Catholic Theology Show

What deeply Christian truths are hidden in J.R.R. Tolkien’s most famous work? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Joseph Pearce, internationally acclaimed author and visiting professor at Ave Maria University, to talk about finding the profound Catholic themes in J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings while exploring issues such as divine providence, suffering, and original sin.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Professor Joseph Pearce and his work on his website  Read Joseph Pearce’s work on the Christian character of Frodo’s Journey

How does recovering a sense of the demonic help in appreciating the Good News of Christ? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Fr. David Tomaszycki, an Ave Maria University alumnus and priest from the Archdiocese of Detroit, to discuss his soon-to-be-published book which addresses “Fulton Sheen on the Demonic,” exploring themes such as the signs of the demonic and three weapons that can be used against them.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Discover more about the Missionaries of Charity and their life-changing work here

How does the work of evangelization lead to true joy? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, who was ordained in 1965 in Northeast India and is the recipient of a World Peace Award, to discuss his encounters with St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and how the Catholic Church evangelizes in today’s diverse global environment.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Discover more about the Missionaries of Charity and their life-changing work here

How does Exodus 90 help men escape their bonds and embrace true leadership? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Jared Staudt, AMU alumnus and Director of Content for Exodus 90, to talk about how Exodus 90 focuses on bringing men to freedom by means of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity, and how this process is sustained and nourished by the Eucharist.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University  website  Learn more about Dr. Jared Staudt and his work here  Check out the mission and success of Exodus 90

How should human beings love?  Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Catholic literature scholar Joseph Pearce discuss C.S. Lewis’s wonderfully insightful retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, Till We Have Faces. In this episode, they address how this novel both parallels C.S. Lewis’s The Four Loves and reveals the great complexity of loving as a human; how we must give in order to receive. Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website

How did G.K Chesterton help society grow in wonder and gratitude?  Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Fr. Joseph Fessio, Jesuit priest, founder and editor of Ignatius Press, and founding provost of Ave Maria University, discuss G.K. Chesterton’s remarkable book, The Everlasting Man. They explore how this book provides an incredible overview of human history, philosophy, and religion, and how they can be understood within the context of Christ.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Fr. Joseph Fessio and his work with Ignatius Press here

Who was Pope St. John Paul II and how did he reshape the world’s approach to the Catholic faith? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Patrick Novecosky, award-winning author of 100 Ways John Paul II Changed the World and founder of NovaMedia, to discuss some key aspects of Pope St. John Paul II’s remarkable biography and influential papacy, explaining the profound mark he left on the world. Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Patrick and his work here  Check out NovaMedia, a “marketing and communications firm that helps Catholic (and other) organizations” get their message heard/communicate their messages

What is Matrimony and why should it be protected as the primordial sacrament? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by John Clark, author, political speech writer, and columnist for the National Catholic Register, to discuss the importance of recognizing the sacramentality of marriage. They address themes such as the primary purpose of marriage, its indissolubility, and how it was instituted.   Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Check out John Clark’s articles on Catholic family life & apologetics here  Learn more about John’s newest book, Betrayed Without a Kiss, which “seeks to identify the critical marital problems impacting the Church” today

How can St. Thomas Aquinas’ carefully presented theological truths lead us to a place of personal intimacy with God? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Gregory Pine of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. and host of podcasts and classes on Aquinas 101 with the Thomistic Institute. They discuss why we should seek to learn about prayer and spiritual theology from Aquinas.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Fr. Gregory Pine and his work here  Check out Fr. Pine and Matt Fradd’s book on Marian Consecration with Aquinas

What does it mean to have good ethics and how should they guide our approach to business?Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Andrew Abela, professor of marketing and Dean of the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America, discuss the necessity of upholding ethics in the business world, explaining how this is only possible through the cultivation and practice of virtue.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Dr. Andrew Abela’s work

How does the book of Wisdom encourage us to unite humanity’s philosophical pursuit of wisdom with God’s revelation in history? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Mark Giszczak, professor of scripture and theology at the Augustine Institute, unpack the Wisdom of Solomon, while addressing related themes such as how Scripture should be approached according to the Second Vatican Council.   Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Explore the informative and approachable Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture  Read more about Dr. Mark Giszczak and his achievements here  Check out Dr. Mark’s new book on the Wisdom of Solomon  Learn more about the incredible work of the

