Casting the Net

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Welcome back for both our final episode on Advent, and the final episode of our 2025 calendar year.  

We appreciate your support, comments and suggestions for our show and are already looking forward to the 2026 season.  

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at Casting the Net!

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Welcome back! Today we continue the discussion on Advent, specifically the third reflection in Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's book titled: "Stepping out of the Night".  A few highlights from the show:

• The Immaculate Conception and what it really is
• Threats to our identity
• In the human face of Jesus shines the light of our Father
• Advent isn't just sentimental; it's luminous
• Be awake for God and for other people
• Engage in the traditions that keep Christ the center of your Advent season

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Today we continue our series on Advent, specifically with a reflection from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (a.k.a. Benedict XVI) entitled, "Dare to Step forward Toward God's Mysterious Presence"

A few highlights:

• Our situation in the modern world is liquid; great explanation by Rick
• Freedom left unconstrained is anarchy
  • It's like playing a game without rules
• In the Advent season we're trying to turn back toward God
• How we need to step towards God's mysterious presence; this is what it's all about

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Today is the first episode in our new series on Advent. Kicking things off, Father Dave and Rick have a few key highlights today:

• The mechanics on how the new liturgical year works
• What makes Advent a "season of hope"; the theological Christian virtue of hope...not the Hallmark version
• Quotes from Pope Benedict to help explain this definition of hope
• Why God became like us

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Welcome back!  Today is a continuation from the last couple weeks on the topic of antisemitism.  It's a little heavy as Father Dave says later in the episode, but certainly important.  

Enjoy.

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Today's episode continues our series on anti-semitism, in particular the topic of hatred.  A few key takeaways are below:

• The impulse doesn't have to control you
• Anti-semitism is really just a specific form of hatered
• We become the actions we perform
• Hatred is the culmination of bad choices over a period of time

Enjoy.

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Today we start a new series on non-Christian religions.  It's a very interesting episode with some great highlights: 

• A new topic!
• Antisemitism and what it means
• Father Dave's experiences in Germany and learning how they handled teaching bout Holocaust 
• Relationship to other religions
• Vatican 2
• And more!

Also, below are a couple links mentioned during the episode:

Here is the statement from Pope Leo that is mentioned: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/october/documents/20251028-nostra-aetate.html

And here is a link to the actual Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

Enjoy!

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Welcome back! Have you ever wondered "why" the priest does certain things during mass, or what the real significance is at certain points? Then you'll love today's episode in our continuing series on the Mass. Especially the ending. Very powerful highlights and insight. 

A few key highlights from today:

• How the Incarnation makes God accessible to humanity; makes God present
• The Eucharist spreads out this divine presence and this is what you encounter during mass
•  Spirit of humility
• What's really at the heart of our mass
• The importance of keeping ourselves in the presence of God
• Biological and spiritual nourishment

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Welcome back!  Today we continue on with our series on the mass.  

In talking about this series, Father Dave says it best today: "This series is to ensure that our encounter at mass is even more profound and personal".  

They also had a few more key points:

• As much as we revere scripture, The Eucharist is the focal point of the mass
• Heaven isn't something that happens just when we die; it's whenever God is present
• Ordained minsitry begins and ends with service
• And much more!

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Welcome back to our series on the mass.  It's a fun discussion today with some interesting topics.

• How the church organizes the Scriptures
• The fact that a significant portion of the Bible is covered during mass over a 3 year time period
• How Father Dave gets inspired on what he's going to discuss during the Homily

Enjoy!

Thanks for listening!