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The Reason to Stay Catholic (with Colleen Dulle)

In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Colleen Dulle — wife, mother, Vatican reporter, and author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter.

We talk honestly about why we remain Catholic in a wounded Church: how to stay when you’ve seen the worst, how to wrestle with God without walking away, and where real hope is found when scandals, hypocrisy, and disappointment hit close to home.

From covering the clerical abuse crisis as a young journalist, to processing the revelations about Jean Vanier and L’Arche, to a powerful moment of grace at the tomb of Christ in the Holy Sepulchre, Colleen shares how the Lord has met her in the mess — and why, despite everything, she’s convinced the Gospel really is our only hope.

About Colleen Dulle

• Vatican reporter and longtime journalist with America Magazine
• Author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter
• Has covered some of the Church’s most painful scandals up close
• Wife and mother, soon moving with her family to Rome to cover the Vatican full-time

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why stay Catholic at all? 
• Colleen’s story & vocation as a Vatican reporter
• Beauty and brokenness in the Church
• The Jean Vanier / L’Arche revelations
• The clerical abuse crisis and a crisis of faith
• Learning to “yell at God” & wrestle in prayer
• A moment of grace at the Holy Sepulchre
• Madeleine Delbrêl and a “heart stripped of trust in all things human”
• The Church that moves slowly (and why that matters)
• Hope for ordinary Catholics
• Colleen’s “Mount Rushmore of saints”
• If she becomes a saint one day… and
• How you can pray for her
   

Get the Book

📘 Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter by Colleen Dulle

• Find purchase options and more at Colleen’s website: colleendulle.com
• Prefer audio? Look for the audiobook version narrated by Colleen on major audiobook platforms.

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👉 Follow Gotta Be Saints on Instagram: @gottabesaints 

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In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Michael Pakaluk — husband, father of 15, philosopher, and author of The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life.

We talk about the beauty of the Catholic faith, why holiness is both deeply attractive and deeply demanding, and how God meets us in the very ordinary, sometimes messy, details of daily life.

From stories about daily Mass with small children, to reflections on his late wife Ruth (now a Servant of God), to a mind-blowing insight into Jesus walking on water and the Eucharist, this conversation will help you see your own life with new eyes.

About Dr. Michael Pakaluk

• Professor of Political Economy at the Catholic University of America (Bush School of Business)
• Philosopher and scholar, especially in the thought of Aristotle
• Author of 14 books (with more on the way!) and father of 15 children
• Widower of Ruth Pakaluk, whose cause for canonization has begun, and husband of Catherine Pakaluk, author of Hannah’s Children

In this episode, we talk about:

• The beauty of the Catholic faith
• Why holiness is so attractive — and so uncomfortable
• Ruth’s story and the reality of heroic holiness
• The universal call to holiness in ordinary life
• The romance of everyday life
• A fresh look at the Eucharist and transubstantiation
• How to actually live this out

Get the Book

📘 The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life

• Order from Ignatius Press
• Or ask your local Catholic bookstore to order it (and put a copy on the shelf!)

Stay Connected

👉 Follow Gotta Be Saints on Instagram: @gottabesaints 

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs the reminder that holiness is possible — right in the middle of ordinary life.

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In this powerful and timely episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Charles “Charlie” Camosy — moral theologian, bioethicist, and author of Living and Dying Well (order here).

Charlie shares deep insights into the cultural push toward physician-assisted killing, why our society is at a “tipping point,” and how the Catholic vision of life and death offers a radically hopeful alternative rooted in dignity, community, and love. Drawing from Church teaching, real-world data, and his father’s own end-of-life journey, Charlie shows how we can resist the throwaway culture and accompany the sick and elderly with compassion and purpose.

Whether you’re caring for aging parents, worried about dementia, or simply wondering what it means to “die well” as a disciple of Jesus, this conversation reframes aging and dying as invitations to deeper love.

