This week Ashley McGuire and Mary Fiorito welcome writer and mother Emily Zanotti, whose recent viral article in the National Catholic Register humorously captures the joys and trials of bringing small children to Mass. Emily shares the real story behind the now-famous photo of her young son kneeling piously at an All Souls Mass — a brief moment of serenity amid the chaos every parent knows well. She offers wisdom on handling judgment, seating strategies, cry-room etiquette, and creative ways to help little ones fall in love with the liturgy. 

Emily also highlights the National Catholic Youth Conference kicking off this weekend in Indianapolis. The three-day pilgrimage from November 20-22 for Catholic high school students will feature speakers, workshops, music, and opportunities for large-scale and small group prayer. Pope Leo will join via live digital encounter on Friday, Nov. 21, marking the first time a pope has engaged directly with the youth at the conference.

Our TCA chaplain Msgr. Roger Landry  joins with reflections from Missouri, where he visited the tomb of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, the French missionary known as “the woman who always prays.” He explains how her hidden life of prayer and perseverance speaks powerfully to today’s missionaries. Msgr. Landry also helps us prepare for the 100th anniversary of the Feast of Christ the King, as we celebrate this Sunday. Instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in response to rising secularism, the feast reminds us of Christ’s authority over all aspects of our lives, giving us the opportunity to reignite our commitment to living under His kingship and teachings.

Betsy Fentress shares her compelling interview with renowned Catholic medical missionary Dr. Tom Catena, spotlighting his vital work with the Sudan Relief Fund. A recipient of numerous awards for humanitarianism and outstanding Christian medical missionary service, “Dr. Tom” is revered throughout Sudan’s Nuba Mountains for his commitment to providing medical care at great risk to himself in times of war and peace. He helped found Mother of Mercy Hospital – the only facility for hundreds of miles across the remote region – as well as 19 clinics, bringing health care to people who had none. He continues to serve under the most challenging conditions during Sudan’s current civil war.

Emily Zanotti is a veteran political communications specialist, writer, blogger and columnist, and the digital editor for The American Spectator. As a conservative political columnist, her work has appeared in The Federalist, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications. She is an associate fellow with the R Street Institute, a contributing editor to Acton Institute, and a writer and producer for Madison McQueen Axiom Strategies. She writes a popular humorist Substack blog featuring politics, family, and Catholic themes. Emily resides in Nashville with her husband and three children, where she enjoys tending chickens and sharing recipes. She earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Madonna University and holds a JD in intellectual property law and technology from Ave Maria School of Law.

Dr. Tom Catena is a medical missionary doctor from New York and director of Mother of Mercy Hospital in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, serving as the only fulltime surgeon since 2008. He’s widely known for his humanitarian work and commitment to providing medical care to a vast underserved population. His hospital serves more than a million people across a territory equal in size to Austria. His dedication to providing medical care even in the face of warfare and bombing raids has garnered international acclaim and honors, including the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity and one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Dr. Catena graduated with a degree in Engineering from Brown University and earned his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine, where he attended on a US Navy scholarship. He lives in Sudan with his wife, Nassima, and their two young sons, where their lives revolve around their faith and service to medical patients in need.

Monsignor Roger Landry is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts. A graduate of Harvard and the Pontifical North American College in Rome, he served as Attaché to the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the UN in New York. In 2024, he was appointed the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the USA by Pope Francis. He writes for numerous publications, speaks on radio and TV, and served as executive editor for the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River. He is the author of the book, Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God, and he leads pilgrimages to Rome, the Holy Land, and other sacred destinations. He was an on-site commentator for EWTN’s coverage of the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. He is national chaplain for Catholic Voices USA and New York Chaplain for the Leonine Forum.  Father Landry traversed the full 1500-mile Eucharist Pilgrimage in 2024, an event which coincided with his 25th year in the priesthood.

The following transcript is machine generated.