The Family Room

Nick Bernhard, husband, father, and ministry leader Today’s culture portrays fathers as either tyrannical or weak, resulting in many young men throwing up their hands, unwilling to tackle conflicting expectations. It’s understandable, but we’ve come to realize that weak men create weak families. Lacking a strong father figure, Nick Bernhard admits that although he went to Catholic schools, he didn...

Fr. Robert J. Altier, author and priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota In the amazing book, God’s Plan for Your Marriage: An Exploration of Holy Matrimony from Genesis to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb , inspired by the Holy Spirit and recommended by faithful leaders including Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke and Dr. Bob Schuchts, Fr. Robert Altier gives us a powerful weapon...

Susan Milani, Parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, Georgia Raised in a very Jewish home in Charleston, South Carolina, Susan is the only child of immigrant parents, a Polish Jewish survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and a German Jewish escapee from East Germany. Through beautiful experiences and people Susan encountered from a young age, God wooed her into the Catholic Chu...

Fr. Greg Markey, Head Chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College The Camino de Santiago, or “Way of St. James,” is an extensive network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at his tomb in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Begun in the year 814, original pilgrims started from their homes, creating this network of pathways to Santiago. Making his journey in gratitude for ten...

Bear Woznick, EWTN host, world-champion surfer, certified Ninja black belt Many men today find it difficult to pinpoint what being a father means. Nobody gave them an instruction manual when they were young, so their definitions are all over the map. Bear Woznick beautifully ties together both Biblical virtues and common-sense guideposts to help men navigate the choppy waters of manhood in his boo...

PennyKay Hoeflinger, abuse survivor and advocate Born into a poor family in rural Wyoming, PennyKay Hoeflinger was raped by a fellow student when she was only 6. Dismissed by authority figures, her life eventually spiraled into addiction, witchcraft, and human trafficking. In 1987 a traveling pastor at a truck stop helped rescue PennyKay. Seeking food, she visited his mobile chapel where he knew t...

Dr. Helen Hoffner, college professor and Catholic author Few people consider thanking a Catholic as they go about their daily activities, but the achievements and discoveries credited to ordinary Catholics are quite a story. For example, did you know the Mayo Clinic began in a convent after a tornado? Or, that you might not be drinking coffee today had it not been for the endorsement of this energ...

Mark Houck, pro-life activist arrested by the FBI Nothing can prepare you when the FBI descends on your home in a predawn raid, terrifying your wife and seven young children. A civil complaint against him was dismissed days earlier, so Mark Houck couldn’t comprehend the ruckus coming from his front porch. Surely this was a mistake. Mark was active in the pro-life community for decades, standing pe...

Kristen Van Uden Theriault, author, editor, media spokesperson Kristen Theriault’s family lived their Catholic identity for centuries, but after seeing a culture shift in Catholic education, Kristen desired to keep rich Catholic heritage alive. That included her undergraduate project interviewing Catholics who survived communism, preserving their stories before they became lost. This project becam...

Dr. DiAnn Ecret - PhD, MSN, RN, MA cert By early high school, DiAnn Ecret dreamed of becoming a missionary nurse, and it was at a Catholic nursing school and hospital that her formative years in the medical field seamlessly flowed from the moral tradition that all life is sacred, from conception through natural death. Following the Nuremburg Trials and Syphilis Study at Tuskegee, Alabama, America...

Daniel Fitzpatrick, husband, father, teacher, and author Drawing from the rich cultural heritage of his Louisiana hometown, Daniel Fitzpatrick saw a stark contrast between the rhythmic nature of Catholic life in New Orleans and the hustle-bustle of other cities. In New Orleans, time followed the liturgical seasons of the Church. In other places, each Sunday felt the same, often fostering a sense o...

James Flanagan – Exec. Dir., Catholic World Mission It’s often only in hindsight that we understand how God equips us for our perfect mission. As Executive Director of Catholic World Mission (CWM), James Flanagan recounts how he was required to write daily goals in the Army, never understanding why he’d always list working for a Catholic non-profit some day. Now he knows. By building relationships...

Jennifer Thomas, writer, speaker, and podcaster After losing both parents within a year to cancer, Jennifer Thomas admits she wasn’t on best terms with God. Her first Mother’s Day as a Mom was also her first Mother’s Day without a Mom. No two people grieve the same, and Jennifer shares a unique tool which started her journey to healing. After God softened her heart, she met Andrea Bear at a worksh...

