After twenty-five years in the making, the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible has been released. In this special episode of the Ignatius Press podcast, Andrew Petiprin sits down with Curtis Mitch the co-editor of this one-of-a-kind study Bible designed to help everyday Catholics read the Bible through the eyes of the Church. Having personally spent countless hours and over two decades of work into this project, Curtis gives a rare glimpse into the intention and development behind this massive project. He and Andrew also discuss the various features and resources provided in this study Bible including references to the Fathers, Doctors, and Councils of the Church and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These tools help readers to better understand the written Word of God and apply its lessons to daily life.

Get your copy of the Ignatius Press Study Bible here: https://ignatius.com/ignatius-catholic-study-bible-2h/

Like many Christians, Matthew Wiseman’s family was in search of the original or purest form of Christianity, which was most faithful to the way that the apostles and early Christians lived and practiced the faith. Originally Baptists, they discovered the Hebrew Roots movement, and they lived for many years in strict adherence to Torah. However, after studying the Bible and the Church fathers, Matthew converted to Anglicanism and eventually to Catholicism. Only in the Catholic Church did he find the one faith and the fullness of the truth that he had been searching for.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin talks with Matthew Wiseman about his new book Two Jeusalems and the key moments of Matthew’s conversion story. Their conversation highlights the beauty of our Catholic faith, which safeguards the teachings of Christ and sacred traditions that date back to ancient Israel.

Find Two Jerusalems: My Conversion from the Messianic Movement to the Catholic Church at https://ignatius.com/two-jerusalems-tjp/

If someone looked at the way you live your life, would they say, “That’s a person who is seeking Christ?” While many Catholics might be able to give personal or intellectual reasons why they practice their Faith, how many really allow the interior conversion necessary for a relationship with Christ to shine through in their daily lives? How many have essentially adopted a secular way of living?

These challenging questions are at the heart of Edward Sri’s new book, “What Do You Seek?”, out now from Ignatius Press and the Augustine Institute. In this episode, Dr. Sri speaks with your host, Andrew Petiprin, about the necessity of coming to know and love Christ, and not just facts about the Catholic Faith—important as those may be—in order to share the Gospel with others.

Find “What Do You Seek? Encountering the Heart of the Gospel” at Ignatius.com.

Learn more about Edward Sri and his work at www.edwardsri.com.

In its earliest days, Christianity was a faith associated with cities. Cities were the spots chosen by the Apostles to begin spreading the Good News, the earliest Christian communities were found in city centers, and cities quickly became the focal points of persecution of Christians—and the blood of the martyrs was always the seed of the Church.

Best-selling author Mike Aquilina has written a book about twelve cities in the ancient world where Christianity caught hold and spread despite often brutal persecutions. “Rabbles, Riots, and Ruins” is a lively journey through cities as diverse as Rome, Jerusalem, Milan, and Constantinople.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Aquilina about how the unique characteristics of these cities allowed for the development and flourishing of the faith, frequently in hostile environments. They discuss the cities—some still well-known, others lost to history—that defined and shaped the earliest centuries of our Christian faith.

Find “Rabbles, Riots, and Ruins: Twelve Ancient Cities and How They Were Evangelized” at Ignatius.com: https://ignatius.com/rabbles-riots-and-ruins-rrrp/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=Rabbles%2C+Riots%2C+and+Ruins&utm_id=Rabbles%2C+Riots%2C+and+Ruins

The hero of the new novel Death in Black and White is a Catholic priest and classic film buff who finds himself caught in a web of crime, sin, and double-crossings that rivals anything found in his favorite film-noir detective movies. The book’s author, Fr. Michael Brisson—also a Catholic priest and classic film buff—may not have real-life experience of being in the clutches of the Mob, but he does know the unique way a priest is privy to some of life’s hardest and darkest moments.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Brisson about the graces on offer in the sacraments, the Catholic faith’s unflinching realism about human nature and our sinful proclivities—and how a film-noir tinged crime novel can be the perfect vehicle for exploring these themes and more.

Find Death in Black and White now at Ignatius.com.

Most Catholics are aware, even if only in a vague way, of the many holy men and women who have come before us who wrote or preached on the spiritual life. We may have read about their lives; we may find their holiness and closeness to God inspiring. But do many of us look to them for concrete, specific spiritual guidance?

Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes has written a book that presents the luminaries of the Catholic spiritual tradition not as distant, unapproachable models of spiritual perfection, but as flesh-and-blood mentors in the spiritual life whose wisdom and insight transcends the passage of centuries.

Archbishop Hughes joins host Andrew Petiprin to discuss that book, “Spiritual Masters: Living and Praying in the Catholic Tradition,” and how he hopes readers will come to a deeper appreciation of the spiritual treasures of the Church, and a fuller understanding of the nature of prayer itself.

When Joseph Ratzinger became pope in 2005, there was a perception in some quarters that this new pontiff—a renowned theologian and former head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith—was a highbrow academic who would preach from the chair of St. Peter in abstruse theoretical language that the average Catholic would find impenetrable.

Fortunately for all of us, this turned out not to be the case, and Pope Benedict’s homilies and addresses—while clearly informed by his tremendous scholarly work—were brimful of spiritual insights and pastoral care aimed at helping his world-wide flock grow closer to Christ.

