USCCB Clips

Dan Balserak and Madeleine Ostertag talk with Mary and Aaron about the latest updates on the seven proposed federal regulations that could harm religious freedom for healthcare workers, religious student groups, and faith-based organizations.

Happy Easter! We're back with a shorter episode during the Easter Octave, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Sleepless in Seattle! Kara and Andrew complete their coverage of the Nora Ephron-Meg Ryan romcom trilogy. Destiny takes a hand, or does it? Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2023/04/14/ep-111-sleepless-in-seattle/

The addictive danger to our families from pornography is far too great to ignore, which is why Amanda Zurface of Covenant Eyes is here to help. She talks about how communities and families can guard against these risks, and how parishes can do the same, with Safe Haven Sunday. Then, Kara joins (18:00) to chat about the recent AI/chatGPT news developments, through the lens of the film Her (2013), d...

When you think of your soul leaving your body, what image comes to mind? If it's a ghostly duplicate of your physical body, boy do we have a show for you. Dr. Therese Scarpelli Cory joins from Notre Dame's philosophy department to examine how that view has some unintended side effects for our sense of self, how to improve on that view, and what it has to do with our relationship with Jesus Christ....

Robert Vega, Director of Public Policy for the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, discusses recent attempts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and why the USCCB is concerned.

Why do we feel more isolated than ever? How do kids from smaller families have a harder time forming connections later in life? What do people mean when they talk about identity, using phrases like "it's who I really am"? Mary Eberstadt discusses answers to those questions, her new book Adam and Eve After the Pill Revisited, and the unfolding impact of the Sexual Revolution. Later (32:00), Kara jo...

Our coverage of the National Eucharistic Revival continues with Sr. Alicia Torres, managing editor of the Eucharistic Revival's newsletter, who shares how her relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist animates her calling as a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist. Later (18:45), Kara Bach joins as we attempt to wrap our minds around Everything Everywhere All at Once. This Academy Award front-runner h...

Lucas Koach talks with Aaron Weldon and Todd Scribner about the 2023 International Religious Freedom Summit, and about the USCCB's role in promoting religious freedom around the world.

Kara and Andrew devote an entire episode to Titanic on the 25th anniversary of the film's long run in theaters, which happens to coincide with director James Cameron's new film, Avatar: The Way of Water. The aquatic adventure from 1997 has quite a bit more to offer for reflection on the call to love, however. As is unavoidable when talking about this movie, the conversation gets emotional.  Episod...

We are kicking off the new year with a look at the Eucharistic Revival! Fr. Craig Vasek gives us the scoop on this growing movement to restore faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Then (27:35), Kara Bach joins to talk about Steven Spielberg's Oscar-contending autobiographical family drama, The Fabelmans. Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2023/01/13/ep-105-euc...

We're ending the year by celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Muppet Christmas Carol! Kara and Andrew wax theological about this all-time classic, which builds in surprising ways on Charles Dickens's original 1843 novella. According to this version of Scrooge, love is the only thing sillier than a Merry Christmas. How's that working out for him? Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareas...

What did Aquinas say about marriage? How does he reveal the true nature of marriage as we live it out today? Did he get everything right, and if not, how do we approach it now? Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, joins to answer those questions and more! Then, Kara joins (22:30) to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Casablanca and how world events impact the call to love. Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqu...

Kara and Andrew finally complete their quest to review season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power! Most of the story is not original to Tolkien and was produced by a company whose practices diverge considerably from the Gospel. So why does the show quote almost directly from scripture and the moral theology of Thomas Aquinas with strange regularity? Why is divine providence hinted at mo...

Canavox's Lucas Fennell joins to talk about what we can learn about friendship and its impact on fatherhood, drawing from his years of experience working with teenage boys and incarcerated men.  Then (25:10), Kara and Andrew finally start their coverage of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Now that season 1 is complete, we can finally talk about it, but will we fit everything into one epi...

William McCormick, SJ, discusses his book, The Christian Structure of Politics: On the De Regno of Thomas Aquinas, with Aaron. The book discusses key principles of Catholic political thought, as well as offering a close reading of an important work by St. Thomas Aquinas.

We're celebrating 100 episodes by celebrating the movies! Deacon Steven Greydanus of Decent Films joins to offer some perspective on our approach to film, declining religious themes in Marvel movies like Thor: Love and Thunder, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, plus a plethora of recommendations! Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2022/10/21/ep-100-movie-spectacular-with-...

Dr. Andrew Sodergren brings his psychological expertise to the podcast to help us tackle questions surrounding the development of men and women. This fascinating look includes Attachment Theory, questions about gender discordance and dysphoria, and how to treat people with those experiences compassionately and truthfully. Then (36:55), Kara joins to mark the onset of Fall as is commonly done: by t...

Experts in medicine, psychology, philosophy, and theology recently collaborated on a  new book, which comprehensively outlines a coherent view of the human person. Dr. Paul Hruz, one of the medical contributors to Sexual Identity: The Harmony of Philosophy, Science, and Revelation, joins to talk about the book and what exactly are the factors of biological sex. Later (22:55) Kara joins to celebrat...

Should health care workers be mandated to perform gender transition procedures? Abortions? Lauren McCormack, Robert Vega, and Dan Balserak talk with Mary and Aaron about new, concerning regulations and legislation and the Church's role in promoting life, marriage, and religious freedom.

Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira of WalletWin are back to offer more financial help, combining the vocation of Catholic families with money management wisdom. And we return to last episode's cliffhanger ending (16:40) to wrap up Before Midnight, but not before Andrew tries yet again to find a secret Catholic meaning, which Kara may or may not validate. Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareas...

For as much stress as they can cause to marriages, finances don't usually get a lot of direct attention around here. Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira of WalletWin are here to help, combining the vocation of Catholic families with money management wisdom. Kara joins (16:40) to find Andrew debuting an exciting new podcast segment coinciding with the final film in the "Before trilogy", Before Midnight. E...

Helen Alvaré discusses her recently published book, Religious Freedom after the Sexual Revolution: A Catholic Guide, which aims to help Catholics both defend religious liberty and explain how our institutions and communities foster authentic love, freedom, and happiness.

Fresh off their talk at the 2022 World Meeting of Families in Rome, Soren & Ever Johnson join to talk about discernment in family life, how it's oriented toward communion, and their ministry with Trinity House Community. Later (23:15) Kara joins to continue our trek through Richard Linklater's "Before trilogy" with its exciting midpoint, Before Sunset. Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniquefora...

Before Sunrise came out 27 years ago. Its sequel, Before Sunset, came out 18 years ago. The finale in the trilogy, Before Midnight, came out 9 years ago. Today, Kara Bach joins to kick off our series on the trilogy, starting with Before Sunrise. It follows a couple meeting, falling in love, and asking the big questions about love, God, and the world… all in one day. Episode Notes: https://www.marr...

Historian Michael Breidenbach discusses his book, Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America, which looks at how English Catholics in Maryland helped to shape the American founding.