Outside the Walls

Amy Ekeh is the Director of Little Rock Scripture Study at Liturgical Press. Originally from Texas, she grew up in an Episcopal parish that was deeply committed to liturgy, community, and learning. During her teen years, some members of my parish, including two of our priests, became Catholic. 

She serves on the faculty of the New England Catholic Biblical School and is an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University. Her published work can be found in a variety of Catholic publications, including Give Us This Day and The Bible Today. 

Her latest book is a new version of the Stations of the Cross. She published three volumes in Little Rock Scripture Study's Alive in the Word series (Lent, Advent, and Finding Peace). 

She has a forthcoming book—Stretch Out Your Hand: Reflections on the Healing Ministry of Jesus (Liturgical Press)—will be published in January 2025.

Michael Grasinski is the Assistant Director of Admissions at Sacred Heart Major Seminary (SHMS.edu). He joins us to talk about the Philosophy of Personalism and its influence on the landscape of Catholic Theology.

Dr. Matthew Breuninger is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Franciscan University of Stuebenville, and the Director of Teaching Excellence. He has research interests in the role of religion in one’s psychological well-being • Attachment to God—the experiences of felt security with God • Understanding the overlap between psychological habits and theological virtues • Virtue formation. 

Dr. Breuninger is the author of Finding Freedom in Christ: Healing Life’s Hurts published by Emmaus Road Publishing, and the Co-founder of KNOWN: Embraced by the Heart of the Father. 

Chenele Shaw, is one of the project leads for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which consists of four routes from the four corners of the US converging on Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. The events take place across the country from May 17th through July 16th. You can find a listing of those events at EucharisticPilgrimage.org. 

She also serves as the Co-Director of the Before Gethsemane Initiative, host of the podcast Ave Spotlight with Ave Maria Press, Secretary for The Human Condition Community, and a contributing writer to various Catholic publications, including Grotto Network, The Catholic Woman, and Our Sunday Visitor.

Dr. James B. Prothro is an associate professor of Theology and Sacred Scripture and the director of the MA Biblical Studies program at the Augustine Institute just outside of Denver Colorado. Today, we’re talking about his book The Bible and Reconciliation: Confession, Repentance, and Restoration, part of the Catholic Biblical Theology of the Sacraments series from Baker Academic.

He is also the author of:

• A Pauline Theology of Justification: Forgiveness, Friendship, and Life in Christ (Published by Cascade Books)

Dr. Kevin Clarke, Dean of the Institute for Lay Ministry and Associate Professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, joins us to talk about his 2018 book “The Seven Deadly Sins” from the “Sayings of the Father’s of the Church” series from Catholic University of America Press, and a free, online course on the same topic at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. https://explore.shms.edu/seven-deadly-sins

Dr. Pia de Solenni is the Senior Director of Corporate Engagement at IWP Capital. She is a Theologian, ethicist, and cultural analyst. In addition to various policy and academic roles, Pia was a principal founder of the Global Institute of Church Management. Previously, she served as chancellor and theological advisor to the Bishop of Orange in California.

She is an expert in issues relating to Catholicism, Culture, Ethics, the new Feminism, and Church governance, and is a consultant member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

She joins us today near International Women’s Day to talk about what Pope St. John Paul II called “The Feminine Genius” and the importance of elevating the voices of Women in the Church.

Sr. Nancy is the Director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, California. She is a Media Literacy Education Specialist, theologian, international speaker, film/TV reviewer, and author of an award-winning theology of popular culture called, A Sacred Look: Becoming Cultural Mystics. Sr Nancy is a Doctoral Candidate in Ministry at Catholic University of America in the area of Liturgical Catechesis and holds degrees in Communications Arts and a Masters in Theology and the Arts from Fuller Theological Seminary, along with certificates in Catechetics and Media Literacy Education. Sr Nancy has extensive experience in the creative aspects of social media, print media, radio and video production as well as in marketing, advertising, retail management and administration. 

Bo Bonner is the Director of the Center for Human Flourishing, and Senior Advisor for Mission Initiatives at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA. He joins us in a discussion to reframe our concept of Lent and Pennance to one of Joy and anticipation. What if we thought of our Lenten preparation the same way we thought about preparing for Date Night with our Beloved.

Dr. Elizabeth Klein is an Associate Professor of Theology At the Augustine Institute, a contributor to Formed, and the author of Augustine’s Theology of Angels and God: What Every Catholic Should Know, which is the topic of our patreon segment this week. She specializes in patristic theology, particularly the writings of St. Augustine.

She is the director of the Augustine Institute’s Short Course Program. Klein earned a doctor of philosophy degree in historical theology at the University of Notre Dame, where she also served as a post-doctoral scholar, course instructor, and graduate assistant. 

She joins us today to talk about her book Angels and Saints: Who They Are and Why They Matter, published by Ave Maria Press in partnership with the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.