The new collection God is Ever New: Meditations on Life, Love, and Freedom, out this spring from Ignatius Press, brings together beautiful excerpts from Pope Benedict’s papal writings, presenting them in a format easy to read and reflect upon.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press, about the new book, Pope Benedict’s deep pastoral sense, and the spiritual and theological legacy he left at his passing in 2022.

In his latest book “Why Does Everything Come in Threes?” philosopher and author Peter Kreeft ponders the ways in which creation—and the story of humanity in creation—are indelibly stamped with the image of the Creator, that is, with the Trinity.

In this episode, Kreeft speaks with host Andrew Petiprin about this three-fold pattern of the universe, and how the mystery of the Trinity echoes throughout human culture, metaphysics, and moral understanding. Find “Why Does Everything Come in Threes?” and many other books by Peter Kreeft at Ignatius.com.

Because the Catholic Church has always taught that only men can be ordained to the priesthood instituted by Christ, there is a perception that the Church’s story is a story about men. There’s the Blessed Mother, of course, and maybe the occasional nun who rises to prominence, but since only men can be ordained, the thinking goes, it is men who have built and shaped the Church’s common life throughout the centuries.

Not only is this bad ecclesiology, it is bad history, argues historian Bronwen McShea. In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with McShea about her new book, Women of the Church: What Every Catholic Should Know. Women have always been at the heart of the Church, McShea says, and the spiritual, intellectual, and cultural contributions of women—queens and abbesses, wives and mothers, religious sisters, writers, and mystics—have made the Church what she is today.

Women of the Church: What Every Catholic Should Know, published by Ignatius Press and the Augustine Institute, is now available at Ignatius.com.

You can read an excerpt from the book at First Things: https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/04/the-remarkable-legacies-of-ordinary-catholic-women

They’re simple questions, and ones that every believer has to confront at some point in his or her life: why do we suffer, and why does God—who we believe to be good and loving—allow it?

Humanity’s struggles with these questions have inspired countless works of art and literature—from the book of Job on through the ages—as well as theological treatises. But the struggle is also very personal; we all must undergo suffering in our lives, and as Christians, come to an understanding of how these sufferings fit into God’s plan for our redemption.

Mark Giszczak, professor of Sacred Scripture at the Augustine Institute, has written a new book called Suffering: What Every Catholic Should Know. While it takes the reader through Scripture from the Book of Job through the Crucifixion, bringing in the wisdom of the Church Fathers as well as Catholic sacramental and liturgical tradition, the book is accessible and sensitive to the deeply personal nature of suffering.

Giszczak joins your host Andrew Petiprin in this episode to discuss Suffering.

Read more of Giszczak’s work at CatholicBibleStudent.com.

Francis X. Maier has been immersed in the life of the Church at different levels for decades. As senior aide to Archbishop Charles Chaput for more than twenty years, and as editor-in-chief of the National Catholic Register for many years before that, he got to know the leaders and major players in the American Church in both professional and personal settings.

When he sat down to write a book offering a snapshot of Catholic life in the U.S., he had many contacts in high places to whom he could reach out. But they wouldn’t be able to tell the whole story.

In writing his new book True Confessions: Voices of Faith from a Life in the Church, Maier conducted more than one hundred candid interviews with individuals living and working in the Church. These included bishops and priests as well as laymen and women serving in various leadership roles. But they also included husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, parish priests and religious sisters living their vocations in low-profile ways: faithfully carrying out their professional duties, loving their families, and building up their local communities.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Maier about what he learned about the American Church while conducting these interviews, and about how our current situation—colored as it is by scandals, political division, and secularism—contains many sources of profound hope.

Find True Confessions by Francis X. Maier at Ignatius.com.

In a society that often claims to value the voices of the marginalized, one group that find themselves frequently silenced by the very people claiming to speak for them are detransitioners—men and women who have gone down the road of “gender transition,” only to change their minds, embrace their biological sex, and reverse course.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Jennifer Lahl, a nurse and documentary maker who works to amplify the voices of those who have been harmed by gender ideology. Together with Kallie Fell, Lahl has written the new book The Detransition Diaries, which tells the stories of five women and two men who have reclaimed their identities after dangerous journeys through hormone therapies, surgeries, and other treatments aimed at changing their biological sex.

Find The Detransition Diaries at Ignatius.com.

Follow Jennifer Lahl on X: @JenniferLahl

Follow Kallie Fell on X: @kal_fell

Advent and Christmas are quickly approaching, and families will soon begin their favorite traditions. In this special edition of the Ignatius Press Podcast, join Rose Trabbic, Ignatius Press Publicist, and Amy Welborn, author of “Bambinelli Sunday” who discuss several new Ignatius Press children’s book releases that would make great Christmas presents.

Rose and Amy also discuss the importance of establishing Catholic family Christmas traditions and suggest several engaging customs that you can start with your family this year! Finally, they deliberate about whether or not you should tell your children about Santa. Kickstart this Advent and Christmas right by considering how to make this season memorable and integrally Catholic.

