When asked what’s wrong with the Church, commentators from Pope Francis to Russell Shaw will blame an elusive beast named “clericalism.” But what is clericalism, and where did it come from? In this episode we track the beast to its birthplace, the Church of the fourth century. Our native guides are Augustine, John Chrysostom, and others—who offer us good counsel for defeating it in our own time.

LINKS

Anonymous, The Epistle to Diognetus https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm

Minucius Felix, Octavius https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0410.htm

Joseph Carola, S.J., Augustine of Hippo: The Role of the Laity in Ecclesial Reconciliation https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Hippo-Ecclesial-Reconciliation-Gregoriana/dp/8878390232/

Mike Aquilina’s website https://fathersofthechurch.com

Mike Aquilina’s books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/

Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org

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