Who was Fulton Sheen and how did he advocate for authentic freedom? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. James Patterson, professor of politics at Ave Maria University and scholar of Fulton Sheen, discuss Fulton Sheen’s seminal work, Freedom Under God, while exploring how Bishop Sheen was one of the most effective Catholic apologists in American history.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  [link to another video with Dr. Patterson/about Fulton Sheen]

How does the Book of Romans help us to understand the nature of our salvation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Daniel Lendman, assistant professor of theology at Ave Maria University, to discuss the book of Romans by St. Paul. Their conversation covers some of the deep theological themes of this book and why it has been the cause of ongoing controversy between Christians.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  From the Catholic Theology Show Archives: Made for Worship| Preparing for Holy Week with Dr. Daniel Lendman

How can we embrace the Christian call to mission in today’s world? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Catholic priest and founder of The Rescue Project, Fr. John Riccardo, to discuss the importance of making time to evangelize. Their conversation provides insight into how the Gospel addresses the crisis of loneliness sweeping the globe and what motivated Fr. Riccardo to begin his own journey of mission. Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about Fr. Riccardo’s Rescue Project  Check out another episode with Fr. Riccardo here

How has the Catholic “giant” of our time, Bishop Robert Barron, evangelized and catechized this generation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Matthew Levering, Catholic scholar and noted editor and author, sit down to discuss Dr. Levering’s new work on the theology of Bishop Robert Barron. They think about how Bishop Barron successfully reaches fallen away Catholics and students of theology alike and helps them to recover a profound confidence in the truths of their Catholic faith. Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Dive deeper with Dr. Matthew Levering’s work on Bishop Barron  Learn more about Bishop Robert Barron’s work as the founder of Word on Fire

How can creation be good when sin and evil exist? Today, Dr. Dauphinais and Catholic scholar Joseph Pearce discuss The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, hearkening to the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s call for a “catechesis on creation.” They unpack how the role of music in Middle Earth’s creation story grants insight into God’s continual work of unfolding the harmony of creation, inviting us to participate in it through our creativity, and providentially operating amid the discordance of evil.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Read the section on creation in the Catechism of the Catholic Church Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website Take Professor Pearce’s FREE short course on The Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien from

What is Catholic bioethics and how should it guide our approach to fertility and infertility? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a Catholic priest, neuroscientist, and writer, discuss the proper relationship between faith and science. They address themes such as whether the Church should be involved in scientific conversation, while focusing primarily on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and its challenging moral consequences.  Resources:  Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)  Ave Maria University website  Learn more about why IVF is wrong and other contemporary moral problems from Fr. Tad’s bioethics videos

What does it mean to perfect our love for God? In this episode, Dr. Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Rick Martignetti, Franciscan priest and director of campus ministry at Ave Maria University, to discuss his book Perfect Love, a collection of reflections on prayer inspired by Saint Bonaventure. Fr. Rick speaks about what the Seraphic Doctor can teach Christians today about prayer, contemplation, and love for God. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Perfect Love: Forty Stories and Reflections Inspired by Saint Bonaventure’s De Perfectione Vitae by Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM Hidden Beauty: Reflections on Saint Bonaventure’s Tree of Life by Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM

What truths about the world and human experience can short stories reveal? In today’s episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Catholic scholar Joseph Pearce look at Leaf by Niggle, J.R.R. Tolkien’s short story filled with profound themes of beauty, creativity, the gift of time, and the afterlife. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website Sign up for Professor Pearce’s FREE short course, The Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien, from The Pursuit of Wisdom by Ave Maria University

How does Christ work in the Church through the Sacraments? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais converses with Fr. Romanus Cessario, Adam Cardinal Maida professsor of Theology at Ave Maria University, about his latest book entitled The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Fr. Cessario looks at each of the seven sacraments, their reality and unchanging nature, and how they continue Christ’s saving work in the souls of men. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church by Fr. Romanus Cessario Related episode: The Sacraments | Friendship with Christ with Dr. Roger Nutt From the Catholic Theology Show archives: What is Truth? | Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas with Fr. Romanus Cessario

Are miracles likely and believable? In today’s episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Fr. Joseph Fessio, founder and editor of Ignatius Press and founding provost of Ave Maria University, unpack Miracles by C.S. Lewis. Their conversation provides insight into this challenging apologetic work which makes an argument for God's existence by discussing the wonders that God works and their place in the laws of nature.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Ignatius Press website Catch our previous episode with Fr. Fessio: G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy and God’s Creation

