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

Clark and Laura react to The Simpleton Podcast's recent interview with Catholic Theologian and founder of Gaudium et Spes 22, Dr. Larry Chapp. In this episode: • Why Catholics need to contribute to culture at large • The "social imaginary" theory of Dr. Larry Chapp • Did Jesus come to save you, or to save the world? • Catholicism and politics: the greatest way to contribute • "Mecca parishes" and...

Mike Tenney, Catholic speaker and host of the podcast "Pop Culture Catechism", joins Clark for the second time on this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. In this episode: • What's better for your faith: a cringey Christian movie, or "conscious" hip hop? • Christian rock, Pure Flix, and the role of Christian media • Harry Potter, Star Wars, and what pop culture is "good" for Christians • Kendrick La...

Clark delivers his quarterly "State of the Ministry" address with exciting news about the podcast. Also in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast: • ASH missionary update • The future of the podcast (we need your help!) • A Simple House recruiting (we need your help x2!) • What makes a good ASH missionary? The Simpleton Podcast is also on Rumble AND Odysee! You can watch the latest episodes of The...

Robert Mixa, Education Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, sits down with Clark in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. They discuss: • How we should reform Catholic education • Rethinking our ideas of Catholicism vs. the world • Catholic intellectuals and public discourse • Working with Bishop Barron at Word on Fire NEW! The Simpleton Podcast is now on Rumble AND Odysee! You can watch the lat...

Dr. Larry Chapp, Catholic theologian and creator of the blog "Gaudium et Spes" sits down for an interview with Clark in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. They discuss: • Dr. Chapp's Catholic Worker farm and Catholic Worker Movement • The story of "Gaudium et Spes 22" • "Rad trads" and the post-Conciliar Catholic Church • Mega-parishes and how to foster growth for the laity • The problem of Ca...

Nicholas Dolinger, Catholic convert and host of the podcast "The Beautiful Toilet", sits down for an interview with Clark in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. They discuss: • Nic's podcast, "The Beautiful Toilet", and the meaning and motive behind it • The role of masculinity within Christianity • Is violence a Christian ideal? • The interplay between irony and Catholicism • Progressive vs. c...

When it goes wrong, spiritual direction can be toxic. But done well, spiritual direction can be an extremely positive, fruitful experience for everyone involved. In this episode of The Simpleton Podcast, Clark and Laura discuss: Should Catholics (and all Christians) get involved with spiritual direction? What you need to do before seeking a spiritual director Different methods of spiritual directi...

Natural Family Planning isn't as clean-cut as it seems. In this episode of The Simpleton Podcast, Laura interviews Alison Contreras, Fertility Educator with Caritas FertilityCare and FACTS Collaborative, to discuss what the Catholic Church's endorsed method of fertility monitoring and family planning looks like on a practical level--and despite its ups and downs, why it remains so beautiful and be...

You should care about the Church's "Synod on Synodality." Why? Clark and Laura break down the reasons and cover everything you need to know about the Synod, including: • What it is and what to expect • How it works • The goals of the synod • Objections to the synod (and why you should participate) NEW! The Simpleton Podcast is now on Rumble AND Odysee! You can watch the latest episodes of The Simp...

The Traditionalist Movement could result in the next Church schism. Preferring one style of the Mass over another isn't an issue. So, what is? In this third and final installment in the Simpleton Podcast's 3-part series on the Traditionalist Movement in the Catholic Church, Clark and Laura discuss: • The sociological and spiritual problems found in some proponents of the TLM (Traditional Latin Mas...

It's no secret that the Traditionalist Movement causes a lot of friction within the Church. In part 2 of this 3-part series on the Traditionalist Movement in the Catholic Church, Clark and Laura discuss the concerns surrounding the Traditionalist Movement. Is it focused on a "utopian" vision? What do those both inside and outside the movement say? And most importantly, what do we do moving forward...

Why did we need more traditionalism? In part 1 of this 3-part series on the Traditionalist Movement in the Catholic Church, Clark and Laura break down the origins of the Traditionalist Movement. Where did it come from? What is it? And how does it affect us today? You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "The Simpleton Podcast", or go to https://youtu.be/OW36CmGj8...