List of Books Mention in This Podcast:

• Bambinelli Sunday: The Most Wonderful Surprise of All
• Friendship with Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI Talks to Children on Their First Holy Communion
• Swiss Guard: Protectors of the Pope
• Seek and Find:
  • The Life of Jesus
  • The Lives of Saints
  • On the Way to Santiago de Compostela
  • The Twelve Apostles
• Our Lady of Guadalupe

Is beautiful sacred art a thing of the past? Is it impossible for contemporary artists to inspire the kind of reverence and devotion for sacred subjects that the artworks of great masters have done for centuries?

The Catholic Home Gallery is an answer to these questions—a collection of eighteen artworks by contemporary artists that embody the richness of the Catholic artistic tradition with fresh creativity and insight. Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs, one of the nine artists featured in the book and our guest for this episode, is passionate in her belief that not only is it possible to regain the wisdom and skills of previous centuries of sacred artists—many of which have been lost or sorely neglected in recent times—but that there is an urgent need to do so in the Church today.

In her conversation with host Andrew Petiprin, Thompson-Briggs discusses why sacred art should not be considered a luxury item or reserved only for a privileged elite, but should rather be incorporated into the spiritual formation and life of every Christian. She also talks about her own work as an artist, the importance of bringing sacred art into the home, and some of the other artists working today whose work she admires.

• The Catholic Home Gallery: Eighteen Works of Art by Contemporary Catholic Artists
• Explore the art of Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs
• Catholic Artists Directory

When Mark Wahlberg’s hit movie “Father Stu” was released in 2022, audiences all over the country were introduced to Father Stuart Long, a former boxer-turned-wannabe-actor-turned Catholic priest who died in Helena, Montana in 2014 at the age of 50. The motorcycle-riding tough guy who found his way to Christ and the priesthood captured the hearts of many moviegoers, but the film only told part of the story of the real Father Stu’s remarkable life and spiritual legacy.

Few people knew Father Stu as well as did Father Bart Tolleson, Stu’s close friend and fellow diocesan priest. His new book “That Was Father Stu: A Memoir of My Priestly Brother and Friend” recounts Stu’s often-bumpy road to conversion and ordination, but also tells the story of his transformative priestly ministry and his fight against the degenerative disease that ultimately took his life. In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Father Bart about his friendship with Stu and about the tremendous witness of holy suffering Stu gave in the final years of his life.

“Grief is a call to expand our hearts.” Dr. Daniel and Bethany Meola have worked with hundreds of individuals from broken homes who are grieving—grieving the divorce or separation of their parents, grieving the loss of the “ideal” family, even grieving a sense of identity rooted in parental love. They have pulled together valuable insights and wisdom from their work into a new book, “Life-Giving Wounds: A Catholic Guide to Healing for Adult Children of Divorce or Separation.”

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with the Meolas about their book and their work with adult children of divorce—work that is particularly critical in our day and age, in which huge numbers of people come from homes broken by divorce or separation. Grief, anxiety, anger—these emotional wounds from parental separation are often hidden. But, according to the Meolas, these same wounds can be opportunities for healing and redemption. Their message is ultimately one of hope—that these wounds do not have to define us, but can become sources of life and strength.

In times of civil unrest and heightened public discourse about racial issues, it can be tempting—even for Catholics—to look only for political solutions to the divisions that plague our society. But if, as the Catholic Church teaches, racism is a sin and, as such, an obstacle to the soul’s growing in holiness, political arguments about policies and party platforms will not eradicate it. We will need to go deeper.

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers is the author of the new book Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism. He is passionate about having those deeper conversations about race and the moral and spiritual groundwork that must be laid in order to successfully combat racism in society. In this episode, he speaks with host Andrew Petiprin about how an authentically Catholic approach can help facilitate healing in our society and promote reconciliation across racial divides.

Related reading:

Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Learn more about Deacon Harold: DeaconHarold.com

Living wills? Palliative care? Brain death? Cremation? Many of us know we need to think about these and other end-of-life questions for ourselves and our loved ones, but how many of us know where to look for guidance?

Dr. Stephen Doran, M.D. is uniquely positioned to help us think about these often uncomfortable topics. An experienced neurosurgeon, a bioethicist, and a Catholic deacon, Dr. Doran brings insights from modern medical practice as well as from the timeless wisdom of the Faith to the many complicated situations surrounding the end of life.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Dr. Doran about Doran’s new book, “To Die Well: A Catholic Neurosurgeon’s Guide to the End of Life.” They cover many of the ethical decisions that often take Catholics by surprise when faced with terminal illness, as well as the even bigger questions of what a “good death” really looks like, and how our attitudes toward suffering can have a significant impact on how we face our final end.

Thomas Howard had a unique perspective on contemporary Christian life. The son of a prominent evangelical family who was drawn to liturgical worship, a friend of C.S. Lewis who eventually converted to Catholicism, Howard was a keen observer and erudite writer, an articulate defender of the truths of the Gospel and the power of art to bring man closer to God.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Keith Call, editor of a new collection of Howard’s writings, “Pondering the Permanent Things: Reflections on Faith, Art, and Culture.” Call gives background on Howard’s life and intellectual formation, as well as the cultural forces he watched play out in Christian life during the tumultuous 20th and early 21stcenturies. Call offers insights into why Howard’s writings remain compelling after his passing in 2020, and why the invitation to consider the “permanent things” is perhaps more pressing today than ever.