Can myths and fairy stories help us to better understand reality? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Catholic academic Joseph Pearce discuss J.R.R. Tolkien’s essay On Fairy Stories. Guided by Tolkien’s work, their conversation explores the rationality of story, the actual definition of myth, and the transformative effect that fairy worlds have on our hearts and minds. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website From the Catholic Theology Show archives: The Theology of Tolkien | The One Ring and Redemption with Joseph Pearce

God and His holy angels exist but so does Satan – how can this be? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Mark Miravalle, Chair of Mariology at Ave Maria University and Franciscan University of Steubenville, for a brief exploration of angelology. Their conversation clarifies what we can believe about angels and demons amid today’s confusing extremes of empiricism and the occult, and what authentic doctrine on the angels can teach us about the created order. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Catch the previous Catholic Theology Show episode with Dr. Miravalle: Why Do We Need Marian Consecration?

Is there a connection between perseverance on the playing field and in the spiritual life? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais shares a conversation with Alan Webb, Ave Maria University’s track & field coach and former American record holder for fastest mile. Drawing on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and of creation, Coach Webb shares how “the logic of sports is the logic of life” as we rely on Christ’s grace to strive towards discipline and excellence. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

Have we irrecoverably lost the true meanings of words and symbols? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Justin Bonanno, assistant professor of Communications at Ave Maria University, for a conversation about his new book, Walker Percy and the Crisis of Meaning. Dr. Bonanno shares how Percy’s creative and philosophical inquiry into the dilemmas of human existence intends to reestablish wonder by revivifying language and symbols. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Walker Percy and the Crisis of Meaning by Justin N. Bonanno Read the first 30 pages of Dr. Bonanno’s book on Google Books here

Is it possible to view suffering as a meaningful gift? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Fr. Joseph Lugalambi, adjunct professor of theology at Ave Maria University. Fr. Joseph explains how our bodies—which are made for a communion of persons—have the capacity to suffer in a way that elevates us to a mystical union with God. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Related episode: Is Theology of the Body Still Relevant? with Dr. Michael Waldstein From the Catholic Theology Show Archives: Love in Recovery | Healing Women from Sexual Addictions with Rachael Killackey

Why are the sacraments so prominent in Catholicism? Today, Dr. Roger Nutt, provost and professor of theology at Ave Maria University, returns to the show to converse with Dr. Dauphinais. Dr. Nutt elaborates on how the visible rites of the seven sacraments continually mediate Christ’s closeness and communion with us. In his book, General Principles of Sacramental Theology, Dr. Nutt delves into the seven sacraments as the divinely willed path to communion and friendship with God and humanity. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website General Principles of Sacramental Theology by Roger Nutt (Catholic Theology Show listeners receive 20% off at CUA press with code CT10) Listen to Dr. Nutt’s first episode on the Catholic Theology Show: Why the Church Needs Catholic Universities Episode 10 with Dr. Nutt: To Die Is Gain | All About Anointing of the Sick

Can natural reason show us the existence of God? Today, Dr. Dauphinais converses with Dr. Joseph Trabbic, professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University, to discuss Aquinas’s 5 ways and proofs for God’s existence. Together they show how faith, revelation, and natural reason strengthen our faith in God as Creator.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Read Dr. Joseph Trabbic’s articles on The Catholic World Report

How does Theology clarify God’s voice in revelation? Today, Dr. Dauphinais converses with Fr. Guy Mansini, Benedictine priest and Max Seckler Chair of Theology at Ave Maria University. Fr. Mansini discusses how the complicated relationship between faith and philosophy maintains the clarity and simplicity of theology. In his book, Fundamental Theology, Fr. Mansini expounds upon the voice of God, how man hears it, and how it influences his beliefs. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Fundamental Theology by Fr. Guy Mansini (Catholic Theology Show listeners receive 20% off at CUA press with code CT10) Catch our prior episode with Fr. Mansini: Episode 13 Why Should We Care About Ecclesiology?

