In this episode of the Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais interviews Father James Mason, pastor and vicar of clergy for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, who has been giving Ignatian retreats for seventeen years. Father Mason shares his personal conversion story as a late vocation who entered seminary at thirty after a career in law, describing his spiritual struggle as fighting God until he finally surrendered. The conversation explores the four stages of Saint Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises: beginning with recognizing God's love and the reality of sin, journeying through Christ's life, contemplating the passion and death, and finally the resurrection. Father Mason emphasizes how these exercises are universal tools for spiritual growth, not just for religious but for all Catholics seeking deeper union with Christ. The discussion covers practical aspects of prayer, dealing with suffering redemptively, the challenge of evangelizing family members who have left the faith, and living with holy indifference to God's will. Father Mason concludes by sharing his daily spiritual practices and reflecting on how his understanding of faith deepened from a superficial teenage concept to a total surrender to Christ. ▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

How can faithful Catholics reclaim the healing mission of medicine in an era of ideological pressures and fragmented care?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. James Breen, family physician, author of Benedict Medicine: A Catholic Response to Rescue the Profession's Healing Mission, and founder of the Benedict Medicine practice in Fort Myers, Florida, to explore the tensions between Catholic anthropology and contemporary medical systems. During their conversation, they also discuss practical solutions like independent primary care models and the vital role of physicians in accompanying patients through suffering, illness, and end-of-life decisions.

Resources:

Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community):https://www.avemaria.edu/annunciation-circle/

Ave Maria University website: https://www.avemaria.edu/

Dr. James Breen’s Website, including access to his recent book, Benedict Medicine: A Catholic Response to Rescue the Profession's Healing Mission:

https://www.jamesobreen.com/benedict-medicine-book

Dr. James Breen's profile on Doximity, which includes details about his professional background, publications, and affiliations such as the Catholic Medical Association:

https://www.doximity.com/pub/james-breen-md-e2417e72

Benedict Medicine website, founded by Dr. James Breen, offering details on his family medicine services and Catholic approach to healthcare in Fort Myers, Florida:

https://www.benedictmedicine.com/

▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80

▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0

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▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu

▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/

▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/

Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

How can Catholics address the challenges of sexual addiction and pornography in a culture that often normalizes these behaviors?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Rachael Killackey, founder and executive of Magdala Ministries and author of Love in Recovery, to explore the complexities of sexual addiction, particularly among women. And how faith in God’s mercy offers guidance and a path to healing. They discuss the importance of integrating faith and compassion in the healing process, the benefit of support groups, the impact of early exposure to pornography, and the need to move beyond shame-based approaches to foster authentic recovery.  

Resources:  

• Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) 

• Ave Maria University website 

• Magdala Ministries, which provides details about their programs for women's healing from sexual addiction, podcast episodes, speaker bookings, and support groups. 

• Love in Recovery: One Woman's Story of Breaking Free from Shame and Healing from Pornography Addiction by Rachael Killackey, published by Ave Maria Press 

• Healing Women from Sexual Addictions w/ Rachael Killackey | Ep. 53 

How does J.R.R. Tolkien's Catholic faith infuse his tales with sacramental wonder and redemptive hope?

Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Ben Reinhard, professor of English at Franciscan University of Steubenville and author of The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination, to uncover the liturgical foundations of The Lord of the Rings. During their conversation, they also discuss the fairy-story mindset as a gateway to an enchanted, Eucharistic worldview, the hobbits' Magnificat-like humility, and the dangers of false liturgies like the palantíri that tempt us toward idolatrous control.Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)https://www.avemaria.edu/annunciation-circle/Ave Maria University website: https://www.avemaria.edu/Dr. Ben Reinhard's faculty page at Franciscan University of Steubenville, which includes details about his work and publications:https://shss.franciscan.edu/faculty/reinhard-dr-ben/Dr. Ben Reinhard’s book, The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination, published by Emmaus Road Publishing:https://stpaulcenter.com/store/the-high-hallow-tolkiens-liturgical-imagination▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

Have you ever wondered why Christmas carols move us so deeply?

In this special Christmas episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Daniel Lendman (Dean of Students and Theologian at Ave Maria University) to explore the profound theology hidden in our favorite Christmas hymns.From the soul-stirring power of “O Holy Night” to the triumphant joy of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” the quiet longing of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” and the timeless beauty of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” they unpack how these beloved songs proclaim the Incarnation, reveal our true dignity, and connect us to centuries of Catholic tradition.Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Welcome 02:15 – O Holy Night and the worth of the soul 12:40 – The divine night and ancient antiphons 20:30 – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 35:10 – In the Bleak Midwinter & the world without Christmas 45:20 – O Come, All Ye Faithful (with Latin!) 55:00 – Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming & Mary’s role

How can C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity illuminate the truth of the Catholic faith for seekers and believers alike? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Andrew Swafford, professor of theology at Benedictine College and author of Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism in C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, to explore apologetics rooted in Lewis's trilemma on Jesus' divinity and his overall approach to showing that it is reasonable to believe in the Christian faith. During their conversation, they also discuss the philosophical case for God's existence, human uniqueness, Jesus' resurrection, and much more.

