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.

If we accept the natural law as a law that governs our lives, then it must bind more than one person and coordinate their activity, beginning with its very first principles. We look at the Social character of the natural law with Michael Pakaluk.

Further Reading

Michael’s essay on the Natural Law

Follow Michael on Substack

Book: The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life

Guest Info

Michael Pakaluk, an Aristotle scholar and Ordinarius of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, is Professor of Political Economy in the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America. He lives in Hyattsville, MD with his wife Catherine, also a professor at the Busch School, and their children. His collection of essays, The Shock of Holiness (Ignatius Press) is now available. His book on Christian friendship, The Company We Keep, is now available from Scepter Press. He was a contributor to Natural Law: Five Views, published by Zondervan last May, and his most recent Gospel book came out with Regnery Gateway in March, Be Good Bankers: The Economic Interpretation of Matthew’s Gospel.

On Christmas Eve of 1914, the guns of the Great War’s Western Front fell silent. Enemy soldiers left the trenches, crossed the battle lines, and gathered to exchange food and gifts and sing carols. The ceasefire was not planned or sanctioned – it arose from the instincts of exhausted men. It emphasized a universal truth: at each end of the rifle, men were the same. Marcus has more.

Further Reading

Book: Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce

Carol Ann Duffy: The Christmas Truce

In 1849, Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood before a firing squad fully prepared for death, only to have his sentence revoked at the last moment. But this near brush with death gave him unique credibility for writing about life. Marcus has more.

The question of IVF remains an important moral issue for Catholics. Genetic testing companies claim to give parents “the power to protect their children before pregnancy begins” by screening embryos in the petri dish. We look at the ethical complications with Andrew Kubick.

Further Reading

Babies, Made to Order: The New York Times Sounds the Reproductive Technology Alarm

IVF, Human Dignity, and the Gospel of Life

National Catholic Bioethics Center

Guest Info

Andrew Kubick is Senior Research Fellow for Public Policy at the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance and Ethics Consultant at the National Catholic Bioethics Center.

In this Sunday’s readings, we hear multiples stories of people who received direct messages from God and responded. In both the Gospel and the First Reading, we hear of the coming of a baby named Emmanuel. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.

Guest Info

Rob Corzine is the Vice-president of Programs for the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.

The Church has given us a rich tradition of music for Advent. Solemn, yet joyful, it helps us to prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ. Deacon Tom Loewe joins us with two examples.

The featured songs are:

Bereitet die Wege, Bereitet die Bahn (Prepare the Way, Prepare the Path)

Composer: J.S. Bach (1685-1750) From: Advent Cantata, BVW 132 (f.p., Weimar, December 22, 1715) Vocalist, Arlene Auger, soprano (oboist unnamed) Orchestra: Bach Ensemble-Helmuth Rilling, Conductor CD: Hanssler Classics label, 2010

Veni Veni, Emmanuel

Traditional Latin (circa 7th century AD)Performance: Gesualdo SixArrangement: Philip LawsonDirector: Owain ParkRecorded Live: Trinity Chapel, Cambridge, 2014

Guest Info

Deacon Tom Loewe is the co-host with Sr. Sarah Burdick of Notes from Above on Ave Maria Radio. You can catch his program Sundays at 4:30 pm, Wednesdays at 9 pm, and Saturdays at 8 am on Ave Maria Radio.