Related reading:

“New collection of Thomas Howard essays explores ‘the drama of redemption’” by Carl E. Olson | Catholic World Report

Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J. believes in God, the soul, and an afterlife. This is not surprising, as the Jesuit priest is a well-known defender of the precepts of the Catholic faith in his books, lectures, and numerous media appearances. But Fr. Spitzer holds that these beliefs are well-founded scientifically, and has written a book presenting his evidence.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Fr. Spitzer about the most up-to-date scientific evidence for the existence of God and for the afterlife, which Spitzer documents in his new book “Science at the Doorstep to God.” While many point to “science” as their reason for rejecting belief in a Creator, Fr. Spitzer argues that this only demonstrates an ignorance of the scientific evidence, and an inability to recognize how faith and reason can be harmonized in an earnest pursuit of truth.

Related reading:

“Science at the Doorstep of God: Science and Reason in Support of God, the Soul, and Life after Death” by Fr. Robert Spitzer

Magis Center – Science, Reason, and Faith

State surveillance. Artificial intelligence. Advanced reproductive technology. Many of the elements Peco Gaskovski depicts dramatically in his new novel Exogenesis seem to be only a step or two ahead of where we are in the world today. But Gaskovski’s dystopian vision of a society with mass sterilizations of undesirable populations, an intricate social credit system managed by AI, and omnipresent government surveillance is, ultimately, not without hope.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Gaskovski, an author and neuropsychologist, about Exogenesis and the colliding forces in society, culture, and science today that inspired it. While the world of Exogenesis is bleak in many ways, Gaskovski’s worldview is not. With gripping action and complicated characters, the book strikes a balance between realism about human nature in the face of technological temptations and social pressure, and hope that truth and beauty can survive amid persecution and suffering.

You can find Exogenesis by Peco Gaskovski at Ignatius.com or your local Catholic bookstore.

Tomie dePaola was one of the most beloved authors and illustrators of children’s books of the last 50 years. When he died in 2020, readers of all ages mourned. While many knew him best for his Strega Nona stories, dePaola also wrote and illustrated many books about Catholic saints and feast days, as well as adaptations of Bible stories.

Sarah Mackenzie, author and founder of Read-Aloud Revival, got to know Tomie dePaola in the last several years of his life, visiting him in his studio and corresponding with him regularly. She wrote about her friendship with him in the foreword to the new book, Through the Year with Tomie dePaola, which collects dePaola’s artwork depicting saints and illustrating important feasts of the liturgical year.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Mackenzie about her relationship with dePaola, the lasting impact of his books and artistic vision, and how reading our way through the liturgical year, especially with young children, can bring us closer to God and to each other.

Related reading:

Through the Year with Tomie dePaola

Read-Aloud Revival with Sarah Mackenzie

“The unique and enduring illustrative art of Tomie dePaola” by Paul Senz | Catholic World Report

Fall is here and the kids are back in school, which makes this week’s episode particularly timely. Host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press, about the changing landscape of religious education, the explosion of Catholic resources now available to parents wishing to form their kids in the Faith, and the new Word of Life catechetical series, co-published by Ignatius Press and the Augustine Institute.

Brumley describes the approach adopted by Word of Life for “evangelizing catechesis,” which seeks to not only convey content about the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Faith, but also evangelize students, teachers, and parents as well. It is important to catechize the catechists, Brumley stresses, so they can in turn form the next generation in the Faith. Word of Life was designed to do just that, he says, with engaging print materials, as well as high-quality video and digital enrichment materials.

Related reading:

“Word of Life curriculum draws praise from catechists” by Kathy Schiffer | Catholic World Report

“Word of Life: The future of Catholic religious education is here” by Joanne McPortland | Aleteia

We live in an age where treasures are frequently rediscovered and brought back into the light for further examination and appreciation. Such is the work of Ida Friederike Görres’s John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed which gives us a compelling and detailed introduction to the life and personage of Saint John Henry Newman. This work is perfect for those who are unfamiliar with John Henry Newman and for those who are avid Newman devotees and wish to gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation of this modern-day saint.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin talks with Jennifer Bryson about her translation of Ida Friederike Görres’s John Henry Newman. This wide-ranging and engaging conversation touches not only on Jennifer’s own conversion from Marxism to Christianity but also on the importance of rediscovering Ida Görres and what insights this work can offer into the life of John Henry Newman.

Find John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed at Ignatius.com.

“Lead, kindly light.” These words of St. John Henry Newman have long resonated with Christians who strive always to place their trust in Christ. The saint’s words are perhaps particularly dear to those whose Christian journey has taken them through the Anglican Communion and into the Catholic Church, as Newman’s did.

One such pilgrim is Fr. Dwight Longenecker, whose path from Protestant fundamentalism, through the Church of England, and finally to the Catholic priesthood is chronicled in the new book, “There and Back Again,” now available from Ignatius Press.

In this episode, our host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Fr. Longenecker about the twists and turns of his spiritual journey, which took him around the world and back again in pursuit of God’s will and eternal Truth.

