Ave Maria In The Afternoon

Most couples don’t drift apart because they stop caring. They drift apart because they stop understanding. Devin Schadt joins us with a practical framework for building, or rebuilding, the intimacy, joy, and fulfillment your marriage was made for.

As we continue to think over the midterm elections it is important that we ground our thought and appreciate this great political experiment we call the United States of America, particularly the Christian roots of our American liberty. John Pinheiro joins us.

A survey published by the APA Newsroom found that 21% of Americans have become estranged from a family member, 22% have blocked a family member on social media, and 19% have skipped a family event because of disagreements over controversial topics. As we wrap up a contentious political cycle just in time for the holidays, we speak with Dr. Greg Popcak.

To many people, even many Christians, purgatory is a fantasy or worse, a wicked lie invented by the Church to make salvation complicated and keep people in fear. But apologist Karlo Broussard says that purgatory is fact, not fiction. The Bible supports it, Christians have historically believed in it, and it makes theological sense. He joins us.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus delivers the Beatitudes. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.

A new survey from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate finds that the majority of Catholic voters cite the cost of living, inflation and unemployment as higher priorities than life issues. Matthew Bunson joins us with more.

What if you are asked to support someone with whom you are close — a parent, spouse, child, sibling, cousin, friend — in his or her decision to commit assisted suicide. More anguishing, what if your loved one wants you to be there for it? What would you do? Wes Smith joins us.

The latest report from Aid to the Church in Need shows that millions of Christians around the world continue to live under persecution. Ed Clancy has the latest data.

Some Protestants object to the Catholic view on Sacred Tradition on the grounds that we can’t know its content the way we can know the content of Scripture. Tom Nash joins us.

In October 2006, Richard Dawkins published his book “The God Delusion.” As one of the “Four Horsemen” of the New Atheism, Dawkins envisioned a world that had freed itself from the shackles of organized religion. Does his vision have staying power? Louis Markos joins us.

Archbishop James Golka of Denver has asked Father Chad Ripperger to take a yearlong break from public speaking and interviews. Matthew Bunson joins us with a look at this and other Church news.

The stigmata is one of the strangest phenomena in the Catholic faith. Visionaries who have experienced the stigmata are living crucifixions, vividly portraying before the world Christ’s atoning death. We dive into their history with Paul Kengor.

Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville, Tennessee has ordered priests to stop praying the St Michael prayer at the end of Mass, saying it is not appropriate to add additional prayers to the liturgy. Marcus discusses the story.

The headlines this weekend brought news of two sudden, shocking deaths. A priest in Ecuador died while celebrating Mass when the crucifix fell of the wall and struck him – just moments after a homily in which he preached about how we prioritize our time. And a member of the US Air Force fell from the rafters during a pregame demonstration at a college football game, later dying of his injuries. If this doesn’t remind us of the fragility of life, nothing will. We must always “memento mori” – remember our deaths. Marcus has more.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, the Pharisees attempt to trick Jesus, asking if it is lawful to pay the taxes to Caesar. Jesus answers that they should “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.