Catholic Heritage with Dr. Italy

In this Lenten podcast, Matt Swaim asks Dr. Italy about his new book, 40 Days, 40 Ways, A New Look at Lent (Servant Books).  In response, Marcellino D’Ambrosio explains the book’s aim to help people break out of "same old" stale Lenten patterns. The book does this by offering forty fresh ideas of how to combine prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  The goal is to make us new people by the end of the season.

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's gospel includes such tough commands as love your enemies, turn the other cheek, and judge not.  How are we to understand such things and put them into practice?  The examples of Jesus & St. Thomas More provide us with insight here.

No sooner does Jesus praise Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi and dub him "the Rock" than he rebukes him as the devil or Satan.  Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah.  But his idea of what it meant to be the Christ left no room for suffering, sacrifice or the way of the cross as the cost of discipleship.

The Beatitudes appear in the gospels of Matthew and Luke as part of the Sermon on the Mount. But what actually is the nature of true happiness?  Must we be miserable in this world to be happy in the next?  Faith and hope bring the lasting joy that is the essence of true blessedness.  For the 6th Sunday in Ordinary time, Cycle C.

Podcast excerpted from radio interview in which Dr. Italy offers some reflections on the apparitions of Mary to lowly shepherd girls in Lourdes in 1858.

February 2 is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the Temple.  It  commemorates Simeon's famous prophecy that Jesus would be a "light of revelation to the Gentiles."  It is also known as Candlemas since it is the day that candles are blessed for use throughout the Church year.

In this 15 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses the meaning of the ancient feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the temple by Joseph and Mary.  The righteous Israelite, Simeon, being advanced in years, rejoices to see the child he recognizes to be the one to bring the light of truth & salvation to all people.

The prophets of the Old and New Testaments show us that sometimes love demand that we speak truth that people don't want to hear.  Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern; Jesus was run out of Nazareth. This shows us that God's messengers shouldn't expect honor, respect, and popularity.  For the 4th Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle C.

In this 7 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses St. Thomas Aquinas and what he teaches us about the roles of faith and reason.  For his feast day on January 28.

7 minute Podcast on why the Church celebrates the Conversion of Saul of Tarsus, aka St. Paul, with a special feast.  Dr. Italy on the Sonrise Morning Show of EWTN.

Bible study and prayer with Scripture is absolutely necessary for Catholics.  As St. Jerome said, ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.  For the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle C.

When people today hear "St. Anthony," they usually think of the 13th century miracle-working Franciscan who is best known for finding lost objects.  But a thousand years earlier, there lived the first St. Anthony who was also a miracle worker in a most remarkable way.  This Anthony, an Egyptian, was a leader in the movement called monasticism.  Giving away property and privilege to follow Jesus into poverty, Anthony left the comfort of civilization to go alone into the desert to battle the devil in imitation of Jesus Christ.  Anthony prayed, healed, and fought many battles, not only against demons, but against the Arian heretics who denied the divinity of Christ.  In this podcast you will learn about his impact upon the entire Roman world through the book written about him by another famous figure of that era, the great Athanasius.

In this 14 minute Podcast, Dr. Italy discusses the hidden meaning of the wedding feast of Cana and tells us how the transformation of water into wine is a sign of an even greater transformation.

Everyone has heard of the river Jordan, where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.  But few know much about it or can visualize it.

Dr. Italy has taught on the banks of the Jordan upwards of thirty times over the past twenty years.  Here he paints a visual picture of the Jordan emerging in far North Israel from the base of the snow-capped Mt. Hermon, and flowing downhill to the Sea of Galilee at the location of the ancient town of Bethsaida and just  a short distance from Capernaum.

This commentary on the Feast of the Epiphany uncovers the meaning of the term epiphany and explains why the Magi -- Caspar, Balthasar, Melchior, the three kings of Orient riding camels and carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh -- are found, complete with crowns and camels, in every nativity scene.

January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics.  Not because it is New Year's day, but because it is the octave (8th day) of Christmas.  This feast of Mary, the Mother of God, brings home the reality of the incarnation. In Jesus, the Creator truly became man.  And that man had, and still has, a mother.  So affirmed the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in AD 431.

In this 7 minute podcast, excerpted from a national radio interview, Dr. Italy describes what the town of Nazareth was like in the time of Jesus and what it is like to visit it today on pilgrimage.

