Mystagogy

This episode is a whirlwind tour through Dante’s whirlwind of the sins of the flesh. We’ll meet the Hoarders and the Wasters, the Gluttons, the Wrathful and the Sullen, and, of course, poor, pathetic, lustful Francesca and Paolo.  If you are reading along, we’ll be considering Cantos V through VIII.
 
Here is the version of the text we are using for this course:  The Divine Comedy

Also, I found a nice animated treatment of The Inferno that you might want to watch.  Check it out here.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

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We begin the third part in our five part series: a ten-week tour through Dante’s epic spiritual poem, The Divine Comedy. An imaginative vision of hell, purgatory, and heaven, this ranks with the greatest narrative works ever written. Barbara will break open Dante's Divine Comedy in order to explore the themes of sin, suffering, virtue and holiness.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

In this episode, special guest presenter Dr. Michael Goodrich breaks open G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy, a book that many pastors and scholars consider the greatest work of modern apologetics.

You can find an on-line copy of the text here. You may also listen to the book in an audio version.

Dr. Michael S. Goodrich is a staff scientist in the Experimental Physics Computational group at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.  He holds B.S., M.S. degrees in Physics and a Ph.D. in Computational Modeling, all from Old Dominion University.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

In this episode, Barbara Nicolosi Harrington reflects on He Leadeth Me, the spiritual autobiography of Father Walter Ciszek, SJ. This book is one of the most vital and powerful Catholic testimonies of the 20th century.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

Today's episode is a presentation on Polyphony as a development from the tradition of Gregorian chant.

Our guest presenter is Dr. Cynthia Nicolosi.  Dr. Nicolosi has a PhD in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. She studied music composition for two years at the Claremont Graduate School in California and completed the certificate program in Gregorian Chant at Catholic University in Washington, DC.  After directing the college choir at Magdalen College in Warner, NH for seven years, Dr. Nicolosi now teaches music history and honors courses at Regent University.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

Gregorian Chant has been called "one of the richest and most subtle art forms in music - indeed in the music of any culture." (Catholiceducation.org)  Pope Francis has exhorted the People of God, "Together, devote yourselves better to song as an integral part of the Liturgy, with Gregorian chant inspiring you as the first model." (Address to Society of St. Cecilia, 9/28/2019)

This Mystagogy session provides an in-depth consideration of the history and nature of this ancient but defining aspect of our tradition as Catholics.  To prepare for our discussion, here is a link to some recordings of famous Gregorian chants by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.

Our special guest presenter for the discussion is Dr. Cynthia Nicolosi.  Dr. Nicolosi has a PhD in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. She studied music composition for two years at the Claremont Graduate School in California and completed the certificate program in Gregorian Chant at Catholic University in Washington, DC.  She was the director of the college choir at Magdalen College in Warner NH for seven years. Dr. Nicolosi is now teaching music history and honors courses at Regent University.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

We will be breaking open the classic Academy Award-winning film, Babette's Feast.  The National Catholic Register wrote that the film is "a quiet celebration of the divine grace that meets us at every turn, and even redeems our ways not taken, our sacrifices and losses."

You also may want to read the original short story on which the film is based.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

In this session, we continue our tour through Evelyn Waugh's stunning literary classic, Brideshead Revisited, making our way through the cast of characters by considering Julia, Cordelia, Bridey, and Charles.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

We will be reading and discussing together the classic work that National Review called, "The greatest 20th century work on time and grace."  Brideshead Revisited is that rare novel that marries style and substance powerfully.  The prose is engaging and loaded with memorable lines and phrases.  All this is in service to a serious attempt to lay out in a narrative all the ways that the Sacramental life "ruins" a person for mere worldliness.

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show

We continue our consideration of the wonderful spiritual poem and testimony by Francis Thompson, "The Hound of Heaven."

Here is a copy of the poem to read.

Or, you may prefer listening to it in audio version.

Also, here is a modern, animated adaptation that might help you into the work.

Slide presentation

The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.

This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Support the show