Twin Towers: Terrorism and the Power of the Cross – Podcast

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dr.Italy, in this 14 minute podcast with Anna Mitchell, remembers the tragedy of 9/11 and shows the connection between the horror of terrorism, illustrated by the destruction of the twin towers,  and the victory of the cross. 9/11 and...

08 September, 2024 /

Mother Teresa was a legend even in her lifetime. Quotes attributed to her and stories about her circulate constantly, some of them inaccurate and mistakenly attributed to her. We've tried to vet these quotes and stories to assure their authenticity....

01 September, 2024 /

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 reality. This reading shows that September 8th was celebrated as the birthday of Mary, daughter of Joachim and...

01 September, 2024 /

"Ephphatha!" The miracles of Jesus, particularly the story of Jesus' healing of the deaf - mute in the Gospel of Mark, raise a big questions -- did Jesus Christ truly work miracles and if so, was his motivation compassion or glory? For the 23rd Sunday...

01 September, 2024 /

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,...

25 August, 2024 /

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....

25 August, 2024 /

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....

18 August, 2024 /

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...

18 August, 2024 /

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....

18 August, 2024 /

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...

11 August, 2024 /

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...

11 August, 2024 /

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...

11 August, 2024 /

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...

11 August, 2024 /

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...

04 August, 2024 /

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. ...

04 August, 2024 /

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....

28 July, 2024 /

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....

28 July, 2024 /

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...

28 July, 2024 /

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...

21 July, 2024 /

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...

21 July, 2024 /

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...

14 July, 2024 /

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....

14 July, 2024 /

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...

07 July, 2024 /

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....

30 June, 2024 /

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,...

30 June, 2024 /

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...

23 June, 2024 /

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...

16 June, 2024 /

Prayer written by Saint Thomas More while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, awaiting execution by King Henry VIII....

16 June, 2024 /

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...

16 June, 2024 /

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...

09 June, 2024 /

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...

09 June, 2024 /

[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...

02 June, 2024 /

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...

02 June, 2024 /

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....

27 May, 2024 /

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....

24 May, 2024 /

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...

23 May, 2024 /

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...

12 May, 2024 /

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...

12 May, 2024 /

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...

05 May, 2024 /

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....

28 April, 2024 /

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...

28 April, 2024 /

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...

21 April, 2024 /

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...

14 April, 2024 /

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...

14 April, 2024 /

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...

07 April, 2024 /

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...

01 April, 2024 /

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...

01 April, 2024 /

"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...

30 March, 2024 /

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...

30 March, 2024 /

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?...

24 March, 2024 /

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....

24 March, 2024 /

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...

24 March, 2024 /

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...

17 March, 2024 /

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...

10 March, 2024 /

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...

10 March, 2024 /

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....

03 March, 2024 /

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...

25 February, 2024 /

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...

25 February, 2024 /

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...

25 February, 2024 /

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...

11 February, 2024 /

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...

11 February, 2024 /

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...

28 January, 2024 /

It's not just about being saved -- it's about taking others with us. Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is called evangelism or evangelization, and to share in this apostolic mission is a responsibility of all Christians. 5th Sunday Ordinary Time B....

28 January, 2024 /

Demons. Satan. Beelzebub. Lucifer. The Devil. Known by various names, evil spirits are to be found in the Bible, both New and Old Testaments. Jesus casts them out and has authority over them. What do we now make...

21 January, 2024 /

Saint Agnes was a young girl of only 12 years of age who was martyred in Rome during the latter half of the third century or at the beginning of the fourth century, during the fierce persecution of Diocletian. Pope Damasus (ca. 380) honored her...

14 January, 2024 /

There is a cost of discipleship -- Jesus sometimes calls us to leave behind professions, friends, even family. Does that mean that work and human relationships are at odds with growing in our relationship with God?...

14 January, 2024 /

Quodvultdeus on the story recounted in Matthew's gospel of innumerable babies in Bethlehem by Herod's soldiers in an attempt to kill Jesus, the newborn king. These children are considered martyrs and are remembered on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28, the 4th...

25 December, 2023 /

The biblical term "mystery" refers to a long thread running through history, hidden under ordinary faces and events.  It comes to a climax in an Angel's annunciation to a Virgin that puts together many biblical concepts -king, messiah, emmanuel, son of God - pondered on...

17 December, 2023 /

In this 14 minute podcast, Dr. Italy describes the town of Bethlehem and the field of the Shepherds at the time of the birth of Christ.  He helps bring the Christmas story alive as we hear of the little town that was the City of...

17 December, 2023 /

Here Ambrose speaks not of physical light, but rather notes how St. Lucy and other holy virgins light up their grace of body with the radiance and splendor of their souls. Read on the feast of Saint Lucy on December 13, in the season...

10 December, 2023 /

Christmas, at least in the USA, is hard to imagine without Jolly ole Saint Nicholas, aka "Santa Claus."  Since some focus on him to the neglect of the Christ child, some propose that he be banished from an authentically Christian celebration of Christ's birth.  We...

03 December, 2023 /

The Gospel of Luke presents Mary, mother of Jesus, as the model of faith, showing us what faith must include to be authentic and effective. And imitating Mary's virtue is key to an authentic Marian devotion....

03 December, 2023 /

Advent's theme can be summed up in the word's of Isaiah 40: Prepare the way of the Lord!  But what are the mountains that need to be leveled and the valleys that need to be filled in?  Here's a road map through the desert of...

