Dr. Italy
In this brief video by Sherwood Fellows the key themes of Lent are explored - th...
In this 8 minute video, Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Ph.D. (Dr. Italy) shares so...
Saint Andrew of Crete on the nativity of Mary as a turning point between old and new covenant, the frontier where types and symbols give way to realit...
The parable of the merciless servant illustrates the meaning of "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," a petition i...
September 11th is the anniversary of one of most brutal acts of terrorism of all time. Three days later, on September 14, the Catholic and Eastern Or...
In this video, Dr. Italy discusses Augustine's fight against both Manicheans and Pelagians defending free will on the one hand and the utter necessity of grace on the other in light of original sin....
The Beheading and Martyrdom of John the Baptist is remembered on August 29. Saint Bede here emphasizes that John died for Christ since he was killed for speaking the truth and Christ is the truth. He who baptized Christ was baptized in his own blood,...
What does the term Tradition really mean? Is it opposed to the Bible? The sola scriptura principle of the Protestant Reformation assumed it was -- here we examine this assumption in the light of a few key scriptures....
Bernard of Clairvaux extols wisdom as a hidden treasure and prudence as honey which delights the heart. Bernard himself came to be known as the “Mellifluous Doctor,” meaning the one from whose lips the wisdom of God flowed like honey....
St. Pope Pius X on the psalms which play a central role in the continual sacrifice of praise which is the divine liturgy of the Church. Singing the psalms is the best way to praise and bless God due to their inspiration by the Holy...
Belief that God exists is not quite what Scripture means by faith. The faith spoken of by Jesus, Paul, and John is a gift that is like a spiritual muscle - to be strong, it must be exercised. To LISTEN to this post read by Dr....
A Saint's Advice to His Son St. Stephen of Hungary [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='65' color='' background_color='' border_color='']M[/dropcaps]y dearest son, if you desire to honour the royal crown, I advise, I counsel, I urge you above all things to maintain the Catholic and apostolic faith with such diligence and...
Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest, offered his life in exchange for the life of a family man doomed to execution by the Nazis at Auschwitz. The following excerpt from his writings contrasts religious indifferentism with the path of obedience to God's will and...
In this 15 minute podcast, Anna Mitchell, host of the Sonrise Morning show, asks Marcellino D'Ambrosio (aka "Dr. Italy") about the origins and meaning of the dogma and feast of the Assumption of Mary, celebrated since ancient times on August 15th by the Catholic Church...
Some do the minimum in order to survive. But we are called to seize every opportunity so we can truly thrive. Proverbs says Wisdom has set a table for us. Christ, Divine Wisdom incarnate, actually feeds us with two abundant tables - the feast of...
The Transfiguration of the Jesus at the summit of Mt. Tabor, remembered each year on August 6, is one of the pivotal events of the Lord's public ministry. The veil of the carpenter's humanity is pulled back for a moment and his divine nature...
Podcast discussing the beauty of Mount Tabor and the glory and meaning of the Transfiguration, a pivotal event in the life of Jesus that Catholics celebrate every August 6. 14 minute interview of Dr. Italy by Sonrise Morning Show radio host Anna Mitchell. The Transfiguration was...
Somehow, we can all relate to the discouragement and exhaustion of Elijah. So we need to learn from the solution proposed by God to revitalize and energize him for the long journey he needed to make and the important work he was going to do. ...
Luke's story of Mary and Martha of Bethany, sisters of Lazarus, teaches us about hospitality, service, action and contemplation, and distraction in pursuit of the Catholic Fullness....
Here, an early biographer tells the story of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola and what it taught him about the discernment of spirits. Ignatius is remember by the Catholic Church on July 31....
The only miracle recorded in all four gospels was the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Could this be to emphasize the central importance of the spiritual nutrition that Jesus, the Bread of Life, provides for us through the Eucharist? And could it be that...
St. John Damascene extolls Sts. Joachim & Ann, parents of Mary, grandparents of Jesus. They have been honored at least since the 2nd century and their feast is July 26. ...