If both men and women struggle with sexual sin, is healing possible? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Rachael Killackey, alumna of Ave Maria University, as well as founder and executive director of Magdala Ministries. Rachael speaks about a woman's ability to recover love and worth amid the shame and isolation of pornography addictions. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Learn more about Magdala Ministries Love in Recovery by Rachael Killackey From the Catholic Theology Show Archives: Is Theology of the Body Still Relevant? featuring Dr. Michael Waldstein

Can a Catholic education shape the secular political world? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco about the central pillars of a Catholic education, principles that lead to deeper communion among the faithful, and effect change in contemporary society.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Check out the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship

How can we live in a way that prepares us for death? In this seventh and final episode of the “Into Narnia with C. S. Lewis” miniseries, Dr. Dauphinais speaks about the theme of recovering moral wisdom in the modern age by looking at The Last Battle—the closing Narnia novel—and The Abolition of Man. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Catch the previous episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: The Magician’s Nephew and Strength in Suffering

Why does God allow us to suffer? In the sixth installment of “Into Narnia with C. S. Lewis,” Dr. Michael Dauphinais discusses The Magician’s Nephew and The Problem of Pain to explore the profound and perennial questions about finding God in our suffering.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Catch last week’s episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: Courage, Communication, The Horse, and His Boy

Can our pride prevent us from speaking the truth? In the fifth part of “Into Narnia with C. S. Lewis”, Dr. Dauphinais turns to The Horse and His Boy and the second half of Mere Christianity to discuss how the Christian faith provides a roadmap leading us out of prideful competition and into true communion with God. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Catch the previous episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: The Silver Chair and Seeing God

Do miracles conflict with human reason? In this fourth installment of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis,” Dr. Michael Dauphinais discusses The Silver Chair and Miracles, showing how human reason points to the marvels of God’s Divine Reason that disclose His goodness as Creator.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Listen to the previous episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: Desire, Glory, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Can we truly desire God, or does our worldliness limit us? In the third episode of the “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis” miniseries, Dr. Dauphinais speaks about The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the sermon “The Weight of Glory” to explore the true nature of the glory that we are meant to desire. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Listen to the first episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: Mere Christianity & The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe Listen to the second episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”: Courage in Prince Caspian

Why is courage necessary for all other virtues? In this second episode of the “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis” miniseries, Dr. Michael Dauphinais discusses the virtue of courage by looking in particular at Lewis’s Prince Caspian and The Funeral of a Great Myth. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Catch the first episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis,” a Catholic Theology Show miniseries: Mere Christianity & The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

What can C.S. Lewis show us about Christianity? In this first episode of “Into Narnia with C.S. Lewis”—a Catholic Theology Show miniseries—Dr. Dauphinais dives into The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity, exploring how Lewis uses both reason and imagination to impart Christian truth through two of his best-known works.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Listen to our past episode on Narnia with Professor Joseph Pearce! Further up and Further In | Discovering Narnia Another past episode on C.S. Lewis: Catholic Fantasy & the Importance of Storytelling | Tolkien, Chesterton, C.S. Lewis with Dr. John Jasso

Can we believe in the Big Bang Theory and God's Creation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Sister Mary Elizabeth Merriam, O.P., discuss how the union of faith and science reveals the intelligibility of creation, particularly in the Big Bang and its Catholic origins.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

Is St. Thomas Aquinas only for scholars? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Romanus Cessario, Adam Cardinal Maida Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to discuss insights on Saint Thomas Aquinas and how his thought pertains to all the faithful for salvation. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The Godly Image: Christian Satisfaction in Aquinas by Fr. Romanus Cessario Introduction to Moral Theology (Catholic Moral Thought) by Fr. Romanus Cessario Sanctifying Truth: Thomas Aquinas on Christian Holiness by Fr. Romanus Cessario

Just because we can, should we? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Diann Ecret, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Ave Maria University, to discuss Catholic Bioethics: what it is, how it came to be, why we need it, and how we can navigate 21st-century healthcare. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website National Catholic Bioethics Center NCBcenter.org

What's so special about classical education? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Robert Sirico, President Emeritus and Co-Founder of the Acton Institute, to discuss his work in Catholic classical education and the value it brings to our culture today.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website St. John Henry Newman Institute website Acton Institute website

