In this episode of the Art of Catholic podcast, Matthew Leonard and author and professor Dr. Daniel Keating explore the astonishing Catholic doctrine of Deification.

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The conversation explores what Deification really means, and addresses questions such as:

• How can we possibly become "gods"?
• Is Deification in the Bible or Catechism?
• What the Saints say about Deification
• How Martin Luther & John Calvin believed in Deification
• Does Deification blur the lines between God and man?
• What are the major misunderstandings surrounding Deification?

However you imagine heaven to be, this podcast will open your eyes to an even deeper understanding of God's breath-taking love, and leave you awe-struck at all that he has in store for us.

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Deification: An Introduction

02:50 The Doctrine of Deification Explained

05:38 The Mechanism of Deification

08:16 Scriptural Foundations of Deification

11:05 The Role of Sacraments in Deification

14:02 Deification in the Old Testament

16:52 Deification in the New Testament

19:47 The Relationship Between Deification and Suffering

22:33 Prayer and Deification

25:22 The Importance of Daily Prayer

28:03 The Role of Participation in Divine Nature

30:58 Eastern vs. Western Perspectives on Deification

33:35 The Transformative Power of Prayer

36:21 Conclusion: Embracing Our Divine Destiny

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It's a simple, yet profound question.

Is God a person or an idea to you?

Seriously, take a moment and think about it.

Do you really see him as a person or is he some kind of ethereal idea floating up in the heavens?

For a lot of us - if we're being honest with ourselves - tend to think of him in non-personal terms.

He's this force or idea up above.

Yes, we talk to him on occasion. We ask him for things. We even praise him and receive him in the Eucharist.

But do we know him as a person?

And if not, how can we do that? How can we develop a truly personal, transformative relationship with the Lord?

Well, who better than to ask than a former hermit about how to truly commune with God?

Fr. Wayne Sattler - a former hermit and spiritual director for his entire diocese - is going to help us deepen our relationship with Christ on this powerful episode of the Art of Catholic podcast.

You do NOT want to miss it.

Taking a deep dive into the subject of his new book, Remain in Me and I in You, my wide-ranging conversation with Father Sattler includes:

• How to know God as a person, not just an idea
• What really happens in contemplative prayer
• The crucial difference between agape love and eros
• Why some people never attain higher prayer
• What Christ really meant when he said, "Follow me"
• The fundamental requirement for truly serving God
• And much more!

Have you ever thought about the fact that God is wounded?

Yes, the Church teaches that God is impassable in his nature and cannot suffer.

But as the God-man, Jesus Christ suffered and died out of his great love for us and mysteriously carries these wounds into eternity.

And there's a sense that this divine vulnerability to wounds and suffering is still present by the loss of souls that Christ loves so fiercely.

It's a deeply fascinating and powerful topic that has a lot of implications for how we are to approach both God and the spiritual life in general.

And it's the topic of a scintillating conversation I had with with renowned spiritual theologian and author Father Donald Haggerty on this episode of the Art of Catholic podcast.

Touching on a variety of topics from his new book, The Hour of Testing, my conversation with Father Haggerty uncovers his deep insights into:

• The breathtaking beauty of divine vulnerability
• The mystical wounds of Christ
• Developing pure receptivity in prayer
• Why God conceals himself as we seek him
• A powerful way to bring back family members to the Faith
• Developing a thirst for souls
• And much more!

God bless!

Matthew

What lessons does a parish priest who battled the Devil (and won) have to share with us? Matthew Leonard is joined by author Kevin Wells who has published a great, very unique little book that shares the practical secrets of a holy life from St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars.

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Matthew Leonard is joined by author and professor John Mark Miravalle to discuss what beauty is - and why it matters.

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Given the joyful peal of St. Peter's bells still echoing around the world marking the election of our new Holy Father, it's the perfect time to talk about beauty.

After all, beauty is at the heart of everything Catholic.

God is beautiful.

Our Lady is beautiful.

Our Church is beautiful.

I could go on...

But what is beauty? How can we define it? Do you know it when you see it? Is it even necessary for something to be beautiful if it is Catholic? Where does beauty fit into the everyday?

These are important questions deserving great answers...and we've got them in this episode of the Art of Catholic podcast.

