CrosierCast

Newman's greatest legacy today is his philosophy on the relationship of faith and reason, and the importance of education.

"Heart Speaks Unto Heart" - this was the motto for Cardinal John Henry Newman, who will be canonized a saint on October 13, 2019.

What spoke to Newman's heart was truth, which he followed throughout his life. It was the truth of Catholicism that led to his conversion in 1845, even though it cost him the loss of some friendships.

Newman's greatest legacy today is his philosophy on the relationship of faith and reason, and the importance of education. Throughout the world, there are many Catholic clubs and houses for students - called "Newman Centers" - at many secular universities.

In this first of a two-part episode, Dr. John Freeh, director of the Newman Institute in Lincoln, Nebraska, joins Bishop Wall for a discussion of the Cardinal's impact on modern Catholic life.

Church teaching is clear: Christ is fully present in the Eucharist, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

It's been making the rounds lately: a recent PEW religion survey has found that 7 in 10 American Catholics believe the Eucharist is merely a "symbol". The number starkly falls among weekly Mass-goers, the majority of whom believe in the True Presence, but among fallen away and seldom-attending Catholics, a large majority either do not understand or do not believe in transubstantiation.

But the words of Jesus Himself, and Church teaching, are clear: Christ is fully present in the Eucharist, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is this True Presence that is "the source and summit of the Christian life" (CC 1324). As Flannery O'Connor wrote to a friend, "Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it."

In this episode, Bishop Wall and guest Fr. Matthew Keller break down the study, its ramifications for the American Church, and how parents and priests, in a two-pronged approach, can properly evangelize and address widespread misconceptions about the Eucharist.

In our final episode on Tolkien, Bishop Wall and Dr. Helen Freeh discuss the major differences between the Lord of the Rings books and films, and why reading the books is necessary to understand the themes and true beauty behind the world and stories of Middle-Earth.

In our second of of three episodes examining the life and legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien, Dr. Helen Freeh joins Bishop Wall to discuss Tolkien's upbringing, faith, and friendships.

Tolkien was acquainted with death from an early age, losing his father as a little boy and later 2 close friends in the horrors of World War 1. Throughout it all, his Catholic faith was a constant source of strength, as were his later friendships with a group of Oxford writers and professors. They called themselves The Inklings, and famously smoke, drank, argued philosophy and literature, and critiqued each member's writings. Besides Tolkien, a notable member of the Inklings was C.S. Lewis, and the two men formed a deep and lifelong friendship that will forever impact English literature. Tolkien was instrumental in Lewis's conversion to Christianity, and Lewis, for his part, helped Tolkien's work reach publication.

Tolkien, an Oxford Professor and devout Catholic who infused his works with religious meaning.

Dr. Helen Freeh joins Bishop Wall for this first in a three-part discussion on the life, legacy and faith of British author J.R.R. Tolkien. Most known for his books "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", Tolkien was an Oxford Professor and devout Catholic who infused his works with religious meaning without ever falling into preachiness or allegory.

In this first part, Dr. Freeh examines how Tolkien alternatively dismantled and paid homage to themes of fate, and his distaste for modernist ideas of nihilism and despair.

A look at the saint who exemplified kindness and devotion to her faith.

Why does the life of a young Algonquin-Mohawk woman from a 17th century mean so much to the Catholics of New Mexico and Arizona? In this episode, Bishop Wall takes a look at St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first canonized Native American saint.

“When we look at the saints, and this our special saint, St. Kateri, we would imitate her as she imitates Christ, and one of those virtues, I would say, is not only being a faithful woman, but kindness, especially kindness towards others. And kindness is a mark of the Holy Spirit.”