The Benedictine Dialogues

By Benedictine CollegeSociety & Culture

The Benedictine Dialogues episodes

October 06 How do Catholics deal with Everyday Suffering? | After Class Ep.3 w/Dr. Matthew Ramage
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How do Catholics deal with everyday suffering? Can the approach become a path toward spiritual healing? Dr. Matthew Ramage is the man to ask. Dr. Ramage is Professor of Theology at Benedictine College where he is co-director of its Center for Integral Ecology. His research and writing concentrates especially on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, the wedding of ancient and modern methods of biblical interpretation, the dialogue between faith and science, and stewardship of creation. His latest book is Cosmic Covenant: A Catholic Theology of Creation.

Dr. Ramage has also suffered for many years with the debilitating disease, Lupus, which infamously afflicted author Flannery O'Connor. But Dr. Ramage doesn't let the disease define him or even to bother him. He sees it as an annoyance, something to deal with through common sense approaches, and he offers the rest up to the Lord.

Hosts, Trey Smith and Collin England begin with Dr. Ramage's admiration of Pope Benedictine XVI, and what the late pope's life can teach the next generation.

AFTER CLASS at Benedictine College is a conversation show between real students and real professors. Hosts Trey Smith and Collin England are guided by a central question, “What is the good life, and how do I live it after college?”

Heir to the 1500 years of Benedictine dedication to learning, Benedictine College’s mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, residential college is the education of men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
52 min
September 22 Why read The Great Books when you can just watch the movie? | After Class w/Dr. Edward Mulholland
WATCH AD FREE https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/after-class

Why does literature matter in the information age? If we read to experience the lives of others, what does great literature offer that we can’t find through video games, movies, or television? Dr. Edward Mulholland is the man to ask.
Professor Emeritus Edward Mulholland served as the Sheridan Chair of Classics at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and now teaches in the Sheridan Center for Classical Studies graduate programs at the college. Born in the Bronx, New York, he earned his master’s degree in classics from the University of London, England, and received both a licentiate and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He now serves as Chancellor of St. Martin’s Academy in Ft. Scott, Kansas.
AFTER CLASS at Benedictine College is a conversation show between real students and real professors. Hosts Trey Smith and Collin England are guided by a central question, “What is the good life, and how do I live it after college?”
Heir to the 1500 years of Benedictine dedication to learning, Benedictine College’s mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, residential college is the education of men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
46 min
September 15 What does it mean to have dignity? | After Class ft. Dr. Andrew Swafford
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For the fall semester, The Benedictine Dialogues is hosting AFTER CLASS, a conversation show between real students and real professors. Hosts Trey Smith and Collin England are guided by a central question, "What is the good life, and how do I live it after college?"

Their first guest is Dr. Andrew Swafford. Dr. Swafford is professor of theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He is the author of "Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism with C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity." and coauthor of "A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament" and "A Catholic Guide to the New Testament." With his wife, Sarah Swafford, he is coauthor of "Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships." He also coauthored "What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith with Marcellino D’Ambrosio."

Heir to the 1500 years of Benedictine dedication to learning, Benedictine College’s mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, residential college is the education of men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
1 hr 8 min
May 12 Can AI Ever Be a Conscious Companion? Fr. Anselm Ramelow on Humanity, Friendship & Technology
Artificial intelligence can flatter our desires, guide us on DIY projects, console us in troubles, and even mimic the dead. But can it ever be a conscious companion? In this episode, Dr. Marielle Courtois is joined by Fr. Anselm Ramelow, who asked whether our obsession with artificial intelligence is really revealing a deeper crisis, that we have forgotten what a human being is. Before we ask what machines can become, we have to ask what kind of people we are becoming by depending on them.
Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.
WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues
LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218
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43 min
March 31 From Fame to Faith Through a Broken Statue | Kevin Matthews
Kevin Matthews is a Chicago radio legend whose comedy brought entertainment to millions. When his health crumbled, and his fame began to fade, Matthews discovered redemption in a discarded statue of Mary. He now travels internationally spreading Marian devotion to the broken. Matthews’ story is told in the documentary feature, Broken Mary. His travels have brought him all the way to the Vatican and his meeting with the pope has influenced the approval of a new title for the Blessed Mother, “Our Lady of the Broken.”
Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.

WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues

LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218

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43 min
March 05 The Fellowship of LEWIS and TOLKIEN
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were the most powerful literary voices of the 20th century. The story of their unbreakable friendship is told in the five part documentary The Forge of Friendship by Eastgate Creative. We invited two of the filmmakers, Ralph Linhardt, and Kirk Manton, to sit down with Michael Coy, content production manager and associate professor for the Center for Catholic Media at Benedictine College. Listen in as they discuss the importance of collaboration, the drawbacks of AI filmmaking, and the amazing friendship of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.

WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES
https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues

LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218

FOLLOW Media & Culture at Benedictine College
https://www.instagram.com/media.benedictine/

LEARN MORE about BENEDICTINE COLLEGE https://benedictine.edu/
1 hr 6 min
February 17 Catholics Lead the Way in Classical Education
Classical education is pivotal in preparing students to transform the culture in America. And Catholic institutions like Benedictine College are leading the way. They deserve the best of organizational health, the spiritual life, and strong community among staff and faculty. We invited three experts to discuss these challenges and solutions. The college's Director of Graduate Programs and Classical Education, Krystyn Schmerbeck, our Dean of Students, Dr Joseph Wurtz and a special guest, Erik Twist, the president of Arcadia Education Group.
Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.
WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues
LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218
FOLLOW Media & Culture at Benedictine College https://www.instagram.com/media.benedictine/
LEARN MORE about BENEDICTINE COLLEGE https://benedictine.edu/
1 hr 7 min
February 05 What Pope Leo told me | Mike Sweeney of the Kansas City Royals
Mike Sweeney is a Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer, a 5 time MLB All-Star, and a former Benedictine College commencement speaker. He now serves in player development for the Royals and he was on campus to share his passion for the Catholic Faith and offer our students guidance in their spiritual and professional lives. Listen in as we discuss his spiritual journey, his advice to young athletes, and the message Pope Leo XIV personally shared with him to preach to the world.

Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.

WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues

LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218

FOLLOW Media & Culture at Benedictine College https://www.instagram.com/media.benedictine/

LEARN MORE about BENEDICTINE COLLEGE https://benedictine.edu/
24 min
January 29 The Minimalist T.K. Coleman and his Catholic Faith | The Benedictine Dialogues
T.K. Coleman is a philosophical minimalist and a convert to the Catholic faith. He has personally coached thousands of people to unpack the baggage that weighs them down in their pursuit of a simpler, lighthearted life. Listen in as we discuss the power of prayer and scripture, the problem with emotional clutter, and the incredible grace he has received through the rosary and eucharistic adoration.
Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.

WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues

LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218

FOLLOW Media & Culture at Benedictine College https://www.instagram.com/media.benedictine/

LEARN MORE about BENEDICTINE COLLEGE https://benedictine.edu/
48 min
December 04, 2025 Matt Fradd talks new book and new chapter of Pints with Aquinas
Matt Fradd is an internationally acclaimed evangelist, author, and podcast creator. He is the founder of Pints with Aquinas, the immensely popular podcast with almost 800,000 followers, which has just recently been picked up by the Daily Wire. He was on campus to speak to our students about his latest book, Jesus Our Refuge. We invited him to the studio to discuss the cultural landscape, the state of Catholicism, and his newest position as a voice for the Daily Wire.
Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America one conversation at a time. From our studios in Atchison, Kansas, these are THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES.

WATCH our FULL LIBRARY of THE BENEDICTINE DIALOGUES https://media.benedictine.edu/videos/benedictine-dialogues

LISTEN on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benedictine-dialogues/id1701363218

FOLLOW Media & Culture at Benedictine College https://www.instagram.com/media.benedictine/

LEARN MORE about BENEDICTINE COLLEGE https://benedictine.edu/
46 min

About The Benedictine Dialogues

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Benedictine College is Transforming Culture in America, one conversation at a time. We sit down with the great minds who teach and guest-lecture on our campus, to discuss culture, faith, and politics.…