The Feast of the Holy Family challenges us to grow in the virtues of piety, honor, patience, and forbearance.  And to learn to laugh together.

14 minute podcast in which Dr. Italy describes the town of Bethlehem and the field of the Shepherds at the time of the birth of Christ.  Helps bring the Christmas story alive as we read of the little town that was the city of David.

At Christmas we sing “O little town of Bethlehem.”  But what was this town like at the time of Jesus?  And how likely is it that the Church of the Nativity, on Manger Square, is built over the actual birth site of Jesus.  What is it like to enter and explore that church and to descend into the cave that is traditionally regarded as the place where Mary gave birth to Christ?

We all know the elements of the Christmas story: Caesar's census and Herod, shepherds and Magi, ox , swaddling clothes & manger, a stable and not room in the inn, Bethlehem and the Prince of Peace.  But underneath each of these people, places, and things, there is deeper meaning that often goes unnoticed.

The Gospel of Luke presents Mary, mother of Jesus,  as the model of faith, showing us what faith must include to be authentic and effective.  And imitating Mary's virtue is key to an authentic Marian devotion and an adequate understanding of the deepest meaning of the Immaculate Conception -- that it's all about grace.

John the Baptist is often thought of as a stern, grim figure.  But as a matter of fact, he could be the patron saint of joy!  Maybe that’s why is is the focal point of the gospel for Gaudete or Rejoice Sunday, the third (3rd) Sunday of Advent.  Joy comes only through humility and repentance.

On the third Sunday of Advent, the penitential purple of the season changes to rose and we celebrate “Gaudete” or “Rejoice!” Sunday. “Shout for joy, daughter of Sion” says Zephaniah.  “Draw water joyfully from the font of salvation,” says Isaiah.  “Rejoice in the Lord always,” says St. Paul.  “Do penance for the judge is coming,” says John the Baptist.

In this 13 minute podcast, Sonrise Morning Show host Anna Mitchell Interviews Dr. Italy on Advent as a season of Hope.  What precisely is Scripture talking about when it tells us that hope is one of the most important things a Christian needs?  And what does hope have to do with Advent?

For the past 500 years, devotion to Mary has been a bone of contention between Catholics and Protestants. But the meaning of the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 highlights some amazing common ground between these two groups. Would you believe that on this feast, Catholics actually honor Mary as the perfect example of the greatest Protestant virtue? To understand why true Marian devotion actually should bring us together, listen to this podcast.

Advent is a season of joy & hope.  Paul says to rejoice in hope.  But what is hope, anyway?  How does this theological virtue differ from faith and what does it have to do with rejoicing?

In this 14 minute podcast, Dr. Italy shares some insights into our predicament - we tend to be lulled to sleep spiritually through the constant motion of modern life.  This is especially true in Advent, which is perhaps the busiest time of the year due to how our society prepares for Christmas.  Yet the Lord calls us in Advent to wake up to his presence and to move aside the obstacles that block his path into our lives.  Pride is the chief obstacle, followed by the noise that makes it impossible to hear the still, small voice of the Lord.  The mountains of pride and distractions needs to be made low.

The feast of Jesus Christ the Universal King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and is observed on the last Sunday of the Roman Catholic Liturgical Year. It causes us to ponder what sort of authority, kingdom and dominion are truly lasting, and what judgment will be truly final.

Podcast discussing the amazing Roman basilica that goes all the way back to the new testament period, San Clemente, dedicated to Clement of Rome, third successor of Peter.

In this third and final episode of Ascension Rountable's Podcast Series on the New Evangelization, Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio (aka Dr. Italy) provides further practical suggestions on a key feature of successful evangelization - hospitality.  Whether we wish to evangelize as individuals, families or parishes, we need to understand that people only open up their hearts when we open up our own hearts, lives, homes and churches in a way that makes them feel comfortable, welcomed, and appreciated.  Hospitality not only sets the stage for the gospel but reveals the gospel as Good News of God's loving acceptance and invitation to belong to the Church, the community of salvation.

Podcast by Dr. Italy on Florence, the Renaissance city, and what the art of Michelangelo teaches us about Catholic Culture and life.  With images of sites and churches of Florence that he will visit on his upcoming Italy pilgrimage.