Related reading:

There and Back Again: A Somewhat Religious Odyssey by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Fr. Longenecker’s blog, “Standing on My Head”

“A Hobbit’s Journey Home, Parts One and Two” by Joseph Pearce

When Pope Benedict XVI passed away on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95, Catholics the world over mourned the loss of a spiritual father as well as a brilliant theologian. Among those who knew the late pontiff best was Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., founder and editor of Ignatius Press. Fr. Fessio studied with Pope Benedict—when he was still Fr. Joseph Ratzinger—during Fessio’s doctoral studies in theology in Germany in the 1970s.

In this episode, Fr. Fessio joins our host Andrew Petiprin to offer some memories of his time with Pope Benedict XVI, as well as insights into the writings of the man many consider one of the most important theologians of the 20th and 21st centuries. They also discuss the newly released book What is Christianity? The Last Writings, a collection of essays—many never before published—written by the late pope in the years following his resignation of the papacy in 2013. The chapters of this book cover a wide spectrum of subjects, including the liturgy, interreligious dialogue, the priesthood, clerical sexual abuse, and the Eucharist.

Since the 2012 release of her first book on the Sexual Revolution, Mary Eberstadt has engaged in what she considers an often thankless task—honoring the suffering of those who have been victimized by the massive changes that have rocked society since the 1960s. The Pill, no-fault divorce, and plummeting marriage rates have not made us freer, happier, or healthier, Eberstadt has argued; instead they’ve ushered in an era of unprecedented loneliness, mental health problems, and weakened support systems for the most vulnerable.

In this episode, Eberstadt speaks with Andrew Petiprin about her newest book, Adam and Eve after the Pill, Revisited, which looks at how the damaging forces of the Sexual Revolution have accelerated in the last decade, leaving more victims in their wake, often in the name of tolerance, acceptance, and freedom.

Eberstadt also sees many reasons for hope. More and more secular voices have begun to question the pieties of the Sexual Revolution, recognizing the chaos that has accompanied the dismantling of traditional family structures and articulating a yearning for connection and interdependence, rather than radical autonomy and isolation.

Related reading:

Adam and Eve after the Pill, Revisited by Mary Eberstadt

Revisiting Adam and Eve after the Pill: An interview with Mary Eberstadt by Paul Senz

While the name of Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty may not be well known among Catholics today, during the Cold War the archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary was one of the most noteworthy Catholic churchmen in the world. Admired for his heroic resistance in the face of Communism, then Nazism, and then Communism once again, Cardinal Mindszenty spent years in prison for his Christian witness against brutal totalitarianism.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Professor Daniel J. Mahoney, professor emeritus of political science at Assumption University. Professor Mahoney wrote the introduction to a new edition of Cardinal Mindszenty’s Memoirs, published by Ignatius Press. The two discuss the struggles in which Mindszenty was inevitably embroiled as leader of the Hungarian Church during decades of social and political upheaval. They look at the powerful witness of Christian suffering Mindszenty gave to his countrymen and to the whole world, as he lived through years of solitary confinement, then more than a decade within the walls of the American embassy, and then finally exile from his beloved homeland. And they consider the continued relevance of Mindszenty’s story, at a time when questions of Christian conscience, political coercion, and secular encroachment on the Church remain pressing.

Related links:

• Memoirs, by Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty, with a foreword by Joseph Pearce and an introduction by Daniel J. Mahoney
• “Cardinal Mindszety and the recovery of heroic Christian virtue” by Daniel J. Mahoney
• “The Cardinal Who Stared Down Communism” by Sean Salai

“How do I make up my mind?”

Making decisions, from the life-changing to the seemingly inconsequential, can be a frustrating, even paralyzing, experience for many. With more distractions at our finger-tips than ever before, young people in particular face a host of challenges when it comes to discerning and navigating a path through life.

Fr. J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. has written a unique book for the perplexed—or even just those who wonder if they need a different approach to decision-making in their lives. In “Pray. Think. Act.: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers,” Fr. Wetta applies centuries-old wisdom to the decision-making process, examining each step in how we should make up our minds with wit, empathy, and candor.

In this episode, your host Andrew Petiprin explores the steps in solid decision-making with Fr. Wetta, whose signature mixture of personal anecdotes, laid-back humor, and practical advice make him a genial guide through what can be a difficult process. Fr. Wetta has honed his approach in his work with high-schoolers, but he has insights that will benefit anyone who finds himself struggling to make prayerful, considered decisions—which is, at some time or other, most of us.

Related links:

• “Pray. Think. Act.: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers” by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
• “Humility Rules: Saint Benedict’s Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem” by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
• “The Eighth Arrow: Odysseus in the Underworld, A Novel” by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.

Jimmy Mitchell works with young people every day in his job as director of campus ministry at a high school in Florida. He sees their struggles to form relationships with others, to manage the growing presence of technology in their lives, to deepen their spiritual lives. He also sees their desire for the true, the good, and the beautiful, and their yearning for connection, meaning, and happiness.

Mitchell’s new book, “Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise,” is informed by his experiences working with young people, but its blueprint for a way of life has wider appeal. The principles he outlines in the book—including wonder, freedom, friendship, joy, culture, and more—empower Christians to evangelize by bringing beauty to the forefront of their lives.

