Ethics and Culture Cast

By Notre Dame de Nicola Center for Ethics and CultureSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education

Ethics and Culture Cast episodes

October 08Episode 94: Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.
Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P. is the author of several works of theology and specializes in topics related to Trinitarian theology and Christology, as well as grace and nature. He is the co-editor of the English-speaking journal Nova et Vetera, a member of the Pontifcal Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, and a McDonald Agape Scholar. He plays the banjo and is a founding member of the chart-topping bluegrass band, The Hillbilly Thomists.
Special Guest: Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P..
Links:
The Hillbilly Thomists
— The Hillbilly Thomists are a band of friars of the Order of Preachers. Throughout the year they serve the Church in different ministries (as college chaplains, parish priests, theology professors…), but for a few weeks every summer they meet to make music together.
“Beauty, Wisdom, and Christ” Keynote Lecture by Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P. - Fall Conference 2026
— “Beauty, Wisdom, and Christ: A Trinitarian Perspective on the Human Vocation” by Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., Rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Rome). The Josef Pieper Keynote Lecture at the Notre Dame de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture's 26th annual Fall Conference.
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)
— The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, commonly known as the Angelicum, is a Dominican university with more than 800 years of history dedicated to studying, teaching, and preaching the truth revealed in Christ in the Catholic and Thomistic intellectual traditions.
Aquinas 101
— Are you asking questions like: Who am I? Does God exist? What is happiness? Who is Jesus Christ — and how is He present in the world today? St. Thomas Aquinas did, too. In seeking these answers, this saint and scholar not only transformed the Catholic intellectual tradition and Western civilization, but also illuminated fundamental truths that impact our lives to this day. With Aquinas 101, we bring St. Thomas's wisdom directly to you through short, engaging videos created by Dominican friars and professors from leading universities, including Harvard and Cornell. Whether you are a Catholic, a Protestant, or simply looking for meaning and truth, our team will walk you through Aquinas's timeless insights and help you find the answers you seek.
Theme Music: "I Dunno" by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
The Thomistic Institute
— The Thomistic Institute helps students and faculty engage with the Catholic intellectual tradition—drawing especially from the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas—so they can build a life rooted in enduring truth and share in that life with others.
49 min
September 03Episode 93: Christopher Kaczor
Philosopher Christopher Kaczor was a 2024–25 visiting fellow at the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, during which he wrote Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C. S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson, among other work. He is a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University.
Special Guest: Christopher Kaczor.
Links:
Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C. S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson
— Is faith just wishful thinking, or can belief in God stand up to reason? In Is Belief Believable?, Christopher Kaczor challenges the idea that faith and reason are incompatible. Drawing from philosophy, theology, and psychology, Kaczor offers clear and compelling arguments that address skepticism head-on. Whether you’re wrestling with doubts, seeking answers to life’s biggest questions, or looking to strengthen your understanding of faith, this book provides a thoughtful and accessible guide to the rational foundations of belief and the removal of obstacles to belief.
Word on Fire - Articles by Christopher Kaczor
— A directory of pieces written for the Word On Fire blog by Christopher Kaczor
Theme Song: I dunno by grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
40 min
August 20Episode 92: Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead
Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead is author of the book, "Infertile but Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can’t Conceive." We chat about her family's struggles with infertility, the joys that she and her husband have experienced through adoption, as well some of the practical lessons that she shares in her memoir and guidebook.
Special Guest: Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead.
Links:
Infertile but Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can’t Conceive
— This candid yet caring book is a help for those struggling with infertility — wives and husbands — but it’s also a tremendous resource for priests, physicians, counselors, and the loved ones of anyone bearing the cross of infertility.
New book aims to help women find fruitfulness amid struggles with infertility
— Review by Katie Yoder of Our Sunday Visitor
‘Infertile but Fruitful’: Leigh Snead Offers Hope to Women Facing Infertility
— It was just a few years ago that Leigh Snead of The Catholic Association took to the pages of the Register to write her own story about her struggle with infertility and becoming an adoptive mother. That subtle nudge to write was the seed of a new book coming this winter by Sophia Institute Press.
Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead at The Catholic Association
— Profile page on TCA
Theme song: I dunno by grapes, featuring: J Lang, Morusque
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
46 min
February 13Episode 91: Rev. Gregory Pine, O.P.
In this episode, we chat with Dominican Father Gregory Maria Pine, O.P., Assistant Professor of Dogmatic and Moral Theology at the Dominican House of Studies and the Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute.
Special Guest: Rev. Gregory Pine, O.P..
Links:
Video: "Training the Tongue" with Rev. Gregory Pine, O.P., and Angela Knobel
— Rev. Gregory Pine, O.P. (Dominican House of Studies) and Angela Knobel (University of Dallas and dCEC 2025–26 Myser Visiting Fellow) share a conversation on Father Pine’s forthcoming book, "Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech." In this work, Father Pine directs the readers' attention to the primary purpose of speech—communion with God and each other—and considers a range of methods to develop our humanity in service of that end.
Book: "Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech"
— "Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech" promises to help us attain verbal virtue. As this brief book shows, by cultivating healthy habits, we can effectively crowd out sinful speech and experience the gift of our tongue as God intended.
Book: "Your Eucharistic Identity: A Sacramental Guide to the Fullness of Life"
— Father Pine’s sacramental guide to the fullness of life—at once thought-provoking and practical, ancient and new—offers Christians a simple, clear guide for their path.
Godsplaining Podcast
— Godsplaining is a Catholic podcast hosted by four Dominican friars of the Province of St. Joseph. In each episode, we help you to deepen your faith, pray with confidence, and tackle today’s difficult issues. Taking ideas from the Church’s Scriptures and tradition, we bring them to bear on life’s most urgent questions. So tune in, as we converse to convert.
Theme Song: "I Dunno" by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
31 min
October 10, 2025Episode 90: Antonio Marchi
Antonio serves as the executive director of Right to Life Michiana, where he advocates for the lives of unborn children and connects mothers in need to helpful resources. He is a Notre Dame graduate and an alumnus of the de Nicola Center's Vita Institute prolife intellectual formation program.
Special Guest: Antonio Marchi.
Links:
Right to Life Michiana
— Right to Life Michiana saves children, women, and men from the devastating effects of abortion and euthanasia and works to protect innocent human life from fertilization to natural death.
Theme Song: I Dunno by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
32 min
September 25, 2025Episode 89: Bishop Andrew Cozzens
Bishop Andrew Cozzens is the bishop of Crookston, Minnesota. He led the Eucharistic Revival on behalf of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops that gathered more than 60,000 people for the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in the summer of 2024.
Special Guest: Bishop Andrew Cozzens.
Links:
Bishop Cozzens at the Conclusion of the National Eucharistic Congress
— Bishop Andrew Cozzens' Full Remarks at the National Eucharistic Congress
Fr. Mike Schmitz at the National Eucharistic Congress
— Talk by Fr. Mike Schmitz (host, "Bible in a Year" podcast) at the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress.
Jonathan Roumie at the National Eucharistic Congress
— The full speech of Jonathan Roumie (actor, "The Chosen") on day four of the National Eucharistic Congress.
de Nicola Center YouTube Channel
— Talks and events hosted by the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame
Theme song: I Dunno
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
29 min
September 16, 2025Episode 88: Leah Libresco Sargeant
Leah Sargeant is the author of The Dignity of Dependence, Arriving at Amen, and Building the Benedict Option. Her substack, Other Feminisms, is about how to advocate for women as women in a world that treats them like defective men.
Special Guest: Leah Libresco Sargeant.
Links:
The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto (UND Press)
— The Dignity of Dependence argues that women’s equal rights depend on advocating for women as women.
UND Press interview with Leah Sargeant
— Leah Libresco Sargeant is a writer and speaker whose work covers religion, culture, statistics, and family policy. She is the author of "Building the Benedict Option" and "Arriving at Amen." She runs the Substack community "Other Feminisms." The University of Notre Dame Press is thrilled to publish her newest book, "The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto" (October 2025). She recently answered some of our questions about her writing processes.
Substack: Other Feminisms
— Other Feminisms is a newsletter for women who are an uncomfortable fit within present-day feminism. It’s a space to ask questions, find new allies, and strengthen projects.