Hear O Israel!  Most have heard of the Great Commandment - to love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.  But if God is just and salvation depends upon perfect obedience to this command, who can be saved?  For the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

A reflection on the Solemnity of All Souls, November 2, touching on the mystery of death and the afterlife including heaven, hell, and purgatory, and the validity of prayers for the dead.

Each November 1st Catholics are obliged to attend Mass to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.  This feast is more than a dutiful remembrance of the various saints that don't make it into the Roman calendar of feast days.  It is celebrates us - the fact that all of us are destined to attain the heights of holiness, that all of us are called and equipped to become saints, and will do so if we don't get in the way of the Holy Spirit.  Dr. Italy discusses where the feast comes from and why some consider it to be even greater than Easter in a curious way.

In this podcast, historical theologian Marcellino D'Ambrosio ("Dr. Italy") clears up misunderstandings about the holiday that are nearly universally believe by Christians, neo-pagans and secularists a like.  It will be of great help to grandparents and parents trying to decide how to approach this celebration.

The story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar who met Jesus on the road to Jericho, is a dramatic event from the Gospel of Mark that illustrates something very important about the true nature of Christian faith.  For the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

Brothers John and James, the sons of Zebedee, had ambition. When they make their famous request for places of honor & privilege in Mark's gospel, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them that leadership & true greatness consists in loving and serving, even to the point of sharing with Christ the cup of suffering.

Ignatius of Antioch, whom the Church remembers on October 17, is one of the most important of the apostolic fathers, the Fathers of the Church who lives overlapped the lives of the last of the apostles.  Ignatius was, in fact, only the second successor of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas in the important city of Antioch, where the followers of Jesus were called Christians for the first time.  He is, therefore, a crucial link between us and the generation of the apostles who preceded him, a witness to the apostolic tradition. Ignatius was apprehended by the Roman authorities and sentenced to die in the arena in Rome.  He was chained to a squad of brutal soldiers and marched overland from Antioch to the Northwest coast of Turkey.  Along the way, local Christian churches sent delegations to meet with him.  Ignatius afterwards wrote seven short letters to these various churches in which he gives us a window into the soul of an early Christian martyr on his way to execution.  In this podcast we talk about the kinds of things he thought it was important to say as his "parting shot" to the Christians of Asia and Rome.  His comments touch on matters such as the divinity and humanity of Christ, Christian Unity, the eucharist, heresy, the structure of the local church, the meaning of martyrdom and much more.

In this podcast Dr. Italy describes the great Carmelite mystic, Teresa of Avila, pointing out how she combined practical wisdom, mysticism and a sense of  humor in an extraordinary way.

Both the Rich Young Man in Mark's Gospel and King Solomon had a very difficult choice to make. In a similar moment of decision, what would be the desire of your heart? Wisdom and adventure, or comfort and convenience? Where do true riches...and security...lie?  For the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

Angelo Roncalli, better known as Pope St. John XXIII, was a simple peasant boy who never quite lost his country simplicity even as he moved up through the Church’s hierarchy to occupy the chair of St. Peter. His election to the Papacy in 1958 surprised everyone, as did his announcement that he had decided to convene an ecumenical council to meet at the Vatican. We learn in this podcast why this Pope was canonized as a saint and why the council he convened cannot really be understood without understanding him.

A 16 minute podcast in which Sonrise Morning show host Matt Swaim asks Dr. Italy some insightful questions about the rosary, Mary, the misteries, and the power of praying the rosary.

The Rosary has been the most honored and best known devotional prayer in the Roman Catholic tradition for the last five hundred years.   Yet few, even those very devoted to it, understand its meaning and unlock its full power.  We know that it is a Marian prayer, and associate it with the simplest and best known Marian prayer, the Hail Mary.

Is annulment just a Catholic Divorce?  This article explains the controversial Roman Catholic position on love, marriage, marital intimacy, divorce, remarriage and celibacy.

St. Francis of Assisi happens to be one of the most popular of all saints, honored by non-Catholics as well as Catholics, Buddhists and Hindus as well as Christians.  But are the words popularly attributed to him true?  "Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words? How about that saying?  Is it his?   What can Francis's famous encounter with the Muslim Sultan teach us about faith and how to approach the followers of Islam?  All these questions and more are discussed in this 15 minute podcast.