In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Jimmy Mitchell about the beauty of a life well-lived, and how such a life can work as a powerful tool for evangelization.

Related links:

“Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise” by Jimmy Mitchell

“The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise” by Robert Cardinal Sarah

“The Art of Living: The Cardinal Virtues and the Freedom to Love” by Edward Sri

“How a ‘culture of conversion’ transformed a Catholic high school” | Catholic News Agency/Catholic World Report

Jeremy Christiansen was a young married man, raising his children in the Mormon faith in which he’d grown up himself, when he began experiencing doubts about the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As he looked at his upbringing, his marriage, and everything he had always believed to be true, Christiansen began a journey of spiritual questioning that led him away from Mormonism and ultimately into the Catholic Church.

Christiansen’s process of conversion is the subject of his new memoir, “From the Susquehanna to the Tiber,” available now at Ignatius.com.

In this episode, our host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Christiansen about the destabilizing experience of losing his faith in Mormonism, the joys and challenges of finding a spiritual home in the Catholic Church, and how the Church can better understand and engage with Mormons.

Related links:

• “From the Susquehanna to the Tiber: A Memoir of Conversion from Mormonism to the Roman Catholic Church” by Jeremy Christiansen
• “Logically navigating the journey from Mormonism to the Catholic Church” by Casey Chalk
• “To be deep in history is to cease to be Mormon: An interview with Jeremy Christiansen” by Paul Senz

“Christian existence must be cruciform—it has to be ready for martyrdom, especially now in the modern world.”

Larry Chapp’s new book “Confession of a Catholic Worker” is a call to Christians to shake off the idolatrous spirit of the age, and go to the root of our Gospel calling: radical love and radical living according to the Sermon on the Mount.

In this episode, Chapp speaks with Carl E. Olson about the new book, how modern Christians can best confront today’s spiritual and societal crises, and about the pitfalls of sharing the Gospel in a world increasingly in denial about the existence of the transcendent.

Related links:

“Confession of a Catholic Worker: Our Moment of Christian Witness” by Larry Chapp

“The Moment of Christian Witness” by Hans Urs von Balthasar

Larry Chapp’s website and blog, Gaudium et Spes 22

Catholic World Report – Global Church news and views

In this episode, Ignatius Press founder Fr. Joseph Fessio talks to his friend and fellow Jesuit, Fr. Robert McTeigue, about Fr. McTeigue’s new book, “Christendom Lost and Found: Meditations for a Post Post-Christian Era” (http://bit.ly/3Rl25FY ).

The book is a kind of a war journal, written between 2020 and 2021 during “the COVID Interruption” and the violent outbursts in cities across America. Witnessing cultural collapse in every direction, Fr. McTeigue offers meditations on what it will take to build Christ-centered cultures in our time—what must be retrieved and what must be renewed.

Fr. McTeigue can be heard Monday through Friday at 5pm Eastern on his radio show “The Catholic Current”; listen on your favorite podcast platform or online: https://thestationofthecross.com/programs/the-catholic-current/

Find Fr. McTeigue’s first book, “Real Philosophy for Real People,” at Ignatius.com: http://bit.ly/3HI1WIz

Was the Catholic Church slow to condemn racism? Can Catholic teaching be used to justify slavery? How should Catholics engage with Critical Race Theory, in its popular or academic forms?

In this episode, philosopher Edward Feser discusses these and other questions with Catholic World Report editor Carl E. Olson. Feser is the author of the new book “All One in Christ: A Catholic Critique of Racism and Critical Race Theory,” in which he examines what the Church has said and done historically on issues of race, and takes a close look at the origins—and recent bestselling popularizations—of Critical Race Theory.

Feser and Olson talk about the genesis of the book, common misconceptions about the Catholic Church and race, the inherent limitations of CRT, and more.

Find “All One in Christ” at Ignatius.com: http://bit.ly/3VZ0OWl

You can read more from Edward Feser on his blog: http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/

Feser was interviewed at Catholic World Report about “All One in Christ”: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/09/08/the-churchs-teachings-about-racism-and-the-truth-about-critical-race-theory/

“Countering disinformation about Critical Race Theory” by Edward Feser | Catholic World Report, 8/22/22: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/08/22/countering-disinformation-about-critical-race-theory/

Today, many Catholics feel a sense of urgency or even dread as they look upon the dark forces and ideologies that besiege the world, the Church, and the truth. Some people may even ask, “What can I do in the face of these forces and against so many injustices?” In their recent work, Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights, Matthew Daniels and Roxanne King provide many heroic examples of everyday Catholics who stood as lights for the rights and dignity of others. This book provides sixteen short but thorough biographies of Catholics whose faith inspired and motivated others to work for social justice and the salvation of all people.

In this episode, Matthew Daniels and Andrew Petiprin discuss how Catholics like Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, Venerable Father Agustus Tolton, Sr. Thea Bowman, and Diane Nash can serve as role models for Catholics today. While many of these Catholic heroes may be unfamiliar to many, their work is nonetheless crucial and the impact of their work and faith is beyond measure.

Find Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights at Ignatius.com.

When Fr. Paul Mankowski, SJ died in September 2020, friends, colleagues, and long-time readers mourned the loss of the biting wit and keen insight that characterized his writing, much of which was published under the pseudonym “Diogenes.”