Remembering Joseph Ratzinger. In a special memorial episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to talk about the legacy of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and their memories of him as a priest, archbishop, cardinal, and pope. Offering a map of his theological writings, Dr. Dauphinais and Dr. Nutt offer five key principles to understanding Pope Benedict's teaching that theology is primarily an encounter with the living God in the person of Jesus Christ: (1) by the Reason/Logos, (2) from the Bible, (3) through the Creed, (4) in the Liturgy, and (5) unto Heaven (as taught and lived by Ratzinger/Benedict XVI). Please join us in praying for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Previous Episode: To Die is Gain | All About Anointing of the Sick with Dr. Roger Nutt Previous Episode: Why Should We Care About Ecclesiology? with Fr. Guy Mansini Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi by Pope Benedict XVI

Is there still more to learn from St. Augustine? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. John Cavadini, Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, to talk about the life of St. Augustine and the contributions of his Confessions to the Catholic Church. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website

Why should we care about the history of the Church? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Guy Mansini, Max Seckler Chair of Theology at Ave Maria University, to discuss why we need the Church and the importance of ecclesiology. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website Ecclesiology (Sacra Doctrina) by Fr. Guy Mansini

Is Advent a time to rejoice or a time to fast? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Robert Garrity, Associate Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to talk about how we can prepare our hearts for the coming of Our Lord during Advent, and answer some listener questions about Christmas traditions. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website

How does Aquinas help us understand the Faith? In this special episode, Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, interviews our host Dr. Michael Dauphinais about the 20th Anniversary of his book, Knowing the Love of Christ: An Introduction to the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website Knowing the Love of Christ: An Introduction to the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas by Michael Dauphinais and Matthew Levering

What does it mean to die well? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, about his new book on Anointing of the Sick, and how we can see death as a gain instead of a loss. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website To Die Is Gain: A Theological (re-)Introduction to the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick for Clergy, Laity, Caregivers, and Everyone Else by Dr. Roger Nutt Previous Episode: Why the Church Needs Catholic Universities w/Dr. Roger Nutt

Is there a need to study motherhood as a science? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Janice Chik Breidenbach, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ave Maria University, talks about her Philosophy of Motherhood course at AMU, and what she's discovered through the study and practice of motherhood. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website

Was Fulton Sheen vital to the growth of American Catholicism? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. James Patterson, Chair and Associate Professor of Politics at Ave Maria University, to talk about his new book, which details the life of Bishop Fulton Sheen and the birth of Catholic media. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website Religion in the Public Square: Sheen, King, Falwell by Dr. James Patterson Hail Mary Lecture Series: "Taking Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Seriously"  Bishop Fulton J. Sheen: "Life is Worth Living" (All Episodes) Freedom Under God by Fulton J. Sheen Justice and Charity by Fulton J. Sheen The Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen The World's First Love by Fulton J. Sheen Three to Get Married by Fulton J. Sheen

Why is the Church so strict about sex and marriage? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Michael Waldstein, Professor of Theology at Franciscan University, to talk about his new book, answer questions about love and marriage, and explain why Pope St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body is so important. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website Glory of the Logos in the Flesh: Saint John Paul's Theology of the Body by Michael Waldstein

Does fantasy separate us from reality? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. John Jasso, Chair and Associate Professor of Communications and Literature at Ave Maria University, to discuss the importance of storytelling, using the examples of Catholic fantasy authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and G.K. Chesterton. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website VIDEO: "Chesterton, Tolkien, and the Rhetoric of Fairyland" by Dr. John Jasso

Why do we need religious liberty? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Louis Brown, Jr., Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, to talk about the importance of religious liberty and the freedom to love. *Note from the producers: We experienced some technical difficulties during the recording of this podcast; please forgive any dips in audio throughout this episode.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Christ Medicus Foundation Ave Maria University 2022 Convocation: Full Video Ave Maria University 2022 Convocation Keynote Speech by Louis Brown, Jr. Be Healed: A Guide to Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life by Bob Schuchts The John Paul II Healing Center Christ Medicus CURO Ave Maria University Website

Do we need to evangelize baptized Catholics? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Josh Canning, co-founder of U Evangelize, about what the new evangelization is, and how we can share the love of Christ in a practical way.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) U Evangelize website Ave Maria University Website

Can we share in the glory of God? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Dominic Verner, OP, to talk about how we can deepen our communion with God through the "Glory Be" prayer. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University Website

Can a university be authentically Catholic? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, about the importance of Catholic higher education.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ex Corde Ecclesiae "Way to Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy" by Karl Jaspers "Man’s Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl  Ave Maria University Website

