The Cordial Catholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Claire Noel, a convert to Catholicism, with an absolutely compelling story to tell. 

While almost impossible to summarize Claire's story is one that needs to be heard to be appreciated. 

From Christianity to a major deconstruction and years in the New Age movement. Claire's story is punctuated by twist after turn including encounters with dark forces as her and her husband tried to make their way out of the New Age movement. And, ultimately, discovering that the Calvinist, Reformed faith they had rediscovered wasn't the same faith held by the apostles and the Early Church – and discovering a much more ancient, apostolic tradition in Catholicism. 

This conversion journey is absolutely packed with everything from encountering the rich, deep holistic teaching of the Catholic Church's Theology of the Body to observations and realizations about Christian unity and denominations, to encounters with the unmistakable, miraculous intervention of God. 

You won't want to miss this conversation – especially because it almost didn't happen!

To find a follow Claire please visit her Instagram page.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
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In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my new friend Deacon Patrick Lappert, MD a double-board certified Naval surgeon with what must be one of the wildest Catholic conversion stories you'll ever here. Seriously, buckle up for this one. 

Deacon Patrick's story is one of God relentlessly pursuing someone in love. Raised Jewish, Deacon Patrick spent most of his life as an atheist and through a series of increasingly unmistakable, unavoidable miracles, began to look into Christianity and the Catholic faith. The parallels Deacon Patrick saw between his Jewish upbringing and Catholicism – the connections – as well as the incredible miracles God was doing in his life, led Deacon Patrick to the unmistakable conclusion that God wanted him to become Catholic.

The rest is history. 

But, wow, what a story!

For more from Deacon Patrick check out his work through Courage International.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

No new episode this week but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We'll be back next week with an amazing new conversion story!

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend Jeff Lukich, author and revert to the Catholic faith, to talk about his miraculous Christmas Eve return to the Catholic Church, all of the factors and facets that led up to that experience, and how others can follow in his footsteps. 

Jeff's written a fantastic book – The Long Way Home – featuring not only his story but his research and experience in what it takes to bring others back to the Catholic Church – and he shares that with us this week, too. 

It's a fantastic story. Jeff's a remarkable guest!

For more from Jeff including how to get a hold of his book visit his website.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Father Tony Stephens, a Rector of Our Lady of Champion Shrine, the site of the first and only approved Marian apparition in the United States, to talk about Mary's miraculous appearances, the miracles associated with her intercession, and how to charitably help our Protestant brothers and sisters understand the role of our Blessed Mother. 

With Father Tony's expert guidance and cordial approach, we walk through not only Mary's appearance at Champion but Our Lady of Guadelupe, Lourdes, Fatima, and some of the other important appearances of Mary in order to explain and understand exactly what her role may be today, and historically, in salvation history. 

It's a great conversation.

For more from Father Tony check out the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion website.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Aaron Gunsaulus, the anti-Catholic, Calvinist pastor who became Catholic – although with 17 of his friends from the church he pastored! 

This is an amazing story. Aaron is a good friend of another good friend of the show, former Protestant Pastor Keith Nester, and the way their stories are connected is incredible. 

Aaron tells that story and explains how being "fair" to the Catholic Church began to soften his outlook and, ultimately, lead to not only his conversion but the conversion of his wife, one of their children (another is in RCIA), and 17 of their friends from their former church. It's an outrageous story!

To follow Aaron check out his Substack and follow him on X.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Christopher Kaczor, to discuss his new work on the reasonableness of belief in God and some of the most popular challenges – and changes – with how we approach this fundamental topic. 

What can we make of the shifting landscape of belief? Catholic conversions are on the rise! How do we address the perennial problems of Evil? God's hiddenness? And, hey, where did all those atheists go?!

Dr. Kaczor is wonderfully articulate even when I am not – so hopefully you enjoy this episode!

For more from Dr. Kaczor you can follow him on Twitter and you can find his book, Is Belief Believable? from Ave Maria Press and everywhere you find fine books.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

n this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Matthew Mark McWhorter, a high-powered, high-profile corporate lawyer who turned his skills in the courtroom towards the Bible and Christianity.

After a life-changing experience made him consider Christianity, McWhorter set out to research the evidence for belief in Jesus. He encountered the Bible and quickly realized that not all Christians believed in the same canon of Scripture – so which one is right.

In this episode, we dive deeply into this exact topic and unpack why McWhorter thinks that a Protestant reliance on the *wrong* books of the Bible actually undermines their complete case for Christianity – and why Protestants should seriously rethink their "smaller" Bibles.

For more from Matthew McWhorter including his wonderful book Canon Crossfire please visit his website.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by husband and wife Catholic power couple Katie and Tommy McGrady to talk about their work on First Reconciliation, First Communion, and on raising authentic, enthusiastic Catholic families. 

We talk about the importance of approaching those first sacraments as a family, the joy and impetus of passing on the faith, and how to approach the Church as a Catholic convert with a young family, seeking to catechize well. 

This was such a joyful conversation – we hope you enjoy it! 

For more from Katie and Tommy check out their books from Ave Maria Press. You can listen to Katie on Sirius Satellite Radio's Catholic Channel and her podcast, Ave Explores.

You can listen to their Family Mass Prep on the Hallow app.

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author Mary O'Regan to talk about one of the most incredible, influential, and mind-boggling saints out there, our very favourite, Padre Pio. 

Mary begins with her own amazing story of Padre Pio, a near-death experience, and some life-changing visions – and from there, it gets even weirder! 

Mary is a wonderful storyteller and brings to the fore the life and works of Padre Pio including his incredible ability to help convert souls to Catholicism, he extraordinary graces in the confessional, and what it means to be a "spiritual child" of the great Padre Pio – a saint who lived a miraculous life under the scrutiny of modern science!

For more from Mary check out her blog and get a copy of her book Padre Pio and You from Sofia Institute Press today!

Send your feedback to [email protected].

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.

If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.

Thank you to those already supporting the show!

Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,

A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic