Catholic Exchange

Dr. Alex Lessard joins the podcast to discuss the organization Adeodatus, "an educational nonprofit organized to support the ongoing renewal of Catholic liberal education through conferences, community-building, publication, consulting, and due diligence."

Dr. Lessard touches upon:

• The importance of the liberal arts and the role of the Church in education
• The whole-person approach to education vs. the utilitarian modern model
• The true purpose of learning: the ascent to wisdom and knowledge of God
• Why any scholar, when divorcing an academic field from its teleological end in God, loses expertise of the field itself
• Resources for grassroots implementation of Catholic principles of formation
• Technology in education: how we must control the tools lest they control us

Listeners can learn more at adeodatus.com. The first of three annual conferences is taking place later this month.

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Catholic Exchange contributor Mary Beth Bracy  resolved on Divine Mercy Sunday to be "married to Jesus Christ immortal." She joins the podcast to share about her vocation as a Consecrated Virgin in the world. 

Mary Beth sheds light on:

• Saints who were consecrated virgins and the role of this vocation in the early Church
• Her resolutions, daily responsibilities, and prayer routine
• The community aspect of consecrated virginity, and role in parish life
• Maintaining her perpetual Eucharistic adoration chapel
• The importance of spiritual direction
• How writing helped her to discern
• Tips for discerning any vocation

Mary Beth's writing can be found at Catholic Exchange and on her blog, The Little Way.

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Author Marlene Watkins joins the podcast to discuss her recent book Everyday Miracles of Lourdes:  Twenty Extraordinary Experiences Along the Way to the Grotto.

Marlene covers:

• The ministry and mission of the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers
• How Marlene's life was forever changed by her first trip to Lourdes
• The 70 approved, documented miracles of Lourdes, plus the 7800+ testimonies of healings
• How Our Lady of Lourdes continues to provide medical healings to this day, as well as spiritual healings and miraculous conversions
• How the peace and joy at Lourdes alleviates doubts and revitalizes the faith of pilgrims
• How Mary won over the heart of one Protestant convert
• How you can access the special graces of Lourdes--on pilgrimage or at home

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Catholic historian and writer Elena Maria Vidal sets the record straight on the oft-maligned Catholic Queen of France and martyr of the Revolution. While candidly acknowledging the queen's faults, Elena's work paints a portrait of Marie Antoinette in all her complexity.

Drawing from her years of research, Elena discusses:

• Popular misconceptions about the queen, then and now
• The origin of the "let them eat cake" rumor
• What modern TV series and movies get wrong
• Marie Antoinette's strong Catholic faith and moral character, and many recorded charitable works
• The deeply Catholic milieu of the French court and its role in Christendom
• The truly demonic nature of the French Revolution and its pagan "Cult of Reason"
• How the queen was able to secretly receive the sacraments before her death
• Marie Antoinette's piety and equanimity at the guillotine

Elena has written several books about Marie Antoinette and her family, including two novels and a biography. They are available at the links below:

Marie-Antoinette, Daughter of the Caesars: Her Life, Her Times, Her Legacy

Trianon:  A Novel of Royal France

Madame Royale

Her latest research focuses on the Stuart dynasty. She blogs at https://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/.

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Fr. Michael Rennier joins the podcast to discuss his new book The Forgotten Language: How Recovering the Poetics of the Mass Will Change Our Lives.

Father Michael discusses:

• His conversion story: from Pentecostal student, to Episcopal priest, to Catholic priest
• How the transcendence and wonder of the Mass played a role in his conversion
• Combatting pride and surrendering to God's will
• Why beauty challenges us, as opposed to sentimental gratification
• How beauty, as an "encounter with eternity," communicates theological truths
• How to alleviate boredom at Mass
• Simple ways for parish priests to instill beauty in their liturgy and church buildings

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Catholic therapist and author Bob Schuchts joins the podcast to discuss the latest edition of his classic book Be Healed: A Guide to Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life.

Bob addresses:

• Emotional pain and the Seven Deadly Sins 
• Lessons from decades as a therapist and the work of the John Paul II Healing Center
• Forgiveness and healing within the family
• Jesus as the Physician of Souls and the saints as our guides

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Longtime culture-warrior and conservative author Bill Donohue joins the podcast to discuss his new book War on Virtue: How the Ruling Class Is Killing the American Dream.

Bill shares his opinions on:

• The "vital virtues" that are prerequisites to success
• Why Hollywood's depravity is a coordinated effort to corrupt hearts and minds
• Wokeism as a replacement religion
• How average American Catholics can protect themselves and their children in the culture war

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In this episode, Kristen speaks with Archduke Eduard Habsburg, Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See, about his forthcoming book The Habsburg Way.

Eduard outlines seven rules for a holy and happy life, including:

• Get Married (and have lots of children)
• Be Catholic (and practice your faith)
• Believe in the Empire (and subsidiarity)
• Die Well (and have a memorable funeral!)

We discuss several noteworthy figures from his ancestry, and how each of these principles guided both their public and private lives.

Learn about:

• The tensions between the Faith and diplomacy
• The recipe for a successful Catholic marriage
• The differing Habsburg reactions to the Reformation and the Enlightenment, and how these affected the Church
• The principle of subsidiarity as the bedrock of governance 
• How the United States and the Habsburg Empire are more alike than you think!

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In this episode, Catholic actress, speaker, and author of Pure Power  Nicole Abisinio joins us to discuss her background and current work in Catholic filmmaking.

Nicole opens up about:

• Her background in Hollywood and her dramatic conversion to Catholicism
• How she spreads the Gospel message in the filmmaking industry
• Pureflix, the wholesome alternative to Netflix 
• Her newly released project, The Advocate, spreading awareness about human trafficking
• The spiritual warfare battles that surround us every day
• Lifelong healing through prayer and the sacraments 

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Phillip Campbell is a Catholic author, teacher, publisher, and regular contributor to Catholic Exchange.

Join us as we discuss:

-The writing process from idea to execution

-The future of Catholic literature

-How to instill a love of reading in your children

-How living in the digital age changes how we read and reduces reading comprehension

-Homeschooling options for Catholic families 

Links:

Phillip's latest book Wounds of Love, a story about Padre Pio for young adults

The Church and the Dark Ages

Cruachan Hill Press: "Catholic Books for Nerdy Intellectuals"

Homeschool Connections

Articles at Catholic Exchange

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