7 minute podcast by Dr. Italy discussing the two churches rebuilt by St. Francis that still stand in Assisi, his home town.  To be visited on his upcoming pilgrimage to Italy.

14 minute podcast in which Sonrise Morning show guest host Ryan Lopez quizzes Dr. Italy about the life and impact of Jerome, bible scholar, father and Doctor of the Church and warrior for Christ.  On the occasion of his feast day, September 30.

Podcast in which Dr. Italy identifies spiritual warfare as underlying the current malaise in the world and America.  A spiritual battle can only be fought effectively with spiritual weapons, first and foremost being the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

Dr. Italy discusses the Capuchin friar Padre Pio who in his lifetime was first famous in Italy and then the whole world for his stigmata and miracles worked through his intercession.

Envy, one of the seven deadly sins, is different from mere jealousy - it is darker and much more dangerous.  Yet its cunning can be - and has been - defeated.  For the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

In this 5 minute interview on the Sonrise Morning show, Dr. Italy discusses the amazing life and talents of St. Hildegard of Bingen, the medieval Benedictine abbess renowned for her visions, compositions, and prolific body of written work.  Pilgrims on Dr. Italy’s 2023 Rhine Cruise will be visiting her relics and some of her monasteries.

The word amen is familiar to all.  But few know its origins and its true meaning, which actually strikes at the very essence of what it means to believe and have rock-solid faith.

Many contemporary bishops have been criticized for taking half-measures instead of speaking and acting boldly and decisively.  The same could never be said of the ancient bishop who was a Father of the Church, St. John Chrysostom.  His preaching was so eloquent and powerful that he acquired the nickname of "Chrysostom" or "golden-tongue."  Gold as it may have been, his tongue was often sharp at times as he called out corruption among laity, clergy, even the Emperor.  His unrelenting honesty earned him the emnity of Imperial family and brutal exile that resulted in his untimely death.  In this brief, 8 minute podcast tells his story.

September 11 is the anniversary of one of most brutal acts of terrorism of all time.  Three days later, on September 14, the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation and triumph of the cross of Jesus Christ. This podcast brings out the link between 9/11 and the victory of the cross and helps us understand why the cross, an instrument of torture in the hands of brutes, becomes a tree of life in the hands of the Savior.

"Ephphatha!" The miracles of Jesus, particularly the story of Jesus' healing of the deaf - mute in the Gospel of Mark, raise a big questions -- did Jesus Christ truly work miracles and if so, was his motivation compassion or glory? For the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B.

As the civilization in the West was dissolving into the Dark Ages, a man named Gregory was elected to fill the chair of St. Peter.  First prefect or mayor of Rome, then monk, then the Pope's ambassador to Constantinople, then finally bishop of Rome, Gregory rocked the church and the civilized world.  He was a man who could walk with kings and yet with whom the poor of Rome felt right at home.  In this 20 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses just a few of Gregory's strengths as diplomat, disciple, preacher, teacher of bishops and master story-teller.  The impact of Gregory's writings and example upon the Western Church in the Middles Ages is hard to overestimate.

What does the term Tradition really mean? Is it opposed to the Bible? The sola scriptura principle of the Protestant Reformation assumed it was -- here we examine this assumption in the light of a few key scriptures.  For the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

John the Baptist has two feast days -- his earthly birthday on June 24, sixth months before the birthday of his cousin, and August 29th, his birthday into eternal life, the day he was executed by Herod at the request of Salome to who he'd promised anything she asked for.  Apparently, Herod was fascinated by John, even though John condemned his adultery with his half-brother's wife.  Why did John have to die? And why do people so often persecute and kill the prophets God sends to help them?  As those who share in the prophetic anointing of Christ, what can we expect and how can we be effective and faithful in sharing God's sometimes troubling word with the world?

Belief that God exists is not quite what Scripture means by faith.  The faith spoken of by Jesus, Paul, and John is a gift that is like a spiritual muscle - to be strong, it must be exercised.