In this episode, Charlie shares:

• Why some states are pushing physician-assisted killing — and why others still strongly resist
• What “autonomy” really means in our cultural moment
• Why the poor, disabled, and marginalized are most at risk
• How consumerism distorts our view of productivity and worth
• What it truly means to live and die well in Christian community
• How demographic trends and the dementia crisis complicate end-of-life care
• How Catholics can build a counterculture of hospitality, encounter, and hope

If you’ve ever asked yourself…

How do I support a loved one who fears being a burden?
 What does the Church actually teach about assisted suicide?
 How do I walk with aging parents with dignity and charity?
 What does resisting the throwaway culture look like at the end of life?
…then this episode is for you.

Learn More

Explore more of Charlie’s work: charlescamosy.com

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In this powerful and deeply moving episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI — priest, theologian, and author of beloved spiritual classics The Holy Longing and Sacred Fire.

Fr. Ron shares wisdom from his new book, Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years
, exploring what it means to grow old with grace, purpose, and hope. Together we discuss how aging, loss, and even physical diminishment can become powerful acts of love — mirroring Christ’s own Passion and self-gift in the Eucharist.

Whether you’re entering your later years, caring for an aging loved one, or simply wondering how to find meaning in seasons of limitation, this episode will help you see aging not as decline but as a sacred call to deeper love.

In this episode, Fr. Ron shares:

• Why modern culture avoids talking about aging — and how the Church can respond
• What Jesus’ Passion teaches us about fruitful passivity and surrender
• How to turn diminishment and dependence into spiritual gifts
• The hidden grace of caregiving and receiving care
• Why forgiveness, gratitude, and inner work prepare us for our final act of love
• The meaning behind the title Insane for the Light — and what it means to “stare into eternity”

If you’ve ever asked yourself…

• How can I find purpose after retirement or loss?
• What does it mean to grow old as a disciple of Christ?
• How can I accompany my parents or grandparents in their final years?
   …this episode is for you.

Learn More:

Order Fr. Ron’s book: Insane for the Light

Visit: ronrolheiser.com

Follow Gotta Be Saints:

Instagram: @gottabesaints

Subscribe and leave a review to help others discover the call to holiness.

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In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, I sit down with author and Catholic coach Belinda Terro Mooney to talk about living real friendship with Jesus and praying with the saints—especially on their feast days.

With All Saints’ Day right around the corner, we dive into why the saints’ stories matter, how ordinary people become holy, and practical ways to invite the saints to intercede for your family, parish, and daily life.

Guest Bio

Belinda Terro Mooney is an author, Catholic coach, widow, and mom of seven. She’s a definitively professed Secular Discalced Carmelite whose new book, Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day, offers short reflections and prayers that help readers grow in friendship with the saints throughout the year.

📘 Get the Book: Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day

🌐 Website: belindaterromooney.com

Key Topics & Highlights

01:00 – Why the saints matter more than celebrity culture
04:00 – Becoming the saint God made you to be
07:00 – Holiness in every vocation: parents, spouses, singles, and priests
10:00 – Saints vs. self-help: the surest roadmap to heaven
12:00 – Ordinary people, heroic virtue, and the gift of true leisure
16:00 – Friendship with Jesus at the heart of prayer
19:00 – Staying faithful in dryness—when prayer feels like “chewing straw”
23:00 – Turning everyday duties into prayer
26:00 – Conversational prayer: driving, working, and parenting with Jesus beside you
30:00 – How to pray with the saints—especially on their feast days
33:00 – Inside the book: short bios, virtue-focused prayers, and adding your own intentions
36:00 – A vision for families: teaching children to pray with the saints
40:00 – Belinda’s “Mount Rushmore” of saints: Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, and Thérèse of Lisieux
49:00 – If she were a saint… Belinda’s heart for the vulnerable and abused
50:00 – How to pray for Belinda and her family

Connect with Belinda Taro Mooney

🌐 Website

📘 Amazon – Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day

📸 Instagram

📖 Facebook

💼 LinkedIn

▶️ YouTube

📍 Pinterest

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In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan Gotta welcomes back Dr. Julia Sadusky, a clinical psychologist and author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth. Together, they unpack the complex and often misunderstood topic of conversion therapy—how it’s defined, what the law says, and how Catholics can approach questions of faith, sexuality, and identity with both compassion and truth.

