Smarter Catholic

Why should we fast? Today, I sit down with Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B. to discuss the four key reasons we fast. 

1. Our Lord himself fasted, as did Old Testament patriarchs. 

2. Fasting is an expression of penance and sorrow for sin. 

3. Fasting clears the mind, allowing us to focus on prayer. 

4. Fasting trains the will, helping it be subordinate to the good. 

Carlos Briceño, most fundamentally, is a beloved son of God. He is the director of communications and evangelization at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Today, I talk to Carlos about his incredible spiritual journey, and ask him for advice on how to trust God and surrender to His will. 

Dr. Nancy Llewellyn is a professor of Latin at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina. She helped found the Veterum Sapientia Institute, whose mission is "to form Catholics in their cultural and spiritual birthright by teaching living Latin and Greek languages." Today, she and I discuss the Latin language and its role in the Church.  

https://veterumsapientia.org/

In this episode, I interview my mother, Colleen Lutz, on her interesting journey to the Catholic Church. We discuss her experience growing up as a Protestant, her attraction to the Church's unwavering pro-life stance, the questions she had about the faith, and her continual growth as a Catholic. We also discuss Marian devotion and other Catholic devotions, and whether or not you need to practice them in order to be a faithful Catholic. 

In this epsiode, I share some things about myself and some of my thoughts on nihilism. 

Why pray? And how should I do it? I and Fr. Elias Correa-Torres, O.S.B. have a beautiful and fruitful discussion on all things prayer.