Some do the minimum in order to survive.  But we are called to seize every opportunity so we can truly thrive.  Proverbs says Wisdom has set a table for us.  Christ, Divine Wisdom incarnate, actually feeds us with two abundant tables - the feast of the Word and the Sacrament.  For the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

In this 15 minute podcast, Anna Mitchell, host of the Sonrise Morning show, asks Marcellino D'Ambrosio (aka "Dr. Italy") about the origins and meaning of the dogma and feast of the Assumption of Mary, celebrated on August 15th.

In this podcast, other aspects of Kolbe’s life are also discussed which are little known.  Kolbe founded a new monastery near Warsaw that grew into a veritable city, with over 1,000 Franciscan Friars living a live of prayer and apostolic activity.  This monastery was so large that, in the early days of World War II, before it was shut down by the Nazis, it harbored close to 2,000 Jewish refugees, hiding them from the Germans.  Before the war, St. Maximilian saw the importance of using modern media for evangelization, and so began publishing a weekly magazine, and then a daily newspaper which had, on weekends, a circulation of 250,000!  The monastery he founded near Warsaw was the base for the creation and distribution of these publications, and it also launched a radio station to utilize the newest media of the day (the 1930’s), radio.

But St. Clare deserves more than a footnote appearing in a life of another saint.  Unlike Francis, she was a noblewoman, being groomed to marry a wealthy knight or even duke, but she forsook a life of privilege to live in the same abject poverty as St. Francis and his earliest disciples, founding a woman’s branch of the Franciscan Order.  Despite her austerities and constant poor health, she nursed Francis in his final days of suffering and blindness and outlived him, going on to become an adviser to bishops and Popes

Somehow, we can all relate to the discouragement and exhaustion of Elijah.  So we need to learn from the solution proposed by God to revitalize and energize him for the long journey he needed to make and the important work he was going to do.  The bread God provided is a figure of a more wondrous bread that is available to us, the Eucharist.  For the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, B.

In this brief excerpt from the Sonrise Morning Show, Dr. Italy introduces listeners to the fascinating story of Edith Stein, born into an observant German Jewish family who abandoned religion as a young girl only to end her life as a Carmelite nun and a Christian martyr at Auschwitz.

In this brief segment which aired on national Catholic radio, Marcellino D'Ambrosio shares his impressions of one of the most dramatic peaks in the Holy Land, Mount Tabor.

This mountain is directly across the valley from Nazareth, so would have been a landmark Jesus grew up seeing on the horizon.  Anyone traveling from Nazareth to the holy city of Jerusalem would have to walk by Mt. Tabor.  People going to Jerusalem from Capernaum and the other vilaages around the Sea of Galilee would have also seen Tabor on their journey.

Podcast discussing the beauty of Mount Tabor and the glory and meaning of the Transfiguration, a pivotal event in the life of Jesus that Catholics celebrate every August 6.  14 minute interview of Dr. Italy by Sonrise Morning Show radio host Anna Mitchell.

The Transfiguration was indeed a pivotal event in the life of Jesus and his three closest disciples, Peter, James and John.  Right after Peter confesses him to be the Messiah and Jesus makes clear that he would be a suffering messiah, they ascend a mountain to pray (luke 9).  Neither Luke nor the other evangelists who tell the story note the name of the mountain, but the early Christians of Galilee preserved the memory of the place.  Origen, a great theologian from the early 3rd century, is our earliest written witness to this tradition.

The story of the visit of Jesus to the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany raises questions about hospitality, service, prayer, action and contemplation. First of all, does Jesus love some people, like Mary, Mary, and Lazarus, more than others? If so, how is this fair?  Secondly, why would Jesus apparently praise Mary sitting on her behind while Martha slaves in the kitchen?  In this 20 minute podcast, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, aka Dr. Italy, discusses these issues with Anna Mitchell of the Sonrise Morning show. When you listen, you'll be surprised at what they come up with!

The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four gospels.  John calls it a sign, a symbolic event with many hidden meanings.  It points beyond itself back to Old Testament persons and events and forward to the Eucharist.  For the 17th Sunday in Ordinary time cycle B.

On July 26, the Latin rite of the Catholic Church honors the Grandparents of Jesus, parents of the Virgin Mary, Saints Joachim and Anne.  Matt Swaim asks Dr. Italy (Marcellino D'Ambrosio) just how we know about them, given that their names are not mentioned in the New Testament.  After discussing the second century document, the Protoevangelium of St. James which is our source for Joachim and Anne, Dr. Italy talks about how Joachim and Ann were the ones to form Mary in the faith of the people of Israel and most probably had a role in the life of the messiah as well.  He also points out that there is an ancient and beautiful church in Jerusalem built over the home of Joachim and Ann, which was the birth place of Mary.  This spot happens to be the very first stop on every pilgrimage that Dr. Italy lieads to the Holy Land.