It's tricky: How do we evangelize, between the extremes of proselytizing (forcing religion on someone) and not sharing the Good News? Clark and Laura discuss their experience in how the poor want to be treated, A Simple House's philosophy of mission, how it strikes a balance between orthodox and liberal views, the "Spidey Sense" of missionary work, and the wonderful danger in living for God. ***Pl...

A re-cap of our BIG Thanksgiving and Christmas ministry events, how ASH gets help from seminarians during winter months, and a look into what's to come for the mission (and the podcast!) in 2022. Clark delivers his quarterly State-of-the-Ministry address and gives exciting updates about A Simple House. We’re extremely blessed and always grateful for our donors. If you're interested in supporting o...

Clark sits down with Mike Tenney, Catholic speaker and host of "Pop Culture Catechism" in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. Mike and Clark discuss A Simple House of old (a.k.a., major rat problems), Jack Antonhoff and storytelling in pop music, how we ought to digest "Friends", Tolkein's fantasy worlds and their bridge to Catholicism, Dune and its relation to Christianity, and a whole lot mor...

Having almost 20 years of community living experience, Clark and Laura break down the fundamentals of a good community... ...and what causes one to fall apart. You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "The Simpleton Podcast", or go to https://youtu.be/ck2h1JhQxYY. Like, subscribe, share the podcast, and most of all, send us your feedback! We want to hear from you...

Catholics get a lot of flak for not knowing the Bible. If all of us Christians should take our Scripture-reading more seriously (we should!), which translation should we use? Clark and Laura flesh out the best (and worst) translations of the Bible for all Christians, in their opinion, in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just sea...

Introducing: Just Homes. Just Homes (founded by Clark and launching in 2022) is a new ministry that will focus on providing housing for those who would not be able to secure housing under any other means: most often, these are the long-term mentally ill. In this episode, Clark and Laura discuss the new endeavor, what it does differently from A Simple House, and how the two will work together to se...

Gunshots, going (almost) broke, and a whole lot of God's providence. These are all things Clark and Laura encountered in their first years at A Simple House. In this episode, the duo shares stories and looks back on how a "just trust and make it happen" outlook created a ministry that still carries the same mission 18 years after its humble beginnings. You can also find the video version of this e...

Clark draws from his economics background to discuss the current economic climate in the US with Laura in this episode of The Simpleton Podcast. They analyze why inflation has been climbing, how it hurts the lower class, and ultimately, how it can impact the hope of escaping poverty. You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "The Simpleton Podcast", or go to https...

How did the Catholic Church respond in the years following the 2002 Boston Globe article exposing the sex abuse crisis? In this fourth and final episode of The Simpleton Podcast’s series on the Catholic sex abuse scandal, Clark and Laura summarize the reasons sex abuse became such an institutional problem and how the Church reformed in response. They also discuss the 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury R...

More missionaries, new ministry ideas, and a third city? Clark delivers a State-of-the-Ministry address and gives exciting updates about A Simple House. We’re extremely blessed and always grateful for our donors. If you're interested in supporting our mission, please visit https://www.asimplehouse.org/donate.html You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "The Simp...

Why was sex abuse was left unchecked in the Catholic Church for so long? In this third episode of The Simpleton Podcast’s series on the Catholic sex abuse scandal, Clark and Laura dissect the reasons. This is the second of our two episodes focused on the McCarrick Report, the 400-page document that explains the scandal. You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "T...

What was it like to have known Theodore McCarrick, the laicized Catholic bishop (and later, cardinal) who abused numerous victims? In this episode, Clark and Laura summarize the McCarrick Report, a 400-page document that dissects the scandal. Clark and Laura share their own interactions with McCarrick, and ultimately, what we should learn from the report. You can also find the video version of thi...

Clark & Laura cover the basics of the Catholic sex abuse scandal and what it means for the laity in 2021 and beyond. How do we play a role in calling out corrupt leaders and stopping abuse? (*Please excuse Clark's poor audio quality in this episode. The audio input was taken from his earphones, not his microphone.*) You can also find the video version of this episode on YouTube. Just search "T...