From Colorado’s 2019 conversion therapy ban to the challenges faced by Christian clinicians, this conversation explores the balance between faithful accompaniment and clinical integrity, while offering hope for families navigating these sensitive issues.

Guest Bio

Dr. Julia Sadusky is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the integration of faith and mental health. She works primarily with sexual and gender minorities from Christian backgrounds and provides consultation and training to churches, schools, and clinicians. Julia holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Regent University and a B.A. from Ave Maria University. She is also the co-author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth.
Website: juliasadusky.com

Instagram: @drjuliasadusky

Key Topics & Highlights

00:00 – Introduction and context for today’s discussion
00:03 – Defining conversion therapy: why it’s difficult to pin down
00:06 – What Colorado’s 2019 law actually says
00:10 – Why many Christian clinicians feel anxious about these laws
00:14 – How faith communities historically engaged with conversion therapy
00:18 – The impact of conversion therapy on faith, family, and trust in God
00:23 – The need for emotionally mature, well-formed Catholic clinicians
00:26 – The influence of culture and social media on identity formation
00:30 – Parenting with warmth and firmness rather than fear
00:36 – Building trust and walking with teens through difficult questions
00:39 – Finding common ground across divides and engaging others with charity

Key Takeaways

• Conversion therapy isn’t a single practice—it’s an umbrella term that covers any therapy seeking to change orientation or gender identity.
• Laws like Colorado’s don’t ban pastoral care or identity exploration—they restrict licensed therapists from pursuing fixed outcomes with minors.
• Effective Catholic counseling should help teens think critically and mature in faith, not react out of fear.
• Building trust and long-term relationships matters more than offering quick fixes.
• Faithful dialogue across political and ideological lines is still possible—and deeply needed.

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Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuận spent 13 years imprisoned by the communist regime in Vietnam—nine of them in solitary confinement. In this moving conversation, his sister Elizabeth shares intimate family memories, the roots of his priestly vocation, and the crucible of prison where the Eucharist became his lifeline. She recounts how the meditations that became The Road of Hope were written and smuggled out, the small miracles that sustained him, and the day he was told simply to “be free… today.” We also trace his later service in Rome under St. John Paul II and the enduring lessons of dignity, forgiveness, and hope.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear

• Family & Vocation: A promise to God after the death of the family’s first child; nightly rosary in a home chapel; formation that set the course for a priest and future cardinal.
• Seminary & History: Entering minor seminary at 13; formation amid the Indochina War and the influence of French missionaries; appointed bishop at 39.
• Arrest on a Marian Feast: The Assumption of 1975; immediate house arrest; writing 1,001 meditations that became The Road of Hope.
• Isolation & Interior Battle: The temptation to hatred in a windowless cell; the turning point—recognizing Christ’s crucified face in suffering and choosing charity.
• The Eucharist in the Camp: Clandestine Mass with “medicine” (wine and hosts) smuggled in; the re-education camp as his “new cathedral.”
• Release & Aftermath: The tea-and-banana meeting with a minister—“What do you want?” “To be free.” “When?” “Today.”—followed by house restrictions, exile, and service in Rome.
• Rome & Universal Witness: Vice President and then President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; preacher of the 2000 papal Lenten retreat; created cardinal in 2001.

This Episode Is For You If You’ve Ever Asked

• How can faith transform suffering into hope—concretely?
• What does it mean to embrace brokenness without losing your dignity?
• How does Mary lead us to Christ in trials—especially when everything seems lost?
• Where can I find a modern witness who lived the Gospel under persecution?

Resources Mentioned

• Biography: Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan: Man of Joy and Hope — Ignatius Press
• Cause of Canonization: Official site — cardinalvanthuan.org

Follow Gotta Be Saints

• Instagram: @gottabesaints
• If this conversation moved you, subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more people can discover testimonies of faith, healing, and holiness.
• Share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement.