In this episode, two men who knew and admired Fr. Mankowski—his fellow Jesuit, Fr. Joseph Fessio, and his editor at Catholic World Report and later Catholic World News, Philip F. Lawler—remember their friend, whose writing spanned decades and covered Church news, art and culture, politics, and more.

A sampling of Fr. Mankowski’s writings, most of which he published as Diogenes, has been collected in the new book, “Diogenes Unveiled: A Paul Mankowski Collection,” edited by Lawler and available at Ignatius.com: http://bit.ly/3X6UuNR

You can read more essays by Mankowski in the book “Jesuit at Large,” edited by George Weigel: https://ignatius.com/jesuit-at-large-jlerp/

You can find Philip F. Lawler’s writing at CatholicCulture.org: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/authors.cfm?authorid=3

And you can follow him on Twitter, @PhilLawler.

Broken-down buses, long lines, fractious tourists, strikes—and countless encounters with God’s immense providence. These are just some of the memorable experiences recounted by Irish tour guide Kieran Troy in his new book, “In the Stars the Glory of His Eyes,” which takes the reader to some of the most evocative Catholic pilgrimage sites: Vatican City, the Holy House of Nazareth in Loreto, the shrine of Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, the Abbey of Montecassino, and many more.

In this episode, Troy speaks with Ignatius Press editor Thomas Jacobi about the book, and about the inspiring, exhausting, and often comical experiences he’s had over decades of leading groups of pilgrims to many of Christendom’s most beloved places. With wit and charm, Troy gives a first-hand account of Christ at work in all the beautiful messiness of pilgrimage.

Find the book, “In the Stars the Glory of His Eyes: Tales of an Irish Tour Guide in Rome,” here: https://bit.ly/3E8aWG5

Dr. John Bruchalski is a Catholic OB/GYN who used to perform abortions, believing he was providing compassionate care for women in crisis. A terrible misjudgment in the delivery room revealed to him the humanity of the unborn child, and he has since committed his life to providing women—and the children in their wombs—with truly loving, life-affirming medical care.

In this episode, Dr. Bruchalski details the events that led up to his conversion to pro-life medicine and his recommitment to his Catholic Faith. He also discusses the “hard cases”—including rape, incest, and fetal abnormalities—that many believe justify legal abortion. Dr. Bruchalski’s new book, “Two Patients: My Conversion from Abortion to Life-Affirming Medicine” (https://bit.ly/3DAho8s) is a memoir of his experiences. It is also a plea that advocates on both sides of the abortion debate see the humanity of all God’s children—from the unborn baby to misguided medical professionals.

Does the Catholic Church hate gay people? Do people of faith just want those with same-sex attractions to suffer? Is it possible for the Church’s teaching on sexual morality to be a source of unity among believers, whatever their sexual orientation?

In this episode, Paul Senz talks to Fr. Mike Schmitz, host of the popular Bible in a Year podcast, about the Catholic Church’s teaching on same-sex attraction, which Fr. Mike wrote about in his book “Made for Love” (https://bit.ly/3z9YkLN). Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of not adopting an “us vs. them” attitude when discussing sexuality and identity; of approaching those with experiences of same-sex attraction with compassion, but not condescension; and of always keeping in mind that each of us was made by Love, from Love, and for Love.

Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is a Dominican friar as well as a photographer of sacred art. His new book, “Mysteries Made Visible: Praying the Rosary with Sacred Art,” brings together Fr. Lew’s stunning photography and his rich contemplations on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, inviting all of us - those who pray the Rosary faithfully and those who struggle with the devotion - to pray with deeper reverence and greater understanding.

In this episode, Fr. Lew discusses how he came to discern his vocation as a Dominican, his interest in photography, and his great devotion to promoting the Rosary among the Faithful. He describes what he calls “Visio Divina”—that is, praying and meditating upon theological truths while viewing sacred art.

You can view sample pages from “Mysteries Made Visible” at Ignatius.com: https://ignatius.com/mysteries-made-visible-mmvp/

Fifty years ago, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Henri de Lubac, and Joseph Ratzinger, among others, founded the theological journal Communio, which set out, as Balthasar put it, to “fight at all costs against the deadly polarization brought on by the fervor displayed by traditionalists and modernists alike” and “to perceive of the Church as a central communion, a community that originated from communion with Christ, who presented himself as a gift to the Church; as a communion that will enable us to share our hearts, thoughts, and blessings.”

In the last five decades, Communio has continued the work of its founding mission, advancing theological discussion and deepening the Church’s understanding of her role in the world. Later this month, a conference celebrating the journal’s 50th anniversary will take place at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.

In this episode, Mark Brumley and Carl E. Olson speak with the organizers of the conference—Matthew Kuhner, Ph.D., Vice President and Academic Dean at St. Bernard's; Daniel Drain, Coordinator of Academic Operations and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at St. Bernard's; and Lisa Lickona, S.T.L., Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Bernard's. They discuss the mission and legacy of "Communio," its continued relevance in the life of the Church, and what they hope the conference will achieve.