Join Matthew and John Mark Miravalle, Professor at Mount St. Mary's Seminary and author of Beauty: What It Is and Why It Matters, as they discuss:

• Why beauty is essential to truth
• The crucial role of surprise in beauty
• The difference between beauty and manipulation
• Why beauty must be "felt"
• The moral DUTY of beauty for Christians
• Why "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is wrong
• And much more!

Matthew Leonard is joined by Father Wayne Sattler, who lived the contemplative life as a hermit for years and has great wisdom to share on the spiritual life.

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If I say "hermit", what's the first thing that comes to mind?

An ancient Desert Father wearing a burlap sack, nappy beard, living a life of self-denial in a remote cave?

Or maybe a medieval nun, enclosed in a cell attached to a church wall, only receiving food through a small window?

What would one look like in the 21st century?

They're kind of hard to picture because that's pretty much all we have of hermits these days - pictures.

Not anymore. I've got one for you on the Art of Catholic podcast...and he's got some spiritual pearls to share with you.

After all, there's a deep knowledge and inexpressible sweetness in a life lived solely for God - and a deep wisdom that comes from being immersed in the Divine, all day every day.

But instead of having to go into the desert or monastery to hear their wisdom, you just have listen to this episode.

My guest on the Art of Catholic, Father Wayne Sattler, lived as a diocesan hermit for several years in a secluded one-room cabin in North Dakota. While there, his relationship with God deepened dramatically - and his insights into God's profound love for all of us are breathtakingly beautiful.

Tune in to our conversation as we discuss: - How to distinguish the beginnings of contemplation from other forms of prayer

• What is the "suspension of the senses" in prayer (and how to distinguish it from sleep:)
• The role of silence and self-denial in developing a deeper relationship with God
• Why we shouldn't fear what St. John of the Cross calls the Dark Night
• How understanding the body-soul connection can enhance our spiritual life
• And much more!

Now, if you're thinking to yourself, Wait a minute! If he's a hermit, how is he being interviewed on a podcast... ...that's a great question - and as you'll discover from our conversation, after calling him to spend years as a hermit, God has a new mission for Father Sattler now - and it's one that you'll definitely want to hear about.

God bless!

Matthew

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Episode Description

When one of your closest friends dedicates 20 years of his life to a project, it's going to come up from time to time in conversation.

And when that project relates to something that you're passionate about too, then you know those conversations are going to be powerful.

AND when that good friend just happens to be Curtis Mitch, Co-Editor of the new Ignatius Press Study Bible, and that conversation takes place on the Art of Catholic podcast...

...it makes for an episode you're definitely not going to want to miss!

In today's podcast, Curtis and I dive into one of the most mysterious, misunderstood, and controversial books in the Bible - the Book of Revelation.

With the same brilliance you'll find in his commentary for the new Ignatius Press Study Bible, Curtis explains how we as Catholics are to interpret the image of the Woman Clothed with the Sun - and you might just be surprised at his take on it.

Our conversation also explores topics such as:

• The Vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun
• The Multi-layered identity of the Woman in Revelation 12
• The very first prophecy about Our Lady
• The significance of the 12 stars crowning Mary in Revelation
• How Revelation describes the "rebirth" of Christ's humanity in heaven
• And much more!

After 20 years of eating, sleeping, and breathing God's Word, Curtis has a depth of insight on these topics that is unrivaled.

Enjoy the episode and God bless,

Matthew

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Lesson One of a beautiful, crash course on everything you need to know to move into a deeper, more fulfilling life of prayer according to the saints.

This incredible series from Matthew Leonard will stream FREE this Lent.

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🔵 Watch Lesson One on YouTube

If you've ever struggled to pray or find it difficult to take your relationship with God to the next level, you've got to see this new series from Matthew Leonard and the Science of Sainthood!

"Outstanding!!! Thank you!"

"I was so skeptical...just thought here's another program to do. I am amazed at the things I have experienced in this program!"

Introduction to Real Prayer starts with the basics, covering topics like why pray to begin with, how it works, and what we're supposed to pray for.

But that's just the beginning.

You'll be guided through the ins and outs of Vocal, Meditative, and Contemplative prayer, learning not just what they are, but how to do them.

We're even providing Guided Audio Meditations with each lesson to help you practice what you're learning!