Does Thomas Aquinas simplify scripture? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. John Boyle, Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, to talk about how St. Thomas Aquinas helps us understand scripture in a fuller way. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) The Order and Division of Divine Truth: St. Thomas Aquinas’ Scholastic Master of the Sacred Page The Holiness of God and the Mystery of the Eucharist (Aquinas Conference) Ave Maria University Website

How can we connect with Christ personally? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Mike Timmis, author and former chairman of Prison Fellowship International, to discuss how our calling to friendship—first with God and then with others—is the heart of Catholic evangelization. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The Journey to Ultimate Friendship by Mike Timmis

Why must higher education be dedicated to the truth of faith and revelation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais converses with Father Juan Vélez, a priest of the Opus Dei prelature and St. John Henry Newman scholar, to look at how Newman’s witness to reason and faith is instrumental for Catholic universities in society today. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website A Guide to John Henry Newman: His Life and Thought edited by Father Juan R. Vélez Passion for Truth: The Life of John Henry Newman by Father Juan R. Velez

How can we define femininity and masculinity in an age opposed to objectivity? In this episode, Dr. Dauphinais talks with Dr. Maria Fedoryka, associate professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University, to discuss the fundamental differences between man and woman from a philosophical perspective.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ in today’s world? In this episode, Dr. Dauphinais sits down with Fr. John Riccardo, priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit and founder of the Rescue Project, to discuss the necessity of embracing the Christian mission with intentionality and confidence.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

What can the writings of St. Augustine teach us about original sin and salvation? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Dr. Gerald Boersma, associate professor of theology at Ave Maria University, to discuss the critical importance of grace in the Christian life, according to St. Augustine’s most notable works. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

What does Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven show us today? Dr. Dauphinais converses with Dr. Deana Basile Kelly, professor of literature and Italian at Ave Maria University, to explore how the Divine Comedy invites us to turn toward God so we might one day see His light.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

How do we know Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais talks with Dr. Jeffrey Walkey, assistant professor of theology at Ave Maria University, to consider the nature of Christ’s Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament through the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

Why did Jesus institute the Eucharist? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais converses with Dr. Lawrence Feingold, professor of theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, exploring how the Eucharistic sacrifice is a profound gift of love from Christ the Bridegroom, inviting us to share His life of glory. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The Eucharist: Mystery of Presence, Sacrifice, and Communion by Lawrence Feingold

Is the most popular book of the 20th century a “fundamentally Catholic work”? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by acclaimed Catholic writer and scholar Joseph Pearce to discuss The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. During their conversation, Professor Pearce unlocks some of the profound meanings surrounding the characters, events, and themes in this monumental work.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Tolkien: Man and Myth: A Literary Life by Joseph Pearce Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website

Is devotion to Our Lady central to our relationship with Christ? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Mark Miravalle, Constance Schifflin Blum Chair of Mariology at Ave Maria University, to discuss how Mary's maternal intercession is essential for our redemption.  Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website For a non-Catholic perspective on Our Lady: Mary For Evangelicals by Tim Perry Meet Your Mother: A Brief Introduction to Mary by Dr. Mark Miravalle

Who is Jesus and what does He do for us? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Bruce Marshall, professor of Theology at Southern Methodist University, to discuss what it means to understand Jesus Christ as Lord and how His transformative work of redemption is central to this identity. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Thomas Aquinas and the Crisis of Christology edited by Michael Dauphinais, Andrew Hofer, and Roger W. Nutt; featuring an essay by Dr. Bruce D. Marshall (use code CT10 at the CUA store for podcast discount!)

What do we receive from the Eucharist? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais talks with author and theologian Father Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M. Cap., to look at how the Eucharistic gift of the Word Incarnate invites us to abide in Him fully and eternally.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Volume 1 of Jesus Becoming Jesus | A Theological Interpretation of the Synoptic Gospels by Fr. Thomas Weinandy (coupon code: CT10) Volume 2 of Jesus Becoming Jesus | A Theological Interpretation of the Gospel of John: Prologue and the Book of Signs by Fr. Thomas Weinandy (coupon code: CT10) Volume 3 of Jesus Becoming Jesus | A Theological Interpretation of the Gospel of John: The Book of Glory and the Passion and Resurrection Narratives by Fr. Thomas Weinandy (coupon code: CT10)

