The Simple Truth

2/11/25 - According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the observances of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 9) are an opportunity to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. Marriage expert Dr. Christine Bacon returns to the show to share valuable insights on the importance of reconciliation within marriage, offering advice for couples seeking healing and unity. Learn how to build a stronger, more loving relationship rooted in faith, forgiveness, and mutual respect, beginning with nurturing marital bonds and standing together in God's grace.

Learn more about Dr. Bacon's good work at https://www.drchristinebacon.com/

2/10/25 - Dr. Christine Bacon holds three degrees in communication. Her doctoral dissertation merged marital humor with her own experience and her desire to teach individuals and couples how to build and nurture what she calls Super marriages. She is the wife of a retired Navy officer and a former life-skills educator at the Navy's Fleet and Family Support Centers. Her expertise includes teaching couples and individuals to successfully manage conflict, anger and stress, and more than fourteen years' experience leading pre-marital seminars with Catholic Charities. Dr. Bacon also runs CMB Communication, Inc., which focuses on strengthening relationships (intimate, familial and professional) by teaching effective communication skills.

Her own marriage was so painful and troubled that Dr. Christine Bacon actually prayed for her husband to die. During a four-year separation and her husband's pursuit of reconciliation, she realized that reunification would mean changing everything: ineffective communication styles, bad habits, attitudes and levels of commitment. She vowed to herself that "this second time must be forever." Her personal trials, despair and fighting spirit fueled a new quest to discover the formula for extremely happy couples. Dr. Bacon interviewed nearly 100 Super Couples to discover whether extremely happy marriages were a matter of fate or formula. Did they get lucky, or was "super" something that could be learned? Her surprising findings inspired a turnaround in her now happy and fulfilling marriage and have led to the same for thousands of other couples. Readers who delve into The Super Couple will access this formula, glean fresh insights to the "six faulty assumptions" that often lead to marital failure, and embrace a practical and inspiring redefinition of love that will reinvigorate a tepid or troubled marriage and transform it to terrific.

Get the book and learn more about Dr. Bacon's good work at https://www.drchristinebacon.com/

2/7/25 - Donald Trump delivered a series of scorching remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in which he denounced anti-Christian bias and woke ideologies and encouraged Americans to "bring God back." Should we take this as a sign of hope that Trump may serve as America's new Lincoln and uphold the dignity of all human beings? We'll also discuss the latest updates on House Bill 1373 out of North Dakota which, if passed, would classify an embryo post-fertilization as a human being. Ironically, it seems that opposition to the bill is actually being led by "Catholics"! Is there Constitutional basis for such a bill to be implemented? Live Action's Josh Craddock thinks so! And, in other news, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is at odds with the state legislature regarding how to handle the immigration issue. It's been a jam packed news cycle this week and we'll unpack it all today!

2/6/25 - Dr. Francis Beckwith is Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies at Baylor University. Among his many books are The New Mormon Challenge and Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith, winner of the American Academy of Religion's 2016 Book Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion in the category of Constructive-Reflective Studies.

Catholics have done very little thinking about or interaction with the theological beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons). The Catholic Church has focused virtually all of its ecumenical efforts on the ecclesial communities that arose from the Reformation, the Orthodox Churches, and Judaism. Left out of these discussions has been the Mormon Church, even though it has grown to nearly 16 million members internationally by 2016 from its modest beginnings in 1830. In A Catholic Engagement with Latter-day Saints, a collection of Catholic scholars address several theological topics over which Mormons and Catholics hold contrary beliefs: the great apostasy, the papacy, the Eucharist, the Trinity, the incarnation, the nature of God, justification, sainthood, liturgy, and deification. The contributors, some of whom are converts to Catholicism from Mormonism, offer a respectful, though critical, analysis of LDS beliefs.

Get the book at https://ignatius.com/a-catholic-engagement-with-latter-day-saints-celdsp/

2/5/25 - We'll examine the life and legacy of Blessed Maria Bolognesi, an Italian laywoman known for her deep spirituality and mystical experiences. Born in 1924, Maria faced personal hardships and illness, which led her to a life of prayer, penance, and service. She experienced visions and locutions, offering her sufferings for the conversion of sinners and the healing of others. She also faced and overcame a long stretch of riveting demonic attacks. Despite her challenges, she remained devoted to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary. Beatified in 2021, her life is an inspiring example of faith, sacrifice, and the transformative power of surrendering to God's will.

2/4/25 - Kathryn Francisco is a woman born from donor conception who has done advocacy work sharing her story and supporting restorative reproductive medicine. She converted to Catholicism in 2015, thereafter serving six years as Operations Manager for CanaVox, the marriage and family project of the Witherspoon Institute, and three years for the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine as secretariat. She met her husband while living in NJ and now supports him full-time while raising their children in sunny Naples, FL.

3/3/25 - Licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist Dr. Sue Baars returns to the show to share her insights on understanding and processing emotions. We'll offer tools to help you release emotional blocks, cultivate inner peace, and embark on a journey of emotional healing. Whether you're navigating stress, grief, or anxiety, Dr. Baars' practical advice, rooted in Catholic teachings, will help us all to navigate life's challenges with compassion, hope, and the peace that comes from trusting in God's love and mercy.

To book a consultation with Dr. Sue Baars, please visit https://www.ihicounseling.com/

1/31/25 - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced attacks from Senate Democrats during his recent confirmation hearing regarding his changing stance on a number of topics, one of which is abortion. Jim and Father will recap RFK Jr.'s comments and how sincere they may be. Through a broader lens, we'll address the inconsistencies between proclaiming pro-life values and failing to uphold them in every aspect of life and challenge those who claim to be pro-life to examine their actions and beliefs more deeply, urging a consistent, compassionate, and holistic approach to the sanctity of life.

1/30/25 - Jesse Romero returns to continue our discussion on the dynamics of angels and demons, including the ways that the ongoing battle between the two plays a role in our spiritual lives and how we can best prepare ourselves for that battle.

Learn more about Jesse's work at jesseromero.com

1/29/25 - We dedicate today's show to the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, the patroness of Sudan and human trafficking survivors. Born into slavery in Sudan, St. Josephine endured unimaginable suffering before being liberated and eventually embracing the Catholic faith. As a member of the Canossian Daughters of Charity in Italy, she became a beacon of hope and compassion. Through her story of perseverance, forgiveness, and deep trust in God, St. Josephine reminds us of the dignity of every person and the power of God's love to heal even the deepest wounds. Tune in as we explore how her remarkable journey from slavery to sainthood continues to inspire and challenge us to live out our own faith with courage, humility, and fortitude.