But that's not all. This series also covers topics like:

• Overcoming Distraction
• Spiritual Consolations & Dealing with Dryness
• The Beautiful Power of Silence
• The 3 Stages of the Spiritual Life
• and more!

In short, it's a powerful, free, crash course on real prayer that teaches everything you need to know to move into a deeper union with God...and stay there.

Listen to Lesson One, Sign Up, & join thousands of Catholics around the world learning to move into a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with the God of the universe who is waiting for you to join him…in prayer!

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Watch the full interview with Cameron Bertuzzi here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTglQJoqWtc

It's hard to believe, but more than 26 years have passed since I became Catholic.

Even so, I still get asked on a fairly regular basis about my conversion story.

And I totally get it. Everyone loves a conversion story.

After all, it's inspiring to hear about all the little winks and nudges from God - not to mention all the momentous, life-changing, divine thunderbolts that God uses to draw his beloved children home to the Church.

I had my fair share...and then some.

That said, conversion is normally a process. It takes time.

And for me, part of it was the pursuit of a deeper spiritual life.

I unexpectedly found something in the Catholic faith that I never quite did as a Protestant.

And I recently sat down with a young man named Cameron Bertuzzi on his very popular podcast Capturing Christianity to share that part of my story.

Today's Art of Catholic podcast contains an excerpt from that interview.

In this episode, Cameron and I discuss the massive role the spiritual life of the Church played in my conversion, as well as the ways in which my understanding and practice of the spiritual life exploded once I became Catholic.

During our conversation, I also address some of the practicalities I learned were involved in the spiritual life, such as:

• The stages of spiritual growth
• The teachings of the saints on how to pray
• How it all works together
• ...And much more!

This is a unique conversation that people have told me they've found truly helpful.

God bless,

Matthew

In this episode of the Art of Catholic, Matthew Leonard is joined by author Kevin Wells, who shares the powerful story of his wife Krista's battle with alcoholism, the impact it had on his spiritual life - and the incredible redemption God brought through the figure of a saintly priest.

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🔵 Watch my last interview with Kevin Wells, Priest & Beggar: The Jaw-Dropping Story of Venerable Father Aloysius Schwartz, here: https://youtu.be/TJpXJmyW4Bg

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00:00 Introduction: Pain and Redemption

01:27 Kevin Wells: Author and Advocate

04:16 The Journey of Writing 'The Hermit'

10:23 Facing Addiction: Kevin's Family Struggles

18:07 The Role of Father Flum

24:25 Patience in the Face of Suffering

30:08 The Power of Prayer and Hope

35:21 The Journey into the Interior Castle

38:30 The Role of Prayer in Healing

41:43 The Maternal Influence of Mary

44:11 Confession and the Power of Priests

49:54 Practical Advice for Spouses in Crisis

55:42 Patience and Trust in God's Plan

01:00:00 Hope and Redemption in Christ

About this Episode:

Have you ever been in a seemingly hopeless situation? A situation so dire that you despaired of ever seeing change or healing?

Many of us have been there...or are there right now.

Addiction, divorce, unfaithfulness, father wounds, mother wounds, abuse, hardened hearts, and a host of other painful issues are constantly manifesting themselves in our lives.

And while different situations present different challenges, the underlying truth remains the same.

Namely, that no matter how bad things may look, God is faithful and in control.

It's certainly not always easy to see, but it's the truth.

Just ask my guest on today's Art of Catholic podcast.

Author Kevin Wells found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation when his wife's alcoholism began to tear their lives apart.

But as he trudged through years of pain, Kevin gradually learned to rest his head on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and allow himself to be stripped bare like Christ on the Cross.

And eventually, through the miraculous intervention of a saintly priest, his wife was healed, his family was redeemed, and his pain was turned into joy.

Full of heartache, struggle, hope, and healing it's a story you need to hear.

In this podcast, Kevin shares powerful insights about:

• The crucial role of patience in the face of dire situations.
• Why prayer is our refuge in the face of intense suffering and despair
• What he would differently if he could go back to when it first began
• St. Teresa of Avila's guidance in the face of pain
• Practical advice for dealing with extremely difficult situations
• And more...

Get ready to hear a powerful story of pain, bondage, and finally, exhilarating redemption, that puts on full display the love, mercy and power of God to overcome any situation - no matter how difficult.