In this 14 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses with Anna Mitchell the various misconceptions people have about Mary Magdalene, and corrects them based on the gospels.  He also looks at her in the wider context of Jesus’ remarkable ministry to women, and especially the women disciples who Luke and John most especially brings to our attention 

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 teaches us much about leadership in the Kingdom of God.  The King is a shepherd who puts the sheep's needs before his own, and feeds them with truth, the nourishment they need most.  For the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

In the Northwestern part of what is now the state of Israel is a long ridge known as Mount Carmel. This twenty four mile ridge separates the interior of the Holy Land from the Mediterranean sea. A magnificent view of the Mediterranean is afforded by several places along the top of the ridge, especially from the northwestern tip or head of the ridge. In this podcast, Dr. Italy, who has visited this spot thirty times in the last twenty years, describes the beauty of this garden spot in the Holy Land.

Christianity is about receiving a free gift of salvation -- that's true. But it is also about passing it forward. But don't you need a degree and extensive training first?  God doesn't so much call the equipped; he equips the called.  We quickly move from disciples to apostles & prophets to share in the mission of the Church & the lay apostolate.  For the 15th Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle B.

In this 14 minute podcast recorded on the occasion of the Feast of St. Benedict on July 11, host Sonrise Morning show host Anna Mitchell interviews Dr. Italy about the significance that Benedict and the Benedictine way of life holds for Christians today.

The story about Jesus' disappointing reception in his hometown of Nazareth addresses a question asked by many - if God is omnipotent, can it be said that there are some miracles that he cannot perform?  The surprising answer tells us a lot about unbelief, faith, and the nature of God.  For the 14th Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle B.

Did Jesus really raise the daughter of Jairus and perform other miracles? The Deists, including several American founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson, said no, and their Enlightenment skepticism still influences us today.  For the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

Peter and Paul died in the persecution of the emperor Nero.  Peter was crucified and buried on Vatican hill – the present St. Peter’s basilica was erected over his tomb.  Paul was beheaded and buried outside the walls of the city.  The basilica of St. Paul’s outside the walls covers Paul’s tomb.  The tombs of these two apostles in Rome made Rome the pre-eminent site of Christian pilgrimage from the 4th century to the present, second only to Jerusalem in importance.

Dr. Italy and Matt Swaim in this podcast point out that anyone who is interested in the Bible or Christianity needs to know about the early Christian bishop remembered on June 28 by the Catholic Church.  Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons is actually honored also by the Orthdox Churches, the Anglican Church and many Protestant communities and scholars.  Listen to this podcast and find out what Irenaeus haw to do with naming the four gospels, helping us know what books were regarded as Scripture by the early Christians, and identifying Rome as the Church founded by the apostles Peter and Paul.

On June 24, the Church observes a solemn feast in honor of the birth or nativity of John the Baptist.  No other saint's birthday is celebrated with such solemnity.  The unique role of the Forerunner, the Voice crying out in the Wilderness, in the history of salvation is part of the reason.  But also the Church wants to draw our attention to the witness of John's character.  It teaches us much about the path to holiness and the Kingdom of God.

One of the most famous bible stories of all time is Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.  Mark, the evangelist, uses the story to ask the reader a question that elicits a clear answer on the identity of Christ.  This approach is often called the Socratic method.  Reflection on the gospel for the 12th Sunday in ordinary time, cycle B.

In the Roman liturgical calendar, St. Thomas More shares his feast of June 22 with St. Paulinus of Nola and St. John Fisher.  Often, he is overlooked or forgotten.  But he is one of the most inspiring models for fathers, husbands, and statesmen, indeed for just about anyone living in a society that finds the teaching of Jesus inconvenient and annoying.  Listen to this podcast and find out how this man managed to carry on an amazing spiritual and family life in the midst of the most crushing of worldly responsibilities as King Henry VIII's right hand man, the second most important figure in the government of England from 1529 till his execution in 1535.