings back John Henry Crosby, founder and president of the Hildebrand Project for a fascinating discussion revolving around a small, but powerful book titled Jaws of Death: Gate of Heaven by famous 20th philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand.

https://youtu.be/0xwGSThPczQ SCROLL DOWN FOR AUDIO ONLY It's impossible to read St. Paul's letters without coming across the topic of suffering. It's everywhere. And it's because the question of suffering is constantly nagging us. Why do we suffer? What does it mean? If God loves us, how come we suffer? Enter St. Paul. His teaching is absolutely essential to the understanding of suffering and how...

What if I told you the game has changed? What if I told you that things have gotten so serious that there are often-ignored spiritual truths we have to be aware of or we're not going to survive the current climate? The reality is that we are at war. The forces of darkness are trying to destroy your life. They're trying to kill you. And it appears the battle has intensified, which means you have to...

Matthew Leonard interviews Fr. Don Calloway about why now is the right time to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph.

This is not a normal interview. While I typically dive into subjects like Catholic spirituality, Scripture, and such, today I'm diving into you. That sounds weird, I know. Allow me to explain. My guests on the Art of Catholic are two gentleman dedicated to helping Catholics find their personal vocation. And before you say, "I'm already married" or "I'm going to be a nun." or "I'm (fill in the blan...

Featuring Curtis Mitch https://youtu.be/OeQGhdrb2VY Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought, "Yikes! That doesn't sound like a loving God!" There are a lot of difficult events (not to mention direct instructions from God) that cause 21st century Christians a lot of angst. Of particular note is the extreme violence ordered by God against seemingly innocent people. So what gives? How d...

Featuring Dr. John Bergsma https://youtu.be/pi1Qr6_Cko4 Discovered in 1946 by a guy throwing rocks into a cave, the Dead Sea Scrolls have been called "the greatest archeological find of the 20th century." And they're totally Catholic! Join Matthew Leonard and scrolls expert Dr. John Bergsma as they unlock some very illuminating secrets from these famous scrolls. It's a conversation that may help f...

Featuring Dr. Jay Richards https://youtu.be/y9APG8CDzjM The confusion is pervasive. The consequences are catastrophic. What is a Catholic supposed to believe when it comes to evolution? Is it okay or not? Can Darwinism be reconciled with Church teaching as many argue (or even assume)? To answer these (and many other related questions), I brought in a man I consider to have one of the most remarkab...

Featuring Dr. Carrie Gress https://youtu.be/Za5oeIDXnrU Every now and then you come across someone who opens your eyes to the reality behind the curtain a little bit more. My guest just tore the whole curtain down. Dr. Carrie Gress has written an eye-popping exposé titled, The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing Culture from Toxic Femininity. It's a barn-burner. And before any of you men think, "Well, I g...

Every now and then you meet a person whose life blows your mind. I recently met that guy while in Israel. His name is Msgr. Hilary Franco, a priest of 64 years and unlike anyone you've ever encountered. He's a living treasure-trove of knowledge spanning the last six decades of Church history. But it's his personal history that wows. (You can read all about it in his incredible memoir Bishop Sheen:...

https://youtu.be/NkpOkZ842g4 The infection has gone deep. Case in point...Several years ago I was at a very orthodox Catholic conference on the West Coast. Great talks. Great people. Great event. Then the wheels came off. During the homily at Mass, the priest gave a completely anti-Catholic homily. He didn't do it on purpose, but it was anti-Catholic nonetheless. I was flabbergasted. I turned to a...

I've met a lot of converts to Catholicism over the years. But John Michael Talbot is unique, to say the least. And it's not just because he's a multi-platinum selling, Grammy / Dove award winning Contemporary Christian Music pioneer. It's more. Lots of people convert, but John Michael has embarked on a full-fledged movement to transform the way Catholics live...which continues to this day. And the...

There is one doctrine of the Church that changes everything...and I mean everything! And once you get it, your understanding of salvation is radically transformed. I'm talking about deification. Yup! You and I are were created to be divine! St. Peter declares very clearly that we are destined to become a "partakers" of the divine nature of God (2 Pt 1:4). But that's not the only place in Scripture...

Featuring Michael Matheson Miller Everything has gone haywire. At every corner our traditional way of life is being undermined by forces that seem to come from every direction. It's a constant assault. And it's extremely easy for a Catholic to get caught up in being a "child of the times" without even realizing it. It's a slippery slope. We've got to be able to identify and understand the danger a...

https://youtu.be/jmii0zRKP5A I've got ten bucks that says you've never heard a lot of this stuff. When I was coming into the Church 20 years ago, I struggled mightily with the Virgin Mary. Partly, it was because I couldn't find Marian doctrine and devotion in Sacred Scripture. I was blind. Eventually, I came to realize how deeply Mary is woven into the fabric of the sacred text once you know how t...

Decisions, decisions... Life holds a lot of options and it's often hard to know which way to go, especially when it comes to serious, life-changing matters. Thankfully, we've got help. St. Ignatius of Loyola penned his famous Spiritual Exercises to enable people to discern the spirits - discern God's will for their lives. And the great thing is that's it's not pie-in-the-sky. It's super practical...

"'Slaves of Mary?' Are you kidding me?" That was my first (second, third...tenth) reaction to the words of St. Louis de Montfort in True Devotion to Mary, the classic text on our topic.  The whole idea of consecrating yourself to anyone other than Jesus Christ made zero sense to me. Not anymore. I now understand and completely embrace the whole idea of consecration to Our Lady. And I can tell you...

Not sure if you caught it, but Archbishop Vigano recently told the American bishops they'd better be afraid...very afraid. Why? Because if you want to become a saint, the first thing you need is fear. Fear isn't typically the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about growth in sanctity, but it's a must. Not any old fear, of course...we're talking fear of the Lord - one of the most...

Yes, some look like Jedi hippies. Yes, their giant rosaries look like medieval weapons. Yes, many haven't worn socks in a very long time. But they're the real deal. About whom am I talking? Catholics with a religious vocation. You know...monks, nuns, and such. And while most of us aren't called to their life, we should pay very close attention to them. Why? Because they can show laity the pursuit...