In this 14 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses with Anna Mitchell the various misconceptions people have about Mary Magdalene, and corrects them based on the gospels. He also looks at the woman of Magdala in the wider context of Jesus' remarkable ministry to women, and...
The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four gospels. John calls it a sign, a symbolic event with many hidden meanings. It points beyond itself back to Old Testament persons and events and forward...
In this podcast, an excerpt from a radio interview, Dr. Italy discusses Mount Carmel, Elijah, and why Mary is known by the title Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the Northwestern part of what is now the state of Israel is a long ridge known as...
The story of the feeding of the 5,000 teaches us much about leadership in the Kingdom of God. The King is a shepherd who puts the sheep's needs before his own, and feeds them with truth, the nourishment they need most....
In this 40 minute podcast, Dr. Italy joins hosts Michael Gormley and Dave VanVickle on Ascension Media’s evangelization podcast show Every Knee Shall Bow, to discuss his new study series: What We Believe, the Beauty of the Catholic Faith. Sharing the Catholic Faith What do we believe...
Christianity is about receiving a free gift of salvation -- that's true. But it is also about passing it forward. But don't you need a degree and extensive training first? God doesn't so much call the equipped; he equips the called. We quickly move from...
The story of Doubting Thomas shows us that even apostles live, not by justice, but by Divine Mercy. That's why this story is always the subject of the gospel on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Octave of Easter....
If you dig deeply into the meaning of the fourth of July, you find that the entire American experiment is based on a single conviction -- that there is a law that is inscribed into the very nature of the human person, a law that...
The story about Jesus' disappointing reception in his hometown of Nazareth addresses a question asked by many - if God is omnipotent, can it be said that there are some miracles that he cannot perform? The surprising answer tells us a lot about unbelief, faith,...
On June 24, the Church observes a solemn feast in honor of the birth or nativity of John the Baptist. No other saint's birthday is celebrated with such solemnity. The unique role of the Forerunner, the Voice crying out in the Wilderness, in...
A 10 minute podcast discussing why the Church celebrates the birthday of John the Baptist as a Solemn Feast or Solemnity, an honor it accords to no other saint, even Mary, the Mother of Jesus....
Did Jesus really perform miracles & raise the daughter of Jairus from the dead? Deists, including several American founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson, said no, and their Enlightenment skepticism still influences us today...
St. Romuald was born in Ravenna, Italy in the middle of the tenth century. He was a mystic who led the life of a hermit, traveling through various regions seeking solitude and establishing small monasteries. Here St. Peter Damian gives us some insight into the...
Prayer written by Saint Thomas More while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, awaiting execution by King Henry VIII....
One of the most famous bible stories of all time is Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Mark, the evangelist, uses the story to ask the reader a question that elicits a clear answer on the identity of Christ. This approach is...
A podcast in which host Sonrise Morning show host Anna Mitchell asks Dr. Italy some interesting questions raised by the observance of Father's Day, whether it is still legitimate, in this day and age, to call God "Father." Isn't the "fatherhood" of God politically incorrect? Father's...
One of the Parables of the Kingdom of God is that of the tiny mustard seed that grows into the largest of shrubs. What can this parable mean for growth in our church today which appears to be contracting, not growing, at least in the...
[dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]he African martyrs add another page to the martyrology – the Church’s roll of honor – an occasion both of mourning and of joy. This is a page worthy in every way to be added to the annals of that Africa of...
7 minute podcast by Dr. Italy focusing on the true meaning of the Sacred Heart of Jesus based on the chief scriptural text connected with this feast and devotion. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be found throughout the ages but became particularly widespread...
Ambrose reflects on the Virgin Mary's Visitation of her cousin Elizabeth as recounted by the evangelist Luke in the first chapter of his Gospel. The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the second joyful mystery of the rosary....
Jesus did not arrive on the scene to patch up an old system. He is the bridegroom who turns water into wine and makes all things new....