Resources:  

• Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) 

• Ave Maria University website 

• Dr. Andrew Swafford’s faculty profile at Benedictine College

• The Swaffords’ personal website, which includes details about Dr. Andrew Swafford's speaking engagements and resources on theology, marriage, and family

• Check out Dr. Andrew Swafford’s new book, Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism with C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, published by Ave Maria Press

How can Catholics address the ethical dilemmas in modern medicine and public health policy?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a Catholic psychiatrist and former professor, to discuss his experiences challenging unethical medical mandates and his new book, Making the Cut: How to Heal Modern Medicine. They exploreKheriaty’s legal battles against university vaccine mandates, his advocacy for informed consent, and the broader issue of government censorship in public health.

Resources:   Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)

Ave Maria University website

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty’s personal website, which includes details about his biography, books, articles, and public speaking engagements.

Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), where Dr. Aaron Kheriaty serves as Director of the Bioethics, Technology, and Human Flourishing Program.

Discover Dr. Aaron Kheriaty on Amazon,including his book, Making the Cut: How to Heal ModernMedicine

In this special live episode of The Catholic Theology Show,

Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes guests Kara Johnson, John Mortensen, and Beth Mortensen before a student audience at Ave Maria University to discuss integrating the intellectual life with family life. 

Drawing heavily from A.G. Sertillanges’s classic 1920 work, 

The Intellectual Life, the panel shares personal experiences and practical wisdom. Kara Johnson, a theology professor and mother of a young son, describes how family suffering and joy have deepened her theological work. John and Beth Mortensen, parents of nine who both hold doctorates in theology, recount finishing dissertations amid pregnancies and bed rest, job instability that pushed John back into software development, and discovering that married life is a “preschool for the perfection of charity.” 

The conversation explores how children “bring you back to the real,” why love (of God, truth, spouse, and children) is the true unifying principle of life, and how the intellectual life is not reserved for academics but can be explored in the home. 

By giving their personal testimonies of how they live out the intellectual life in their own homes, they prove that living out the intellectual life is achievable for everyone. 

Resources:

Relevant Websites and resources:  The Aquinas Institute (organization John Mortensen serves as President, focused on publishing St. Thomas Aquinas's works in Latin-English editions): https://www.aquinasinstitute.org/ 

Understanding St. Thomas on Analogy (John Mortensen's doctoral dissertation in philosophy, winner of the 2009 Prize of the Pontifical Academies): https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Thomas-Analogy-John-Mortensen/dp/1449977677  

Prayer in the Family (co-authored with Beth Mortensen, under pen names John and Beth Viatori; a guide to family spirituality): Available via Catholic Truth Society or search on https://www.amazon.com (ISBN: 9780852312435) 

How can Catholics understand the sacraments through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore Aquinas’s treatment of the sacraments in the third part of the Summa.

They discuss how the sacraments, as efficacious signs instituted by Christ, extend His redemptive work by addressing both the guilt and disorder of sin, drawing believers into deeper intimacy with God through grace.

Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community):

https://www.avemaria.edu/annunciation-circle/

Ave Maria University website: https://www.avemaria.edu/

Dr. Roger Nutt’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:

https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/roger-nutt-s-t-l-s-t-d

General Principles of Sacramental Theology by Dr. Roger Nutt, published by Catholic University of America Press:

https://www.cuapress.org/9780813229386/general-principles-of-sacramental-theology/

The Sacraments w/Dr. Roger Nutt | Ep. 56

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ysMkOp2ksgelbHgNrlFET?si=9XvTh6bbSC2KwCJkF5FH-A

The Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI w/ Dr. Roger Nutt | Ep. 15

https://open.spotify.com/episode/46oP4ofRybS9wyvFQNy1sK?si=8-JrXeAnSG2hzxAaaw_lGQ

▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

How can Catholics deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Father Guy Mansini, a Benedictine priest and the Max Seckler Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore the Christology of the Summa’s third part. They discuss how Aquinas presents Christ as true God and true man, situating His identity and work within the framework of God’s creation and human redemption.

Fr. Guy Mansini’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:

https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/fr-guy-mansini-s-t-d

The Moral Life in the Summa Theologiae w/ Fr. Romanus Cessario | The Summa for Beginners Pt.3: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Fvg7ZnxpUoaFqLXQOtPRS?si=s5pLuCdXQuKo1q-lW_bB9Q

The Development of Doctrine in Catholic Theology w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep.113: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Fvg7ZnxpUoaFqLXQOtPRS?si=nJ7m2M_9QXSP9bC2rSPtlA

What is Fundamental Theology? w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 54: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nnBF8d1VkQbUpDmat13LE?si=pbWuiH2zSLSmuX-fYT3kqQ

Why Should We Care About Ecclesiology? w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 13: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7II8REa2TCjrmJjidDec2Y?si=K1rVMk_ASeu20YU21fByXw