Catholic Exchange

Check out our full show notes and resources here: https://catholicexchange.com/st-therese-of-lisieux-against-the-plague-suzie-andres

It's probably goes without saying that the past year has been difficult for most of us. We've had to endure a pandemic, rioting, a contentious election, and an economic crisis. Yet, we as Catholics have an incredible refuge and friend in one particular saint: St. Therese, or the Little Flower. 

CE contributor and prolific author Suzie Andres joins Michael Lichens today to discuss how we can turn to St. Therese of Lisieux in our unusual times and how her intercession can bring healing to mind and body. 

Other topics we discussed in this episode:

• How our angels and saints can bring relief to our suffering loved ones, even if we can’t be physically present.
• How saints like Charles Borromeo and Therese endured through a pandemic in faith.
• Learn about ancient Catholic practices of turning to God and His saints to turn away a plague.
• The importance of learning how to be “little” when we ask for graces and gifts.
• How St. Therese wanted her life to imitable to all who would follow her little way
• The role of gratitude in pouring graces upon your life.
• The beautiful writings and inspiring life of Servant of God Marcel Van, and how his example can inspire us today.
• The personal appearances and intercessions that St. Therese has made throughout the years. 
• The miracles and inspiration of Servant of God Carlo Acutis.
• How the gaze of Mary can give us a sense of peace even in crisis.

Articles & Resources We Mentioned

• Check out Mrs. Andres's website, SuzieAndres.com, where you can check out her latest (and free!) book Something New With St. Therese. 
• Suzie Andres has also written, Being Catholic: What Every Catholic Should Know.
• Our previous interview with Suzie Andres, on Servant of God Marcel Van, can be found here on CE or on your favorite podcast app. 
• Find the Padre Pio Prayer Group of Nashville online here.
• St. Conrad and the Wildfire by Maura Roan McKeegan.
• “Padre Pio & the Friendship of Guardian Angels in Times of Need” by Maura Roan McKeegan.

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Photo by DDP on Unsplash

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When you think of spiritual warfare, you're likely thinking of the classic horror films. But spiritual warfare is something all of us are called to and that includes the whole family. Best-selling author and CE contributor Kathleen Beckman joins us an unusual but important topic.

Kathleen Beckman's latest book, Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Strategies for Deliverance and Healing, explores how families can incorporate prayer, angels, and the saints into our daily family life and how such practices defend them against the darkness. As the family is ever under attack from the devil, this interview will surely help you through the bleak times today. 

Check out Kathleen's articles: 

• Temptation: The Ordinary Ways the Devil Attacks Us
• The Extraordinary Actions of the Devil
• Healing and Deliverance Through the Rosary
• Healing the Family: Rosary Reflections
• The Rosary: A Prescription for Healing

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Today, Michael is joined by CE contributor R. Jared Staudt, whose work discusses the theological value of culture and beauty and how they can help evangelize the world.

R. Jared Staudt, PhD is Associate Superintendent for Mission and Formation in the Archdiocese of Denver and Visiting Associate Professor for the Augustine Institute. He is author of Restoring Humanity: Essays on the Evangelization of Culture (Divine Providence Press) and The Beer Option (Angelico Press) and the editor of Renewing Catholic Schools: How to Regain a Catholic Vision in a Secular Age (Catholic Education Press). He and his wife Anne have six children and he is a Benedictine oblate. 

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Beginning with a brief story from the life of 18th century English Bishop Richard Challoner, Michael begins a discussion about the long, treasured history of Catholic Catechisms. Today's guest Aaron Seng of Tradivox is undertaking the work of collecting, publishing, and finally digitizing catechisms that reach back to centuries, many by saints and celebrated figures of Catholic history. And many risked their lives to publish such simple, holy lessons.

Links

• Find out about the work of Tradivox and how you can support their ambitious mission at Tradivox.com
• The Catholic Catechism Index is being collated and edited into lovely hardbacks by Tradivox and can be found through Sophia Institute Press at sophiainstitute.com/products/item/tradivox-subscription
• Find the Catholic Readers Bible, a version of Bishop Challoner's edition, at Sophia Institute Press: 

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It's election day! The citizens of the United States will cast their ballots today after a long, strange, and frustrating election season. While many websites and channels will be covering the breaking news with analysis and predictions, Michael and returning guest Derek Rotty want to look to how we live our faith post 2020, no matter who wins the election. Derek discusses important Catholic values such as solidarity and conscience and how they help us to form bonds with our neighbors and truly seek their good, even if we find their political beliefs to be entirely wrong. 