Related links:

• Details about the conference, including in-person and virtual registration information, can be found here: https://stbernards.regfox.com/communioconference2022
• The Fall 1992 issue of Communio contains a number of the journal’s founding documents: https://www.communio-icr.com/issues/view/the-theology-of-henri-de-lubac-communio-at-twenty-years
• The Communio website includes a collection of individual articles (many available as PDFs) about the journal: https://www.communio-icr.com/about/articles

Why were so many of the great writers of detective stories Christians? Dorothy Sayers, G.K. Chesterton, Graham Greene, and many more—in addition to their other literary achievements—wrote (and loved reading) mystery stories. In this week’s episode, John Herreid talks to author Fiorella de Maria about her Father Gabriel mystery novels—the fourth of which, “Death of a Scholar,” is now available—as well as the enduring appeal of detective fiction, and why the genre’s themes of guilt, truth, and justice resonate with the Catholic moral imagination.

“Death of a Scholar” is available in paperback and ebook at Ignatius.com: https://bit.ly/3TmXN1F

When you think of Purgatory, what kind of place comes to mind? In “A Hiker’s Guide to Purgatory,” novelist Michael Norton paints a vivid picture of Purgatory as a place of great beauty, alongside suffering; of hope and even joy, alongside painful transformation and reconciliation. In this episode, Norton speaks with Ignatius Press editor Thomas Jacobi about the personal process of writing this imaginative journey through the afterlife, which he sees not as much as a place of punishment as an opportunity from a merciful God to heal our wounds and brokenness in a way we couldn’t in our earthly lives.

“A Hiker’s Guide to Purgatory: A Novel,” by Michael Norton, is now available in paperback and ebook: https://bit.ly/3dI8dIT

Mark Brumley and Carl E. Olson discuss the latest news and features at Catholic World Report, including pieces about why some call Gen Z “the loneliest generation,” controversies about whether or not Humanae Vitae is infallible teaching, and the outsize influence of social media on how we think about the Church.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Walking with Generation Z: Understanding the Loneliest Generation” by Benjamin Eriksen: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/08/11/walking-with-generation-z-understanding-the-loneliest-generation/
• “Pope Francis, contraception, and the problem of ecclesial authority” by E. Christian Brugger: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/08/04/pope-francis-contraception-and-the-problem-of-ecclesial-authority/

In a world grown cold without wonder, how do we reimagine the drama and joy of Christianity? For C.S. Lewis, the answer was to invite us into a different world that would help us see this one with fresh eyes. In this episode, Paul Senz talks with Leonard J. DeLorenzo, editor of “Chronicles of Transformation: A Spiritual Journey with C.S. Lewis,” a unique volume that explores the beloved terrain of Narnia with insightful essays, moving poetry, and original new artwork.

The book is now available at Ignatius.com: https://bit.ly/3cz6THK

In our busy schedules, it is often hard to find time to read a good book, and sometimes it is even harder to know which book to read. In his new book Classic Literature Made Simple, Joseph Pearce makes this decision easier by outlining fifty great works of literature that every person should read. Beginning in the ancient world and progressing all the way up to the present, Joseph provides a trusted list of books that are not only good aesthetically, but also morally.

In this episode, Joseph talks with the host Andrew Petiprin about his reasoning behind his choices and even admits why certain works were excluded.

Find Classical Literature Made Simple: Fifty Great Books in a Nutshell at Ignatius.com.

Many Christians, whether they are aware of it or not, have mistaken notions about the mystery of atonement—particularly the role God the Father plays in Christ’s saving work on the Cross. In her new book “Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology” (https://bit.ly/3yaUrGb) Margaret Turek, professor of theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, hopes to dispel these misconceptions and present readers with a clear illumination of the wholly gratuitous, radically forgiving, passionate and powerful nature of God's redeeming love for mankind. In this episode, Dr. Turek speaks with Mark Brumley about her book, and about some of the spiritual insights the be gleaned from contemplating the mystery of Christ’s atonement.

Violence, nudity, bad language. These elements are often enough for Catholic viewers to dismiss movies and their potential impact entirely. But is it possible for people of faith to watch, enjoy, and critique the latest Hollywood offerings—without losing their souls? Douglas Beaumont thinks so, and explains why and how in his book, “The Message Behind the Movie, Reboot: Engaging Film without Disengaging Faith” (https://bit.ly/3xaWU37). In this episode, Beaumont talks with Carl E. Olson, editor of Catholic World Report, about the book, as well as how their mutual experience of converting to Catholicism from Evangelical Protestantism shaped how they watch and enjoy movies today.

Join Ignatius Press as we talk about some of the best summer reading books for Catholic kids and teens. Feel free to post questions in the comments!

What does it mean to be a man or a woman? How do we talk about gender in a world that seems confused about the most basic realities of our bodies? What does Christianity bring to the table in discussions of feminism and women’s roles? Dr. Abigail Favale’s new book “The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory” (https://bit.ly/3KUyO01) grapples with these questions and more. In this episode, Favale speaks with Leah Libresco Sargeant, author of “Building the Benedict Option: A Guide to Gathering Two or Three Together in His Name” (https://bit.ly/3Fyacta) and the “Other Feminisms” Substack (https://otherfeminisms.substack.com/), about Favale’s new book and how the Catholic view of the human person can help us understand and communicate the beauty and challenges of our sexed bodies.