2021 Notre Dame Fall Conference: The Dignity of the Sexed Body—Asymmetry, Equality, and Real Reproductive Justice
— Panel discussion featuring Erika Bachiochi (Ethics and Public Policy Center), Abigail Favale (George Fox University), and Leah Libresco Sargeant. Session chair Marah McLeod (Notre Dame Law School). From the 2021 Notre Dame Fall Conference, "I Have Called You By Name: Human Dignity in a Secular World."
Theme Song: "I Dunno" by grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
29 min
August 29, 2025Episode 87: Tony and Phyllis Lauinger
Tony has served as president and chairman of Oklahomans for Life since 1978 and vice president of the National Right to Life Committee since 1995, which seeks to defend human life through education, legislation, and public policy. As a physician, Phyllis has dedicated her medical expertise to providing free health care to Tulsa’s uninsured and has delivered pro-life lectures to various audiences. They are the parents of eight children, all Notre Dame alumni, and grandparents to 19.
Special Guest: Tony and Phyllis Lauinger.
Links:
News story: dCEC Presents Evangelium Vitae Medal to Anthony & Phyllis Lauinger
— The de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture presented the 2025 Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal—the nation’s most important award for heroes of the pro-life movement—to Anthony J. and Phyllis W. Lauinger of Tulsa, Oklahoma, at a Mass and dinner attended by more than 400 guests on May 3, 2025, at the University of Notre Dame.
Profile Film of Tony and Phyllis Lauinger
— A profile of Tony and Phyllis Lauinger of Tulsa, OK, who received the 2025 Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal—the nation’s most important award for heroes of the pro-life movement—at a Mass and dinner hosted by the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture on May 3, 2025, at the University of Notre Dame.
Theme Song: "I Dunno" by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
34 min
August 14, 2025Episode 86: Bill Mattison
Bill Mattison is the Wilsey Professor of Theology at Notre Dame and author of Growing in Virtue: Aquinas on Habit.
Special Guest: Bill Mattison.
Links:
William C. Mattison III's faculty page
Growing in Virtue: Aquinas on Habit
— Growing in Virtue is the only comprehensive account of growth in virtue in the thought of Thomas Aquinas. Mattison offers a robust account of habits, including what habits are, why they are needed, and what they supply once possessed.
Follow Me: Walking with Jesus through the Gospels
— Follow Me: Walking with Jesus through the Gospel serves as an invitation to deepen our relationship with the living God by providing imaginative access to various characters’ encounters with Jesus. Drawing from Scripture and supplementing with questions for further reflection and study, Follow Me will deepen a reader’s understanding of who Jesus is and how He sees His beloved sons and daughters—not just those recalled in Scripture but each of us in the present day.
Theme Song: "I Dunno" by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
35 min
January 03, 2025Episode 85: Jennifer Newsome Martin
Jennifer Newsome Martin is an associate professor in the Program of Liberal Studies with a joint appointment in the Department of Theology, and, as of July 2024, the director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. We chat about her first semester in the director's chair, our recently-concluded Fall Conference on the Catholic Imagination, and preview some exciting new initiatives at the de Nicola Center.
Special Guest: Jenny Martin.
Links:
Director Jennifer Newsome Martin
— About the director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture
"What is Catholic Culture" - Inaugural dCEC Director's Lecture
— Professor Jennifer Newsome Martin's inaugural lecture as director of the dCEC considers—alongside such theological interlocutors as St. John Henry Newman, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Pope Benedict XVI, Remi Brague, and others—the paradoxical origins of a Catholic culture rooted in such non-Catholic cultures as Athens and Jerusalem. The lecture not only characterizes the phenomenon of Catholic culture writ large as having to do with the human desire for God and the welcoming of all that is proper to the life of the human being, but also articulates the relationship between ethics and culture—and, put more strongly, an ethics of culture—specifically within the context of liberal arts education.
Fall Conference 2024: "Ever Ancient, Ever New: On Catholic Imagination"
— A playlist of 40 sessions from the 2024 Fall Conference on Catholic Imagination (Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2024) at the University of Notre Dame
Upcoming Events at the de Nicola Center
Theme Song: "I Dunno" by Grapes
— I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque
29 min

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Lively conversations with professors, fellows, scholars, and friends of the University of Notre Dame's de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. The Center is committed to sharing the richness of the…