Ave Maria In The Afternoon

Today we celebrate the Feast of Blessed Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus. His feast is today because it falls directly between the anniversaries of his birth and death. We talk more about his life and canonization cause with Brian Caulfield.

For the last several years, the Church has been focusing on “synodality.” But many Catholics are still unsure of what the term even means, as many Church documents on the topic tend to be bogged down by bureaucratic jargon. Carl Olson turns to the clear writings of St Paul to help cut through the mess.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Robin Williams, who died by suicide in 2014. Starring in films like Aladdin, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Good Morning Vietnam, his voice was woven into the cultural memory for millions. Tragically, the man who brought laughter to so many could not overcome his own tears. Marcus has more.

Deaths from opioid overdoses hit record highs in 2021 and 2022, and are now on the decline. But there is still much work to be done. Mike Vasquez has devoted his life to confronting the opioid crisis on a mental, physical, and spiritual front and he joins us with more.

How did Roman Catholics shift from being perceived as un-American to emerging as the standard-bearers for political liberty and economic prosperity? We look at the rise of the American Church during the Cold War with D.G. Hart.

An investor in Germany is offering families 500 euros for every child they have baptized. The local diocese has acknowledged the donorʼs intentions but stressed that, from the Churchʼs point of view, there is no financial barrier to baptism in the first place. We talk more about this and other Church news with Matthew Bunson.

There is a troubling pattern emerging of government officials in America’s bluest states punishing religious organizations and individuals for simply living their faith. We talk about it with Andrea Picciotti-Bayer.

The US national debt is hovering around $30 trillion and has hit 100% of the US GDP. How did we end up here and what happens now? James Peregoy joins us.

Dr. Haywood Robinson performed abortions for 14 years before experiencing a radical conversion. He spent the rest of his life spreading the message that “abortion is the greatest injustice of our time.” He recently passed away, and Brian Gibson joins us with a look at his life.

In his timeless work The Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis exposes how subtle distractions, small compromises, spiritual pride, and misplaced fears erode a Christian’s faith and trust in God. We take a deep dive with Andrew Swafford.

The schism of the traditionalist Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), and its aftermath, has highlighted how the unity in the Church that Leo XIV set as the primary goal of his pontificate is still far from being achieved. And as the Vatican signs off on the ordination of state-approved Chinese bishops, many are left asking why followers of the traditional Mass are excommunicated while Chinese bishops are not. Matthew Bunson joins us.

Sarah Morse is an American teacher working at a high school in Scotland. When her students asked her what she thinks about abortion, she said she opposes it as a Catholic but they were free to have their own opinions. She was fired a few hours later. Morse’s case unfolded under British employment law, but the question it raises is not a foreign one. American teachers face the same scenario, and the answer for them turns on a body of U.S. case law most people have never had reason to learn. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has more.

Dr. Peter Kreeft recently lost his wife Maria, to whom he was married for 63 years. Shortly after her death, he was asked what advice he had for young married couples, and his response has gone viral. Even in the midst of his grief, he was able to deliver a reflection full of love, wisdom and even humor. Marcus looks at his comments.

It has been a long and winding path to beatification for Fulton Sheen. Msgr. Jason Gray has lead the investigation into his cause, and he joins us with an inside look at the process.

On July 25, 1968, Pope Paul VI published Humane Vitae. And on July 25, 1978, the first test-tube baby was born. It seems fitting that these events would fall on the same day; the culture and even some within the church disregarded the warnings of Humane Vitae when it was published, and we’ve been paying the price ever since. Rachel Coleman has more.