The doctrine of the Eucharist is one of the biggest divisions between Catholics and Protestants. But we can begin a dialogue using a belief that is common to all Christians – the Word became Flesh. The shocking logic of the Incarnation is precisely what has compelled apostolic Christians to affirm the Real Presence for two thousand years. We talk more about it with Matthew Becklo.

Further Reading

The heaven-earth dilemma and the scandal of God-become-dirt

Book: The Way of Heaven and Earth: From Either/Or to the Catholic Both/And

Guest Info

Matthew Becklo is a husband and father, writer and editor, and the Publishing Director for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. His first book, The Way of Heaven and Earth: From Either/Or to the Catholic Both/And, is available now from Word on Fire.

The hope of Messiah was never a vague aspiration for the Jewish people. It emerged from exile and matured within their theology. Every facet of Jewish prayer kept Messianic hope alive. Marcus reflects on how that Hope was born tonight in a stable.

From the first chapters of Genesis to the final prophets of Israel, salvation unfolds through sworn commitment. Tonight, the Lord fulfills his promise to dwell with his people. Marcus traces the history of God’s covenants with His people and how it all leads up to tonight.

In order to grasp fully the significance of Christ’s birth, we must go all the way back to the very beginning and the events of Genesis 1-3. Monica Miller joins us.

Further Reading

Book: In the Beginning: Crucial Lessons for Our World from the First Three Chapters of Genesis

Guest Info

Dr Monica Miller is the Director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and the author of many books including “In the Beginning: Crucial Lessons for Our World from the First Three Chapters of Genesis,” “The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church,” “Abandoned: The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars” and “Theology of the Passion of the Christ” Check out prolifesociety.com.

CS Lewis scholar and cultural commentator James Como died last month at the age of 79. As an indomitable culture warrior and soldier of Christ, he died with his boots on, working in the Lewisian vineyard in which he had labored for almost six decades. Joseph Pearce honors his memory.

Further Reading

Joseph’s website

A Culture Warrior Goes Home for Christmas

Guest Info

Joseph Pearce is Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative. A native of England, Mr. Pearce is Visiting Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University and a Visiting Fellow of Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (Merrimack, New Hampshire). He is the editor of the St. Austin Review, and series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions. He is the author of numerous books, which include The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile, Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc, and Further Up & Further In: Understanding Narnia. Visit his personal website at jpearce.co.

On a freezing Christmas night in 1776, General George Washington led a bedraggled group of soldiers across the Delaware River before a surprise attack on a garrison of Hessians at Trenton. This pivotal victory saved the fledgling Revolution and changed the course of American Independence. Marcus has more.

Further Reading

Book - Washington’s Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History)

George Washington’s Surprise Attack: A New Look at the Battle That Decided the Fate of America

There is a video going viral on YouTube that claims to feature Cardinal Robert Sarah sharing a message he received in a vision of the Blessed Mother. There’s just one problem – it’s another AI fake. Matthew Bunson joins us. to

Further Reading

Compare the AI video:

To a real video of Cardinal Sarah

Guest Info

Matthew Bunson is Vice President and Editorial Director of EWTN News and a Senior Fellow at St Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He’s the author or co-author of more than 50 books including the first English-language biography of Pope Francis and The Encyclopedia of Catholic History. Follow him on twitter at MattBunson. Register Radio airs Saturdays at 4 pm and Sundays at 11 am on Ave Maria Radio

For most of American history, putting family first was not just a private choice; it was a deep expression of American identity. But that seems to have changed. A new survey of more than 90,000 correspondents found that only 48% of Americans ranked family as a top-five value in their lives, and only 11% ranked it as their top priority. We discuss this collapse with Peter Laffin.

Further Reading

From ‘family first’ to ‘me first’: How American values collapsed — and how to restore them

Follow Peter on Twitter

Guest Info

Peter Laffin is the In Focus editor and senior editor of commentary at the Washington Examiner. He was formerly a staff writer for the National Catholic Register. His commentaries, news features, and book reviews have appeared in Catholic Herald UK, the Catholic Thing, RealClearPolitics, and RealClearReligion, and he has offered analysis on Fox News, EWTN, and Sirius XM’s POTUS.

Bethlehem is more than a name on the page. It is a real place that has existed for thousands of years, and we look at its historical context with Steve Ray.

Further Reading

Steve’s website

Guest Info

Steve Ray leads pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Rome and other sites. He converted to Catholicism in 1994 and is the author of “Crossing the Tiber,” “Upon this Rock” and other books, including a brand-new study on the Book of Genesis. He’s the host and producer of the Footprints of God DVD series and has been to the Holy Land more than 200 times. He also writes bible studies for Catholic Scripture Study International Visit catholic-convert.com and footprintsofgodpilgrimages.com

In an address today to the Roman Curia, Pope Leo called on Church leaders to be “more mission-oriented” and cautioned against the “forces of division” that can take root in the Church. Doug Keck joins us to discuss his comments.

Further Reading

Pope Leo XIV urges a ‘more missionary’ Roman Curia and warns against internal divisions

Guest Info

Doug Keck is the host of EWTN Bookmark and the retired president and COO of EWTN.