This week on Off the Shelf Steve Hemler returns to discuss the third book in his apologetics trilogy, Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope: How God Brings Good Out of Suffering. If there has ever been a time when we needed to understand this concept those times are now. 

 We live in a pretty messed up world and the only thing that will fix is to refocus on God. But how do we know if we are doing religion right? Father Kirby returns this week to discuss his book Real Religion: How to Avoid False Faith and Worship God in Spirit and Truth. Get your copy here. 

One of the hardest things we can endure is when a loved one leaves the Catholic faith. Our minds are often filled with questions, blame, and doubt in ourselves. Father Jeffrey Kirby has written a wonderful devotional to help bring those loved ones back home. Way of the Cross for Loved Ones Who Have Left the Faith is a fantastic way to pray your loved ones back to the Church and....surprise....it's not just for Lent! Get your copy here.

 It's pretty obvious to most of us that we have gone through twelve months like no other in our lives. Hopefully the end of the tunnel is near! Many of us have struggled emotionally and physically through this pandemic. Many of us have dealt with a large dose of worry. Gary Zimak joins me this week to discuss worry, how we can overcome it, and what good may have come from the pandemic. Get a copy of his latest book Give Up Worry for Good!: 8 Weeks to Hopeful Living and Lasting Peace here.

 In April 2019 I had the privilege to connect with Father Ubald Rugirangoga to discuss his recently released book  Forgiveness Makes You Free. It was a wide ranging interview  that covered a lot of ground and really pulled the layers back on how simple forgiveness can be. I shelved that episode for quite some time as the audio wasn't the best. Father's connection was via cellphone and with his accent some of what he said was a bit hard to hear.  Earlier this year on  the evening of January 7,  Father Ubald passed away of complications from Covid-19. On that day we lost a great priest. Many whom I know who had the great blessing of knowing Father and interacting with him lost a dear friend.  I cannot keep this audio shelved any longer. Here is the raw audio for you to hear the words of Father Ubald one more time. May it serve as a testament to the great love Father had for Jesus Christ. 

 This week Susan Tassone returns to the show. We discuss her fantastic new book for Lent, Praying with Jesus and Faustina during Lent and in Times of Suffering. As the title suggests this book is not just a Lent book. It's a devotional you will return to often when suffering strikes. Get your copy here.

 This week I welcome back my dear friend Dr. Scott Hahn to the show. We tackle the hot topic of the day.......politics and what we need to concern ourselves with as Catholics. How do we get involved and what is our role in our cities, states and country as a whole? We answer these questions and more so tune in. Get your copy of Scott's latest book It Is Right and Just: Why the Future of Civilization Depends on True Religion from the St. Paul Center here. 

 After a much needed break over the holidays I am BACK. This week I welcome my friend Karlo Broussard. We take a deep dive look at the often confusing topic of Purgatory. Yes folks, Purgatory is real and Karlo's fantastic book Purgatory Is For Real : Good News About the Afterlife for Those Who Aren't Perfect Yet lays out all the truths. Get your copy here.

 This week on Off the Shelf we take a deep dive look at the history of feminism. My friend Kimberly Cook joins me to discuss how the feminism movement impacted her and our country at large. Grab a copy of her book Motherhood Redeemed: How Radical Feminism Betrayed Maternal Love here.

I'm celebrating episode 200 in a BIG way with a very special guest this week. Bishop Joseph Strickland and I take a look at the state of our nation and the church and how each of us can contribute to fixing both. You don't want to miss this episode. Get your copy of Bishop Strickland's book  Light and Leaven: The Challenge of the Laity in the Twenty-First Century here.