Podcasts

Father Dave welcomes back Catholic composer and singer-songwriter Francesca LaRosa to help prepare our hearts for Holy Week with a live music performance.

We hear about the many people in attendance at Jesus’ crucifixion, including His mother Mary and many of the disciples, but one person who isn’t mentioned is Jesus’ own father, Joseph. A listener emails Father Dave wondering why Joseph wouldn’t be present at his own son’s death. Father Dave explains. If you have a question or comment for Father Dave you can email it to BustedHalo@TheCatholicChannel.org. (Original Air 05-04-17)

Lent is a fitting time to reflect on life’s struggles, and Father Dave welcomes Dr. Mark Giszczak to discuss his new book “Suffering: What Every Catholic Should Know.” Dr. Giszczak is a professor of Sacred Scripture at the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology.

Father Dave welcomes former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon to discuss her new book, “In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West.”

A listener named Dan asks, “Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus to be tempted in the desert?” Father Dave explains that while Jesus is fully divine, He is also fully human, and experienced everything that we experience, including temptation So, it could be part of the divine plan that Jesus experienced all that is humanity. Original Air 3-09-17

Friday, March 8 is International Women’s Day, as well as the release date of a new movie all about the Italian-American saint, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini. The film “Cabrini” portrays the immigrant’s mission to secure housing and healthcare for New York City’s most vulnerable and stars Cristiana Dell’Anna, David Morse, and John Lithgow. Father Dave welcomes producer and screenwriter Rod Barr to discuss bringing Mother Cabrini’s life’s story to movie theaters nationwide.

A listener named Barbara asks Father Dave for clarification regarding the “seven deadly sins.” She says, “I have a question about the seven deadly sins and how they relate to mortal versus venial sins. I usually consider pridefulness, for example, a venial sin, in that I confess it but don’t abstain from receiving Communion for this sin – otherwise, I guess I would never receive Communion! But when does pridefulness become mortal or deadly? Is it only when pridefulness causes me to commit another mortal sin?”

Some people focus on physical fitness during Lent, and Father Dave welcomes back Colleen Scariano and Deanne Miller, the founders of SoulCore, to discuss integrating soul and body in our Catholic faith. Soulcore began in 2012 as a Catholic fitness apostolate that combines the prayers of the Rosary with core strengthening, stretching, and other functional movements.

If part of your Lenten promise is to spend more time with Jesus, you’ll enjoy Father Dave discussing Eucharistic Adoration with Father Tim Anastos! Father Tim is the assistant chaplain at the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois–Chicago and author of “Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections.”

It’s the Lenten question Father Dave receives most often! “Do Sundays count during Lent?” A caller named Michelle shares that growing up, her mom told her Sundays were not included in her Lenten sacrifice. Father Dave explains that Sundays do, in fact, count. When we celebrate Sunday Mass during Lent, the Church still calls them Sundays in Lent. He also explains the Catholic definition of fasting, and that our Lenten sacrifices generally do not count as fasting. Original Air 2-07-18