Is the Eucharist Biblical? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. John Bergsma, professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, to discuss the biblical basis of Eucharistic worship, particularly through an understanding of covenant and sacrifice. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website New Testament Basics for Catholics by Dr. John Bergsma Stunned by Scripture: How the Bible Made Me Catholic by Dr. John Bergsma

Can stories like the Chronicles of Narnia bring us closer to reality? Dr. Michael Dauphinais shares another conversation with acclaimed Catholic writer and scholar Joseph Pearce, this time to look at significant themes in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia within a larger discussion of how stories can bring our souls “further up and further in.” Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Purchase Joseph Pearce’s book Further Up & Further In: Understanding Narnia from TAN Books (receive 15% off with coupon code AVEMARIA15) Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website

How can the Church Fathers help us recover Eucharistic devotion? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes Msgr. Michael Heintz, academic dean at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to discuss the centrality of the Eucharist within the Catholic Faith, in light of the Early Church’s heritage. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The Catholic Theology Show’s episode on Benedict XVI: The Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

How can Holy Week bring us deeper into the Eucharistic liturgy? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Daniel Lendman, assistant professor of theology at Ave Maria University, to take a deep look at the liturgy of the Catholic Church and how the Paschal Triduum amplifies our call to worship. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website

Can Catholics embrace the Second Vatican Council? This week, Dr. Dauphinais is joined by Fr. Blake Britton, author at the Word on Fire Institute, to talk about Vatican II: what it says, what it means, and how it can help deepen our relationship with Christ. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Said, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church by Fr. Blake Britton Sacrosanctum Concilium: Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Vatican II

Looking for practical ways to study Theology daily? This week, Dr. Dauphinais welcomes Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P., professor of Systematic and Moral Theology at the Dominican House of Studies, to discuss why we should be studying God daily, providing practical guidance on where to begin and how to do it. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website St. Thomas Aquinas’s brief Letter to Brother John on How to Study Catechism of the Council of Trent (published under St. Pius V, 1566) Catechism of the Catholic Church (published under St. John Paul II, 1992)

What does Christ’s humanity teach us about ourselves? This week, Dr. Dauphinais is joined again by acclaimed Catholic writer and scholar Joseph Pearce to discuss one of G. K. Chesterton’s greatest works, The Everlasting Man. Together, they unpack how an understanding of Christ vitally illumines and fulfills mankind’s history. Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Previous episode: An Introduction to Chestertonian Theology with Joseph Pearce

Were Catholics included in the religious toleration of America’s founding? This week, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Michael Breidenbach, Associate Professor of History at Ave Maria University, to discuss religious freedom in early America, including several Catholics who were important to the nation’s political founding.    Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America by Michael Breidenbach

Can the mysteries of creation lead us closer to Christ? Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Fr. Joseph Fessio, founder of Ignatius Press and founding provost of Ave Maria University, about the value of G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy, exploring how he defends the goodness of existence.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Books by G.K. Chesterton on Ignatius Press Previous episode: An Introduction to Chestertonian Theology with Joseph Pearce

Since God alone is holy, can we be holy as well? This week, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Scott Hahn, president and founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, to look at how Scripture expresses God’s holiness and our own call to share in this mystery.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology website Holy Is His Name: The Transforming Power of God’s Holiness in Scripture by Scott Hahn

What makes G.K. Chesterton so compelling? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with acclaimed Catholic writer and scholar Joseph Pearce to hear his insights on Chestertonian wisdom, wit, and worldview. They discuss Pearce’s own conversion and briefly unpack The Man Who Was Thursday, along with Chesterton's other notable works.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton by Joseph Pearce

Why build a curriculum around theology? Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes Dr. William Riordan, Professor Emeritus of Theology at Ave Maria University, to share his involvement in the founding of AMU and the development of authentic, integral, and formative Catholic higher education.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website Divine Light: The Theology of Denys The Areopagite by William Riordan The Mystical Theology by Dionysius the Areopagite translated by William Riordan

What do the humanities have to do with holiness? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Travis Curtright, chair of the Humanities Department at Ave Maria University, to discuss what we can learn from St. Thomas More about education, prayer, and closeness to Christ in suffering.   Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) Ave Maria University website The One Thomas More by Travis Curtright The Sadness of Christ by Thomas More A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation by Thomas More Utopia by Thomas More (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Yale’s Essential Works of Thomas More edited by Gerard Wegemer and Stephen Smith Center for Thomas More Studies website Moreana: Thomas More and Renaissance Studies Journal