The Radio Immaculata Show

In this fourth episode we analyse the importance of words and their necessary connection to reality. Words are signs: they point us to a meaning beyond them and require a clear bond with reality to be significant. The crux of the matter is the problem of the Universals, i.e., that which can be attribute to many things. The denial of universal essences as real, so as to reduce them to only sounds f...

Our Lady pronounced only 7 words recorded by the Gospels: from the Annunciation through the Visitation, the finding of Jesus in the temple, up until Cana. As Jesus manifested His glory at that significant wedding, Our Lady ceased to speak publicly. Why? Moreover, in two central moments of Jesus' life, the Presentation in the temple and Calvary - two offertorial moments - no word by the Virgin Mary...

In this third episode we deal with the problem of perception of reality. Realism vs. Idealism or Anti-realism. The question that arises is this: Are we sure that there are things beyond our own comprehension and that there is an external world wider than our sensation and thought? This seems an ongoing doubt. How to go about it? We deal with the thought of George Berkeley (1685-1753) still relevan...

Why is St Joseph not mentioned in the account of the Magi upon their arrival at Bethlehem (cf. Mt 2:1-11)? Joseph of Nazareth plays a prominent role in Matthew's Gospel, though. His presence is well outlined in what just precedes the moment of the adoration of the Magi (the Angel telling Joseph in a dream about the divine Incarnation) and what follows it (Joseph alerted by the angel to flee with J...

In this second episode of "Philosophy for All," we analyse what a sign is and its difference from a symbol. Both sign and symbol point us to a reality beyond themselves. The sign and the symbol, without which we cannot live, are not the reality they point us to. Paul Ricœur (1913–2005), a French Philosopher, tells us that idolatry occurs when a symbol is mistaken for the reality. Idolatry, we...

With this first episode, we start a series on "Philosophy for All," investigating what Metaphysics is. In this first lesson we focus on the perception of reality with the help of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. How do we know what is real? How do we know that the reality we perceive is the final reality and not a mere appearance? What is real and what is apparent? Man is made for what is real and la...

St Joseph's heart is the mystery to contemplate at this Holy Christmas to welcome with it God's greatest gifts: Our Lady and Jesus, our Saviour. Joseph was espoused to Mary in a very unique and holy way - a virginal one. Through her, he embraced Our Lord and became His virginal father. St Joseph's heart was the very place where these two mysteries were laid, prefiguring also the cave of Bethlehem....

The 1930s saw a frequent objection made to Christianity: since salvation is personal, Christianity would easily pave the way for individualism, where every Christian looks for his own happiness, forgetting all others. Henri de Lubac wrote "Catholicism" (1937) to reply to this objection by making the point of "social Catholicism." However, few years later, this concept, though well grounded in the...

In this homily given on Christmas Day, Fr Serafino reflects on the mystery of the Word made flesh. The very difference between any philosophy, any natural religion, and Christianity is that the Word spoke and is made flesh. Incarnation is a gift not a right, as grace is a gift and never a right. Yet, in today's Church, as in the society, grace seems to be a right. Even blessings have become a huma...

St Francis of Assisi heard the word of the Crucifix: "Go Francis and repair my Church." Only at the third church he arrived with the intention of refurbishing it, St Mary of the Angels, the Poverello understood the correct meaning of that mission: he had to build up the Body of Christ, purchased by Our Lord with his Blood. At the Portiuncula, St Francis was identified with the Mother of God to "gi...

In this podcast Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta explores the historical and theological meaning of St Francis' Mission for the Church. There are quite a few similarities between the Church at the time of St Francis and the Church of today. It seems that one same heresy binds together that time and ours: pauperism, i.e., poverty seen as an end and no longer as a means. This led to overlap the institution a...

In this podcast, Fr Serafino presents the truth about Our Lady's unique cooperation in our salvation. This cooperation can be defined as co-redemption. The 'co' does not express equality but company; the fact that Our Lady is with Christ, though under Him in offering the one price of our salvation. St. Francis of Assisi's mission was in fact co-redemtpive as well as St. Pio of Pietrelcina's, just...

