The Simpleton Podcast | Catholic Culture, Mission, and Politics with Clark Massey and Laura Hehman

Clark sits down with Dr. Jonathan Reyes, Senior VP of Communications for the Knights of Columbus, founder of Christ in the City, founder of the Augustine Institute, and holder of many other titles in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast! Also in this episode: • Dr. Reyes's extensive track record • Politics and the Catholic church • Lay ministry in the Church today • Is social justice still po...

Clark and Laura discuss why poverty "safety nets" don't work, Puff Daddy (Diddy's) legendary "I'll Be Missing You", and Clark's ban from X (formerly Twitter) in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • LISTENER FEEDBACK NEEDED! • Just Homes ministry update (big news!) • Clark's audio essay: "Safety Net vs. Lifeline" • What is...

Clark and Laura dive back into the A Simple House manual for a discussion on asceticism, humility, and prayer in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Recapping themes from last episode • How to handle hurt/embarrassing moments from the past • Question from seminarian: how to make a "prayerful parish"? • Immigration in Europe • Helping big corporations? (and the...

Clark and Laura dive into the Simple House missionary manual for a discussion on happiness, self-knowledge, and desires in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Unhappy Christians vs. happy non-Christians • Self-knowledge, urges, and control • What is our truest desire? • Vatican: Transgender Godparents? • Bishop Strickland and tension in the Church --- Chapters: 0:00 Intr...

Clark sits down with (former A Simple House missionary!) Mother Natalia from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast! Also in this episode: • Mother Natalia's experience at A Simple House • The Eastern and Western Catholic Church • Mother Natalia's advice to those interested in monasticism • How Mother discerned her vocation • Mother's podcast and docum...

Clark and Laura debate whether therapy is overly recommended today, how Canada isn't as great as everyone thinks, and how flip phones are making a comeback at ASH in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • We need YOUR feedback! • Laura caught a snakehead? • Spirituality & psychology • Victoria Spartz & standing up to inflation • New focus for The Simpleton Podcast? --- Chap...

Clark and Laura respond to listener comments, discuss religious truth, and love the "Good Times" theme song in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Listener comments! • "Sinking your boat"? • JPII's Fides et Ratio • "Good Times" Show • Testosterone & "old man flexes" --- Chapters: 0:00 In this episode... 0:33 Listener commen...

Clark sits down with Abbot Benedict Neenan, OSB, Abbot of the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in Conception, MO, in this episode the Simpleton Podcast. In this episode: • What is Conception Abbey? • Abbot Benedict's spiritual journey • The spiritual "tone" at Conception • Friendship is good or bad in monastic life? • Does the Abbey nurture other religious life? --- Chapters: 0:...

Laura sits down with Mary Smith and Ryan Haber to discuss Leninthink, Communism, partyness, and more in this episode the Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • How Lenin's ideology influenced our American thinking • Do Americans believe authority is a sham? • Carlos Eire's "Waiting for Snow in Havana" • Party-ness, gaslighting, and Chernobyl • Cancel culture, Who/Whom, oppres...

Clark and Laura share opinions they've changed their minds on, including political and social beliefs, in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Does Taylor Swift listen to TSP? • Bo Jackson's run for president • The Constitution's role in 2023 • Elites & Politics • The "right side of history" --- Chapters: 0:00 Taylor Swift listens to our podcast?...

Clark pulls from his economics education as he and Laura discuss the insane inflation hitting the US economy in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Why don't more people know about this? • Why is inflation so high? • What if we don't solve this? • How you can prepare --- Chapters: 0:00 Intro and why this follow-up? 0:46 Recapping our previous inflation episode 10...

Clark sits down with Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr., Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast! Also in this episode: • Do bishops receive training? • How do bishops handle complaints? • What are the limits of what a bishop can and can't do? • What's a bishop's role in politics? • What is Bishop Johnston most focused on? ---...

Mary Smith, M.A., Late Medieval & Early Modern World, joins Laura for this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • The problems of revisionist history • Can you write history without bias? • Interpretive keys, master narratives • Is it Catholics vs. the world? • Living, relevant history --- Chapters: 0:00 Intro to Mary and context for this episode 3:33 Signpost of this epiosd...

Corey Huber, Founder of the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations, hops on his landline for a conversation with Clark in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • The story of the Fund for Vocations • Corey's ministry, in his own words • Rural life, doomers, and hopers • Higher education is a mess • How religious vocations and funding works --- To learn more about the Mater E...

