I love the start of the school year, and it's so exciting to be back in the classroom with my students. I also get the chance to meet some new ones and welcome them to our community. On this bonus episode of Bonus Points, I'll share a little bit about what's new in my professional life this year. This episode is also a great introduction for new listeners, because I talk about what this podcast is all about.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

It is likely that, at this very moment, somebody in the world is praying the Liturgy of the Hours. This ancient prayer forms the backbone of daily life in a monastery and is prayed by priests, religious, and many laypeople. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about where the Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office) comes from, how it works, and why you should consider adding it to your prayer routine.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

This week on Bonus Points, it's time for more questions from you, the listener. We'll talk about conspiracy theories in general, as well as a few Catholic ones. I wasn't trying to make an episode with mostly conspiracy theories, it just happened that way. Maybe it was a conspiracy.

Questions:

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Every summer, thousands of young people attend a Steubenville Youth Conference and encounter the Lord in a powerful way. On this episode of Bonus Points, Mrs. Astle joins me to talk about our experience at one of the main campus conferences earlier this summer.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

All statistics indicate that anxiety disorders are more prevalent now than ever before. In this episode of Bonus Points, occupational therapist Valerie Allard joins us to talk about a Catholic Christian approach to generalized anxiety disorder. Whether you experience anxiety or interact with those who do, you won't want to miss this one!

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

For hundreds of years, the Pope has been protected by an elite Swiss military unit known as the Swiss Guards. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about how "the world's smallest army" was formed, the famous Last Stand of the Swiss Guard, and how guardsmen are trained today. Trust me, they're more than just the funny uniform.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

When studying any piece of literature, one of the first questions you have to ask is "What's the genre?" After all, a history book and a fairy tale should be read very differently. This applies to the Gospels, too. Are they meant to be read as legends? Nuggets of wisdom framed on a (mostly unimportant) story? In this first-ever "Guest Speaker" episode of Bonus Points, I'm joined by Jonathan Allard as we discuss how we can know the genre of the Gospels.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

It seems like no matter where you're from or what you do for a living, there is some saint in heaven who is especially looking out for you. We call them patron saints, and there seems to be one for just about everything, from lost items and lawyers to whales and Wales. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about where the Catholic custom of naming patron saints originated and how a saint is named as a patron. Then, we'll look at a collection of odd and interesting patron saints, including:

-Disappointed mothers (St. Monica)

-Ugly people and coffee (St. Drogo)

-Headaches (St. Denis of Paris)

-Pilots (St. Joseph of Cupertino and Our Lady of Loreto)

-TV (St. Clare)

-The Internet (St. Isidore of Seville)

And, as a bonus, we'll talk about how St. Anthony became the famous patron of lost items.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Let's face it, the Bible is not always easy to understand. Even a passage that seems straightforward on the surface often has many layers of deeper meaning. How can we go deeper with our reading of Scripture, and how do we know whether an interpretation is good? That's what we're talking about on this episode of Bonus Points

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Lectio Divina ("Sacred Reading") is an ancient way of praying with the Bible. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're going through the steps of Lectio Divina and talking about how to prayerfully hear and respond to God's Word.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com