The following is from a letter that St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) wrote to the religious sisters in the community she founded, the Missionaries of Charity. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']I[/dropcaps] worry some of you still have not really met Jesus—one-to-one— you and Jesus...
Bede the Venerable, one of the greatest Christian writers of the early Middle Ages, here reflects on the Magnificat, the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary proclaimed during her visitation of her cousin Elizabeth and sung every night in the Church's evening prayer, part of...
An explanation of the spiritual gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit and how they relate to Pentecost and the sacraments. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']O[/dropcaps]ne of the achievements of Vatican II was a renewed appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s activity in all aspects of Christian...
6 minute podcast in which Dr. Italy explains why Jesus called the Holy Spirit "the Promise of the Father" and how God's promises are fulfilled in the gift of Pentecost which is repeated in every baptism and confirmation. In the time of Jesus, people treasured all...
REDEMPTORIS MATER (Mary, Mother of the Redeemer) John Paul II Encyclical Letter of John Paul II on the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church promulgated on 25 March 1987 [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]he Mother of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Mater) has a precise...
6 minute podcast on the Ascension of Jesus Christ as the illustration of Jesus' words - he who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. Featuring Dr. Italy and Sonrise Morning show hostess Anna Mitchell. The place of the Ascension,...
Christ's Ascension represents his coronation as King inauguration of the Kingdom or Reign of God in the power of the Spirit....
14 minute podcast in which Dr. Italy discusses St. Joseph as an often overlooked hero of the Advent - Christmas story. He shows how St. Matthew's gospel presents him as a model of faith....
Some view the Catholic Church as multi-national corporation. If so, its DBA should be love unlimited. In contrast to ever natural love, the love that should categorize the life of the church is charity, agape, God's love which is, like God, universal, infinite, without limits...
Peter Damian on St. George. The veneration of Saint George, the courageous soldier of Christ and martyr, began as early as the fourth century at Lydda in Palestine, where a church was built in his honor. From antiquity this veneration has spread throughout both the...
7 minute podcast in which Dr. Italy describes the two major basilicas of Assisi which he visits on his Italy pilgrimage - San Francesco (St. Francis) and Santa Chiara (St. Clare). Image of the Basilica of San Francesco and the town of Assisi by Roberto Ferrari....
Saul of Tarsus the Pharisee to Paul, the apostle - both life and fruit were transformed. The story tells us where the bitter fruit of egoism and violence comes from, and how can it be changed into the fruit of the Spirit....
Gregory the Great here reflects on Jesus words in John 10 that he is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep....
A Prayer to the Good Shepherd [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='65' color='' background_color='' border_color='']W[/dropcaps]here are you pasturing your flock, O good Shepherd, who carry the whole flock on your shoulders? (For the whole of human nature is one sheep and you have lifted it onto your shoulders). Show...
The image of Jesus as the Good shepherd is a comforting one in the minds of many. But many of those who first heard Jesus describe himself in this way were deeply disturbed. For it seems that Jesus is setting himself up as only true...
APOSTOLIC LETTER DIES DOMINI OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY My esteemed Brothers in the Episcopate and the Priesthood, Dear Brothers and Sisters! [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='65' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]he Lord's Day — as Sunday was called from Apostolic...
Easter is not a day but a season: the octave which is eight days of high celebration beginning on Easter Sunday followed by 42 more days of rejoicing concluding on Pentecost. Here are some ideas for a fitting and fruitful celebration of the...
Divine Mercy Sunday or the Octave of Easter presents us with one of the most famous of gospel stories -- the story of Doubting Thomas. But it shows us how and when the sacrament of penance and reconciliation (aka "Confession") was instituted by the Lord...
Eight days after Easter, Thomas the Doubter has an encounter with the Risen Christ that makes him a believer and even more, an apostle or ambassador who will bring the gospel to an unbelieving world. That should give us hope that he will do...
"Exultet"is the opening word in Latin of The Easter Proclamation, an ancient hymn sung by the deacon over the Easter candle which is lit at the start of the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening which celebrates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The...