Dr. Laurie Johnson, Professor of Political Philosophy and co-founder of the Maurin Institute, sits down with Clark for this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Also in this episode: • Are liberalism and Christianity compatible? • Being Catholic in academia • Should we be trying to reinvent society? • Catholic Integralists & Distributists • Dr. Laurie's Catholic conversion --- To learn more a...

Also in this episode: • Is "discovering" your vocation a thing? • The Lego Movie (and its relation) • Willpower can hinder holiness • Non-typical vocations? • Being at home, on Earth --- Chapters: 0:00 Start 0:10 Spirit animals 1:15 Clark's optical illusion 1:46 Introduction to vocation 6:59 The WRONG ideas of vocation 12:53 Being at home, on Earth? 16:52 Another approach to vocation...

Also in this episode: • Bishops' statements on exhumed nun • The "incarnate" Church • Intense alien speculation • Alien theology • Thoughts on judging others --- Chapters: 0:00 Start 0:49 Bishops' statements on the exhumed Gower Nun 5:32 What kind of allegience do Bishops deserve? 20:39 Space aliens: the religion issue 21:21 Background on space aliens 23:56 How sure are you of sp...

Clark and Laura sit down with Sr. Ann Kateri, C.F.R. with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal in Atlantic City, NJ in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast! Also in this episode: • Why the Franciscan way of life? • Sr. Ann's work with the homeless • ASH's connection to Sr. Ann • The "Motherhood" of being the Servant of the house • What the CFRs are looking for in postulants ---...

Salvatore Snaiderbaur, founder of One City Mission in New York City, sits down with Clark in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast! Also in this episode: • "Communion and Liberation", Fr. Luigi Giussani • From Italy, to Kansas, to NYC • Starting a mission • Salvatore's connection to ASH • Italian-American food: good or bad? --- Links: To learn more about One City Mission or how you c...

Also in this episode: • Listener comments • "Bad faith" and its cure • Incorruptibles • Benedictine Nuns of Gower, MO • Is voting good? --- Chapters: 0:00 Start 0:51 Thomas Aquinas bot! (Listener comment pt. 1) 2:04 Is voting actually good? (Listener comment pt. 2) 3:58 Our response 13:52 What is "bad faith"? And how to rid ourselves of it 26:16 Recent "Incorrupt" Ben...

Also in this episode: • Utopia? Or anti? • The Catholic Worker Movement • How to "build the kingdom" • Spencer's podcast (with Dr. Laurie Johnson): Dustbowl Diatribes • Catholic conversion --- 0:00 Start 0:36 Origins of JPII Catholic Worker Farm, Spencer, and Emily 10:01 Hippies, Christians, farmers, and Michael Pollen 15:52 Spencer's journey to Catholicism 18:00 The biggest chal...

Also in this episode: • Friends, Seinfeld, and what's real • Catholic university problems • Gen Z trusts the government? • Via Negativa and Via Positiva • "Dustbowl Diatribes" --- Chapters: 0:00 Start 1:12 Laura's Mother's Day surprise 3:26 Reforming institutions: the problem, why people wanted to 10:28 The issue of Catholic universities 16:46 How to reform an institution 20:...

This one's jam-packed! Also in this episode: • Critique from a listener • Purpose of The Simpleton Podcast • Baltimore Abuse Report • Don't control the world • Public school crisis --- Links: DEI spending at Michigan: https://news.yahoo.com/university-michigan-spends-more-18-174253474.html Community colleges are a waste of time?: https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/may/02/waste-of-time-com...

Chad Pirotte is a theologian, full-time carpenter, public speaker, writer, and avid pipe smoker. Chad was a Presbyterian pastor for 10 years before becoming Catholic. Clark sits down with Chad for a discussion on conversion, theology, and why Catholicism drew him in. Also in this episode: • Pipe smoking • The significance of suffering • "Hot rod" Evangelicalism • Reformed theology &...

Also in this episode: • Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson • Star Wars Catholicism • ASH's 20th anniversary! • How to TRULY help the homeless • So you want to start a ministry? --- Chapters: 0:00 Start 1:42 Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon, and the Catholicism of Star Wars 5:21 A Simple House Anniversary Party! And the NFL Draft 5:55 ASH Updates: finding love, St. Andrew Kim devotion 9:58 Lucky Charms, can...