Son Rise Morning Show

Why does Jesus' parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 take a dramatic turn after the unwashed masses are welcomed into the hall? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Diocese of Charleston and the Bone Church Revival podcast to break down the Gospel reading for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Fr. Duncan warns against taking the "lectionary option" that cuts off the parable's ending, explaining the vital theological lesson of the guest without a wedding garment. Drawing on ancient custom where hosts provided proper attire, Fr. Duncan connects the garment to the baptismal robe of grace and putting on Christ. He highlights that while God's merciful invitation is extended to everyone, entering the kingdom requires transformation, holiness, and leaving our old sins behind. Stream now to listen!

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How do cutting-edge breakthroughs in neuroscience and brain function reaffirm the inherent dignity of human life? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Bobby Schindler from the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network to discuss recent medical milestones and ongoing research into severe brain injuries.

Schindler and Swaim dive into the fascinating history of the Nobel Prizes—including Catholic connections like St. Teresa of Kolkata’s Peace Prize—before exploring recent advancements in optogenetics. Schindler explains how researchers use light-sensitive proteins to toggle specific neurons on and off, mapping neural pathways to better understand memory, brain function, and potential therapies for brain injuries. Stream now to listen!

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Why is getting to know the Blessed Virgin Mary an essential stage in preparing for total consecration to Jesus? On The Son Rise Morning Show, co-host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Greg Willits—author of God Doesn't Hate Me After All and founder of Rosary Army and TotalConsecration.com—to discuss the third stage of St. Louis de Montfort’s 33-day preparation for total consecration: Knowledge of Mary.

Willits explains de Montfort’s famous analogy of Mary as the ultimate "mold of grace," into which we pour ourselves to be shaped into the image and likeness of her Son. He explores how Mary’s virtues—especially her profound humility, hiddenness, and maternal care—lead us directly to Jesus without reserve. Reflecting on de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary, Willits encourages listeners to simplify their spiritual lives by looking at Christ through the eyes of His Holy Mother. Stream now to listen!

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How can reading the four Gospels woven together into a single, seamless narrative give us a fresh perspective on the life of Christ? On The Son Rise Morning Show, co-host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Jason Gale, Vice President of Content and Production at TAN Books, to explore their newly released edition of The Harmonized Gospel.

Gale explains how this volume synthesizes Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into one continuous chronological account—from the Prologue of John through the Infancy narratives, public ministry, Passion, and Resurrection. He highlights the text's unique origin: the Confraternity New Testament, an accessible English translation from the Latin Vulgate produced in the 1930s and 40s. Structured into short daily readings over six months, complete with marginal Scripture references, study prompts, and spiritual reflections, The Harmonized Gospel serves as an ideal tool for personal prayer, daily meditation, and rediscovering the Gospel story with new eyes. Stream now to listen!

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What does an Old Testament feast on the Lord's holy mountain have to do with the parable of the wedding garment in the Gospel of Matthew? On The Son Rise Morning Show, co-host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo, founder and executive director of the Institute of Catholic Culture, to break down the Sunday Mass readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Fr. Carnazzo explains how Isaiah 25's prophecy of a mountain feast of rich foods and choice wines prefigures the ultimate wedding feast between God and His people in Jerusalem. Turning to Matthew 22, he unpacks Jesus’ Holy Week parable of the king’s wedding banquet, clarifying the ancient cultural context behind the wedding garment—symbolizing the robe of grace received at baptism and maintained through virtue and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Stream now to listen!

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How does an Anglican priest view St. John Henry Newman, and what happens when they follow Newman's path into the Catholic Church? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Andrew Petiprin from the Spe Salvi Institute—himself a former Episcopal priest—on the feast day of St. John Henry Newman to reflect on the giant of 19th-century theology and the power of his conversion.

Petiprin discusses how Newman is studied (and often compartmentalized) within Anglicanism, where his post-1845 Catholic life and works—such as An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine and Apologia Pro Vita Sua—were historically treated as a tragic surrender rather than a fulfillment. He and Swaim unpack Newman's rejection of private judgment and his realization that one either grows toward Catholicity or recedes into atheism and relativism, offering a compelling reflection on modern conscience, intellectual conviction, and obedience to Truth. Stream now to listen!

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Happy feast of St. John Henry Newman! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Andrew Petiprin, a former Episcopal priest, to share the role Newman played in his own journey to the Catholic Faith. Other guests include Jason Gale, author of “The Harmonized Gospel,” and Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo from the Institute of Catholic Culture and Fr. Jonathan Duncan from the Bone Church Revival podcast to preview the Sunday Mass readings. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… listen live! 

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A Surrender Prayer from St. John Henry Newman

I sacrifice to Thee, O Lord, this cherished wish, this lust, this weakness, this scheme, this opinion: make me what Thou wouldest have me; I bargain for nothing; I make no terms; I seek for no previous information whither Thou art taking me; I will be what Thou wilt make me, and all that Thou wilt make me. Amen.

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Full list of guests

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How does Jesus choosing a hated tax collector reveal the radical, unexpected reach of Divine Mercy? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Cy Kellett—host of Catholic Answers Live and author of A Teacher of Strange Things: Who Jesus Was, What He Taught, and Why People Still Follow Him—to unpack Chapter 8 and the calling of St. Matthew.

Kellett discusses Caravaggio’s iconic painting The Calling of St. Matthew and explores what it meant for Jesus to invite a Roman-collaborating tax collector into His inner circle alongside Simon the Zealot and simple fishermen. He highlights how Matthew’s conversion required a dual shift: Matthew turning away from sin, and the other disciples learning to abandon their own self-righteous expectations. Kellett and Swaim offer an encouraging word to anyone waiting to "get their act together" before coming back to Church: Jesus meets us right where we are. Stream now to listen!

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How does St. Paul’s warning in Galatians against "ending with the flesh" shape our understanding of Catholic morality and the human body? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim speaks with Courtney Brown, Executive Director of the Ruah Woods Institute, to explore St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and the true meaning of living life according to the Holy Spirit.

Brown unpacks how St. John Paul II reflects on the tension between the spirit and the flesh, clarifying that Catholic morality does not reject the body, but rather affirms its inherent goodness as a temple of the Holy Spirit. He discusses how spiritual mortification, self-donation, and the practice of virtue serve as acts of faith that open us to God's free gift of redemption—allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and manifest true peace, joy, and charity in our daily lives. Stream now to listen!

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How does a single Old Testament Psalm point directly to the divinity, eternal priesthood, and kingship of Jesus Christ? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Catholic apologist and author Gary Michuta from Hands On Apologetics to break down Psalm 110, one of the most frequently quoted Old Testament passages in the New Testament.

Gary Michuta unpacks the famous opening verse—"The Lord said to my Lord"—explaining why King David refers to his future descendant as "Lord," implying a Messiah far greater than an earthly king. He details the mysterious priesthood "according to the order of Melchizedek," contrasting it with King Saul's unauthorized sacrifice and the Levite tradition, while highlighting how the Psalm prefigures Christ's eternal generation ("from the womb before the morning star") as echoed in the Nicene Creed. Stream now to listen!

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