Fr Serafino in this podcast explores the relationship between two fundamentals virtues, humility and purity, by contemplating them as one, though distinct, in Our Lady's life. And yet the question: which one comes first? St Bernard and St Bonaventure have their say. And we follow it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Gospel of St Luke (5:1-11) Jesus teaches the multitude pressing upon him from Simon's ship. It's Jesus who appointed Peter to be the foundation rock of the Church. However, not as a private person with his own ideas and convictions, but as the one who professes the Faith of the Church: "You are the Son of the living God." Faith comes first. Peter depends on the faith and not the other way r...

Fr Serafino speaks about the relationship between the Triune God and Our Lady, laid out by the mystery of Mary's Virginity, reflection in our creation of God's Purity. Purity in God is the expression of his being: God cannot but be and be necessarily a communion of love. In Our Lady there is a finite but perfect manifestation of God's infinite perfection. This created perfection, which makes Mary...

In this episode we explore the true meaning of God's mercy. This to avoid two extremes: rigorism, which excludes mercy for the sake of justice and laxism, even more spread in our days, which refuses justice for the sake of mercy. Justice and mercy cannot be set one against the other for the fact that, according to St Bonaventure, whatever God does is done by virtu of the abundance of His goodness....

Papa Francesco, esaminando la dialettica tra Legge (Torah) e fede in Cristo, ha concluso la sua ultima catechesi del mercoledì chiedendosi: «…disprezzo i Comandamenti? No. Li osservo, ma non come assoluti, perché so che quello che mi giustifica è Gesù Cristo». Questo insegnamento letto nel suo contesto non può che lasciare attoniti e smarriti. Se il Decalogo non è più assoluto, se cioè inizia a di...

Pope Francis issued on 16 July 2021 a new law on the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal (the Old Rite Mass). The previous dispositions by Pope Benedict XVI, favouring the celebration of this Mass by any priest with no authorisation, have been rescinded, and a very surprising statement has been made: the new Roman Missal issued by Paul VI in 1970 is the only expression...

Our Lady holds a very special relationship with the Most Holy Trinity. She is the daughter of the Father, the mother of the Son and the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. A title given to Her by Hesychius of Jerusalem (V cent.) defines the Blessed Virgin "Complementum Trinitatis" - "Complement of the Holy Trinity". She complements the Holy Trinity from outside, for being chosen by the Father since Her cre...

Mercy depends on justice as charity on truth, though both mercy and charity complete justice and truth. God is just when He forgives and when He condemns. In both cases He is merciful because in both cases he is supremely just. And He is as just as He is supremely good.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Homophobia is a label put on those who have an opinion about homosexuality that does not go with the flow, namely those who respect the person but condemn the acts. But is it true that those who advocate the rights of homosexuals are really respecting their dignity? The homophobic shield, used to rather convey the ideology of homosexualism, reveals an idea of person as merely grounded in the gende...

Catechesi di P. Serafino M. Lanzetta: in prossimità della Solennità di San Giuseppe e nell'anno dedicato a questo grande Santo, riflettiamo sulla figura straordinario del Falegname di Nazareth. Scelto dal Padre per una missione unica, diventa anzitutto sposo casto di Maria. Per mezzo di questa unione sponsale e mistica con la Madre di Dio - la sua consacrazione a Lei - San Giuseppe è introdotto in...

St Joseph's ministry and mission come into play thanks to his espousal with Our Lady. Above all, it is from this blessed and virginal union that the Holy Carpenter of Nazareth is able to embrace Jesus and to minister unto Him. There are two moments in Joseph's union with Mary: a first official betrothal and the final cohabitation, which took place after the instructions of the Angel: "Do not be af...

Catechesi di P. Serafino M. Lanzetta: Sant'Agostino definisce l'obbedienza virtù radicale, madre di tutte le virtù, origine e perfezione di ogni giustizia e virtù nella quale si riassume tutta la religione. Il P. Agostino Trapè, grande conoscitore del pensiero dell'Ipponate, riassume così la teologia di Agostino su questo punto: «L’ordine naturale vuole che l’inferiore sia soggetto al superiore; m...

Lectio divina con P. Serafino M. Lanzetta: Il Vangelo di Marco (9,2-10) ci racconta l’evento epifanico della Trasfigurazione del Signore. Si tratta della seconda tappa nel nostro cammino quaresimale. Gesù manifesta lo splendore della sua divinità a testimoni scelti. Ma si tratta solo di un assaggio. Per entrare nella sua gloria, il Figlio dell’Uomo dovrà soffrire ed essere crocifisso. Il Tabor è u...