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In this episode, I am joined by Kevin Matthews, legendary Chicago radio personality and author of Broken Mary.

For nearly two decades, Kevin was the voice millions tuned in to hear every morning. Known for his unforgettable characters, sold-out comedy shows, and larger-than-life presence, he seemed to be living at the peak of success. But in 2008, Kevin was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis—a diagnosis that reshaped his life and faith.

Out of that brokenness came an unlikely encounter: a discarded statue of Mary found beside a dumpster. That moment became a turning point, leading Kevin to a deeper relationship with Christ, a renewed sense of hope, and a mission to help others find healing in their own brokenness.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Kevin’s journey from comedy clubs and radio stardom to the challenges of MS
• The story of how a broken statue of Mary became a vessel of grace and healing
• What Kevin learned about humility, faith, and the dignity of women
• How suffering can lead us to discover true joy and hope
• Kevin’s message to anyone who longs for healing in their own life

This Episode Is For You If You’ve Ever Asked:

• How can faith transform suffering into hope?
• What does it mean to embrace brokenness as part of our journey?
• How can Mary, the Mother of God, draw us closer to her Son in times of trial?

Resources Mentioned:

• Broken Mary: A Journey of Hope (Book & Movie) — Watch the film here
  
  

Follow Gotta Be Saints:

• Instagram: @gottabesaints

Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover stories of faith, healing, and holiness.

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In this episode, I am joined by His Eminence, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, former Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and author of Word, Sacrament, Charism: The Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church.

Drawing on decades of leadership within the Church—including his roles in seminary formation, global episcopal appointments, and multiple synods—Cardinal Ouellet brings a deeply theological and pastoral lens to one of the most debated processes in the modern Church: synodality.

In This Episode, You'll Hear:

• The theological and spiritual roots of the Synod on Synodality
• Cardinal Ouellet’s reflections on why synodality must begin in faith, not function
• The risks of reducing the Church to NGO logic
• How Mary, Mother of the Church, is the true archetype of synodality
• The need for both hierarchical leadership and charismatic creativity
• What lay people can do to live out the Church’s mission with fidelity and joy

This Episode is For You If You’ve Ever Asked:

• What exactly is synodality—and why is the Church talking so much about it?
• How do we walk together without compromising truth?
• What role do lay people play in a “synodal” Church?
• How can we discern the Holy Spirit in communal dialogue?

Resources Mentioned:

• Word, Sacrament, Charism: The Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church — Available at Ignatius Press
  
  

Follow Gotta Be Saints:

• Instagram: @gottabesaints
  
  
• Website: gottabesaints.com
  
  

Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover the call to holiness through the voices of the Church.

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In this powerful and vulnerable episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Dann Aungst, a certified addiction counselor, Catholic speaker, and founder of Road to Purity. Dann shares his courageous journey of recovery after more than 30 years of battling sexual addiction — and how God's grace, the sacraments, and healing from inner wounds led to freedom and a life of mission.

💥 Whether you struggle with addiction or want to better support those who do, Dan’s story reveals the truth: you are not alone, and there is hope.

In this episode, Dann shares:

• The pivotal moment that led him to finally seek help
• How one unexpected retreat letter changed his life
• Why pornography and sexual sin are often symptoms of deeper wounds
• The role of the Eucharist and frequent confession in lasting recovery
• How authentic accountability and community can lead to real transformation
• Why healing our false identities is essential for freedom
• How his ministry, Road to Purity, is changing lives through books, programs, and small groups

If you're asking…

• Is healing even possible after decades of addiction?
• How can I support a loved one struggling with pornography?
• What role does the Church play in recovery?
• What does it mean to be a gift of self rather than a taker?

…this episode is for you.

Learn More:

📖 Order Dann’s book Winning the Battle: A Pocket Guide for Achieving Sexual Purity

Follow Gotta Be Saints:

📱 Instagram: @gottabesaints

⭐️ Subscribe and leave a review to help others discover the call to holiness!

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