This excerpt on the Easter Alleluia from St. Augustine is a wonderful explanation of the joy of the Easter Season. Just as Lent was a season of penance, so the fifty days of Easter is a season of praise, an anticipation for the age to...
Good Friday is the day of the Crucifixion, Passion, and Death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cross was a terrorist weapon. In embracing it, was Jesus accepting defeat or pursuing a brilliant victory?...
The Creed proclaims "He descended into Hell". This homily for Holy Saturday from the 4th Century treats of the "harrowing of hell" and the rescue of Adam and Eve. This was a popular theme in early and medieval Christian poetry, liturgy and song....
The meaning of Easter is more than springtime and dyed eggs. The significance of Easter is that not only sin but death has been conquered by the risen Christ who foretold his own resurrection from the dead before he gave his life for us on...
Here Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem in the mid-4th century, urges catechumens to prepare themselves to receive the Holy Spirit at the Easter Vigil. He speaks of the sacrament of baptism in nuptial terms, describing it as a wedding feast at which the bridegroom will...
St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated on March 17 for fifteen hundred years since it is the day that Patrick, the missionary bishop who evangelized Ireland, passed from this world to eternity. This excerpt from his autobiographical work called the Confession makes clear that...
In this 6 minute radio interview with Anna Mitchell of the Sonrise Morning Show, Dr. Italy begins a discussion on the vast topic of how the Catholic Church built Western civilization. Starting with the indomitable missionary monks of Ireland, he illustrates how they not only...
As we approach Easter, the Church switches our focus from our Lenten sacrifices to a much more important sacrifice. It was motivated by a love stronger than death, a choice for fruitfulness over comfort and safety. Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground...
The gospel story of the raising of Lazarus found in John 11 shows us why Jesus can love some friends and disciples more than others, why death is not natural and beautiful, the difference between resurrection and resuscitation, and the deeper meaning of Jesus' miracles...
In this brief video by Sherwood Fellows the key themes of Lent are explored - the mystery of sin, temptation, and transformation through a journey into the desert, the way of repentance and prayer....
If God is a Father who loves the world so much, how can he possibly send people to hell? Jesus plainly gives us the answer to this question in perhaps the most famous worlds in the Bible....
The original meaning of Lent in the early Church and how Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman at the well can help us add another dimension to our understanding and experience of the Lenten Season. In the early days of the Church, Lent was...
In this 14 minute episode from the Sonrise Morning Show, host Anna Mitchell interviews Dr. Italy about how fasting fits into the Christian life in general and into Lenten penance in particular. "What are you giving up for Lent?" Lenten Fasting Fasting is what most people first think...
Religion is not supposed to be the opposite of spirituality. But sometimes religion becomes a cold routine, even a business. The Lord's cleansing of the Temple spells the end of business as usual. Our religion must be a matter of living faith, zeal and fidelity...
On the Second Sunday of Lent, the church places together the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah with the story of Jesus and three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. Together, these stories teach us the meaning of Lenten sacrifice....
This excerpt from St. Clement’s First Letter to the Corinthians on repentance, written around AD 95, urges us to repent, change our lives, seek God’s mercy & fix our attention on the blood of Jesus Christ. It is traditionally read on Ash Wednesday...
This 5 minute podcast from the Sonrise Morning Show discusses Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio’s book, 40 Days, 40 Ways: A New Look on Lent. The conversation between the author and Matt Swaim explores how this resource can give us a fresh perspective and new practical suggestions...
We begin the forty days of Lent with the memory of a previous 40 days when sin was cleansed from the face of the earth through a flood which spared only 8 people - Noah & his companions on the ark. This gives us a...
There is much more to Jesus' healing of the leper in Mark's gospel than first meets the eye. Hidden in the story are lessons on the role of suffering and how to respond to it in our lives and the lives of others....
In this 15 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses the meaning of the ancient feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the temple by Joseph and Mary. The righteous Israelite, Simeon, being advanced in years, rejoices to see the child he recognizes to be...