We also talk about Pope Francis's latest encyclical and how it might help craft our public response and the ways we live our faith each day. 

Check out Derek's website at derekrotty.com and be sure to check out his Catholic Faith & Public Life series on YouTube or here: https://derekrotty.com/publiclife/

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Note from Michael: I apologize for the audio quality on my part. It's an issue we're working on. But, Simone has some great things to share and her audio quality is great. So, enjoy and we'll have cleaner audio next week. (Cheers, MJL)

Chances are, you didn't get to experience Lent or Easter in any kind of community. Many churches were closed during the Church's holiest year amidst the growing COVID-19 pandemic. In this time of uncertainty and isolation, how can we grow in spiritual friendship with Christ while also finding fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Today, Michael talks with theologian and teacher Simone Rizkallah about the ways we can pray and read to grow in our spiritual lives while also using modern technology to connect with fellow Catholics across the world.

You can connect with Simone at culturalgypsy.com and learn more about her work with Endow Groups at their website or on facebook and Instagram.

Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on Unsplash

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Holy Week means accompanying Christ through His Passion. This has become an even greater challenge while many of us are sheltering in place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. But the promise of redemption through Christ's resurrection still call to us. Today, we are joined by liturgist and Liturgy Guys podcast host Christopher Carstens to discuss how we can get through Holy Week in the midst of a pandemic.

To get deeper into the subject of the Easter Mysteries, check Mr. Carstens's latest books, A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery, which is available from Sophia Institute Press. (bit.ly/CarstensPod).

You can get read a free excerpt of the book at Catholic Exchange under the article The Saints & Angels Are With Us As We Accompany Jesus in Holy Week (https://catholicexchange.com/the-saints-angels-are-with-us-as-we-accompany-jesus-in-holy-week).

Some art we talked about: 

• The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb by Hans Holbein the Younger: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holbeindeadchrist.jpg
• Harrowing of Hell (Anastasis), a Late Byzantine ikon from Chora that depicts Christ's liberation of souls after the resurrection, seen in many churches this week:  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anastasis_at_Chora.jpg
• The Pieta by Michelangelo, a standard Good Friday icon: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michelangelo%27s_Pieta_5450_cut_out_black.jpg

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The Christian life is rough, even in the best of times. During a pandemic, it can be especially difficult to enter that narrow way. Long-time teacher and spiritual director Dan Burke joins us to discuss this and other themes of his book, Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits (https://bit.ly/3dC1hZ2).

Mr. Burke is the author of numerous books and courses, many of which you can find at SpiritualDirection.com. He is also the president and founder of the Avila Institute. If you would like to receive a free course, text “Warfare” to 38470.

Other resources we've mentioned today:

• Into the Deep and The Contemplative Rosary, two books by Dan Burke
• Check out Dan's previous CE interview on praying a contemplative rosary here: https://catholicexchange.com/praying-contemplative-rosary-interview-dan-burke
• Check out Dan's podcast, Divine Intimacy Radio, at this link or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://spiritualdirection.com/divine-intimacy-radio-podcast

Photo by Cosmin Gurau on Unsplash

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If you need to figure out how to be truly happy, you can't get a better guide than St. Thomas Aquinas. In today's episode, Michael welcomes Dr. Kevin vost to discuss what the Angelic Doctor taught about the good life and what we can do to live more at peace (hint: it involves Jesus). 

Check out our links below:

• 12 Life Lessons from St. Thomas Aquinas is Dr. Vost's latest book, which covers much more than we could. http://bit.ly/VostPod
• Check out Dr. Vost's website at http://drvost.com/
• Dr. Vost is a long-time friend of Catholic Exchange. You can find his articles at podcasts here: https://catholicexchange.com/author/kevin-vost

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2020 is the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaring St. Joseph the “Patron of the Universal Church.” Many saints and laity have indeed found a friend in St. Joseph, including editor and host, Michael. To take a deeper dive into St. Joseph, friend of the show Fr. Donald Calloway is back to discuss his latest book, Consecration to St. Joseph.

Some links:

• Learn more about the Consecration to St. Joseph: https://www.consecrationtostjoseph.org/
• Fr. Calloway's website: https://www.fathercalloway.com/books-and-gifts
• You can find our show notes and other links here: https://catholicexchange.com/category/channels/cepodcast

image: From a Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

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