Carrie Huebner, CFCP, PA-C Often those drawn into medicine choose it because they desire to help others navigate a difficult road they traveled themselves. Carrie Huebner was inspired by her own infertility journey to teach others a more natural approach to reproductive health. A cradle Catholic, Carrie’s faith lay dormant until her first post-graduate degree. She moved to Atlanta where she met he...

Dale Ahlquist, author, co-founder of the first Chesterton Academy In his book, Localism: Coming Home to Catholic Social Teaching , Dale Ahlquist gathers 12 of the finest thinkers in Christianity today who offer concrete solutions to society’s ills, pointing to the success of localism through the family and local community as the cure. Civilization starts with the family and thrives by investing in...

Carolyn and Sean Loub It’s not unusual for Catholic moms to consider the priesthood for their boys, but Carolyn Loub admits she didn’t pray for a priestly vocation. As a matter of fact, when their third son left a note for his parents saying he’d discerned a call to the priesthood, they were shocked. Carolyn felt they hadn’t done anything special to encourage his vocation, saying, “I didn’t think...

Sister Mary Ann Fatula, author As one of eight children, Sister Mary Ann Fatula felt drawn to the Mass at a young age, never missing a day since receiving her First Holy Communion at age seven. Now 81 and retired, Sister Fatula declares herself a mere youth among the other Dominican nuns she cares for at their nursing home. A prolific writer, Sister Fatula’s book, The Wonders of the Mass and the E...

Co-hosts of The Family Room, Mari Cleveland from St. Jude and Craig Wesemeyer from St. Peter Chanel, talk with Marci Nunnery from the Cathedral of Christ the King who shares about the beauty of the rosary.

Dr. Paul Chaloux, moral theologian and author Dr. Paul Chaloux just completed the third book in his trilogy on the three great mysteries of life: suffering, death, and love. His latest, called Heaven’s Currency: A Study of Love , builds upon the first two: Why All People Suffer and Dying Without Fear. Combined, all three show us how love is Heaven’s true currency. Listen as Dr. Chaloux explains ho...

Mary Jane Zuzolo, author Most Catholics would recognize the sixth Station of the Cross, Christ’s face imprinted on Veronica’s veil. This sacred relic is kept safely in the Vatican, but few know about the Holy Face Devotion which was approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1895. Mary Jane Zuzolo shares from her book, Unveiling the Sixth Station of the Cross: Reparation to the Holy Face, Mother of All Devotion...

Clarence Burkholder and Brian Lee from St. Paul Street Evangelization The word evangelization often evokes negative emotions in people, but St. Paul Street Evangelization offers a friendly and safe approach to sharing the Gospel and planting seeds which can have lasting effects on people. Hear how two experienced evangelists trained in this approach, Clarence Burkholder, the Atlanta Team Leader co...

Dr. Patrick Fagan, director of MARRI at The Catholic University of America As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Patrick Fagan likened his role to that of a priest due to the personal access he has to peoples’ deepest secrets. Early in his career, his life was forever changed when he learned that federally-funded programs often worked to undermine family stability rather than strengthen it. Hear how Dr....

Beth Von Arx, former teacher and homeschooling mother of nine After interviewing John Paul Von Arx about his wildly successful song,”He’s Different,” which aired on our December 27, 2023, episode, it became clear that there was another celebrity in the family, John Paul’s mother, Beth Von Arx. Beth and her husband, Joe, raised their nine children with the primary goal to help each member get to He...

Joelle Maryn, writer, producer, speaker, actress Joelle Maryn’s adult life seemed like a dream, but being a successful model, actress and the creator of a high-end cosmetic line didn’t compensate for the fact that her whole life burned to the ground when she was only six. Her family home was destroyed in a fire which killed her only sibling and destroyed the emotional stability of her parents, who...

Joe and Nicole McGivney Just days after Christmas in 2020, Joe McGivney’s mind became trapped in the hallucinations of alcohol-induced Korsakoff psychosis, also called “wet brain.” After decades of chronic drinking and being a high-functioning alcoholic, Joe had hit rock bottom after COVID-19 provided the perfect storm to take his drinking to the next dangerous level. Within weeks of Joe’s diagnos...