03 December, 2023 /

Andrew, born at Bethsaida, was a disciple of John the Baptist before he left John to follow Jesus. The Gospel of John tells us that it was actually Andrew who brought his brother Peter to Christ. With Philip he presented the Gentiles to Christ and...

26 November, 2023 /

During a time when parties and endless carols dull our spiritual senses, the message of Advent urges to wake up and be alert and vigilant. Our society is asleep spiritually. Here are some ideas to rouse ourselves, our famlies and our neighbors to...

26 November, 2023 /

The Feast of Christ the King reminds us that Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Matthew 25 hints that the pious, decent folk may be in for a surprise . . . sins of omission, failing to love, may figure more prominently...

20 November, 2023 /

The Eucharist- Fruit of the Tree of Life St. Albert the Great [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']D[/dropcaps]o this in remembrance of me. Two things should be noted here. The first is the command that we should use this sacrament, which is indicated when he says: Do this....

12 November, 2023 /

Conrad of Marburg, spiritual director of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, here shares his recollections about how this noblewoman, a busy wife & mother, nonetheless carried out an extraordinary life of prayer and service to the poor....

12 November, 2023 /

A reflection about two passages from Scripture, Proverbs 31 and the parable of the talents from Matthew's Gospel, that demonstrate that faith entails the courage to take bold initiatives, to be creative, even entrepreneurial, to express our gratitude to God for all that He has...

12 November, 2023 /

The parable of the foolish virgins who let the oil in their lamps run out recalls the recurring nightmare that so many experience, of being caught totally unprepared for a test or presentation.  For the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A. To LISTEN to...

06 November, 2023 /

All Saints Day gives us the opportunity to honor and celebrate the multitudes of Christians who are in heaven yet who don't appear on the list of canonized saints or have a feast day in their honor. But it also provides us the chance...

29 October, 2023 /

How did the Pharisees, who were God's champions in the days of the Maccabees, become the villains who sought the death of God's son?  They were deformed by an insidious spiritual disease that is the deadliest of the seven deadly or capital sins - pride....

29 October, 2023 /

 A 15 minute podcast in which host Sonrise Morning show host Anna Mitchell asks Dr. Italy some interesting questions about the origin and meaning of Halloween, the popular US holiday occurring on October 31 which some believe to be of Satanic origin.  Halloween - Satanic Origins? In...

25 October, 2023 /

APOSTOLIC LETTER SALVIFICI DOLORIS OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF TO THE BISHOPS, TO THE PRIESTS, TO THE RELIGIOUS FAMILIES AND TO THE FAITHFUL OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING JOHN PAUL II In the Apostolic Letter "Salvifici Doloris," the Pope speaks as the Successor of Peter, summing up Scripture and Tradition...

22 October, 2023 /

St. Anthony Claret here writes about evangelization and the apostolic zeal characteristic of the missionary spirit.  He himself exemplified this in his own life, having founded a society of missionaries and serving as a zealous missionary bishop of Cuba....

22 October, 2023 /

When his enemies quiz him about what commandment is the greatest, Jesus reveals just how radical he really is.  His answer goes to the very root of every single one of the 613 commandments found in the law of the Old Testament - the distinct...

22 October, 2023 /

St. Teresa of Avila's comments on the Lord's Prayer, specifically, on the petitions "Hallowed be thy Name" and "Thy Kingdom Come." The excerpt is from her book The Way of Perfection....

15 October, 2023 /

When the Pharisees and the Herodians brought up the issue of paying taxes to the Emperor, Jesus uttered the famous line "render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.  So what does this say about the role of government in our...

15 October, 2023 /

Why would people decline a royal invitation to a wedding feast fit for a king?  This parable of Jesus describes a situation we see around us everyday - pervasive apathy in the face of the offer of salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of...

08 October, 2023 /

St. Bernard of Clairvaux on the respect and gratitude owed to our guardian angels to whom God has entrusted us as our protectors and teachers.   Angels as our Guardians and Teachers   [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']H[/dropcaps]e has given his angels charge over you to guard you...

01 October, 2023 /

The parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants or husbandmen is a warning to peoples and nations that no wall will protect a society that is abundantly blessed yet continues to bear bad fruit and sour grapes, refusing to give God his due. ...

01 October, 2023 /

The parable of the two Sons makes clear that saying yes to Jesus Christ is much more a matter of deeds and actions than words and promises. Talk is cheap but body language never lies....

24 September, 2023 /

The biblical approach to fraternal correction has nothing to do with the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. Rather, it is all about loving intervention. As Ezekiel was a watchman for the house of Israel, we are all watchmen for each other....

03 September, 2023 /

No sooner does Jesus praise Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi and dub him "the Rock" than he rebukes him as the devil or Satan. Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah. But his idea of what it meant to be the Christ...

27 August, 2023 /

Here Saint Louis, king of France, gives advice to his son as to how a Catholic statesman ought to conduct himself with relation to God, his subjects, and especially the poor. Read on August 25, the feast of St. Louis....

23 August, 2023 /

Saint Rose of Lima on the unfathomable treasure of divine grace which comes to us through afflictions, tribulations, and struggles.  Read on her feast day, August 23. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']O[/dropcaps]ur Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: “Let...

20 August, 2023 /

When we think about the Pope, we often think of the Vatican. But the roots of the Papacy are in the Old Testament as well as in the Gospel story of Jesus changing Simon's name to Peter and giving him the keys of the...

20 August, 2023 /

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary (called the Dormition in the Christian East) has been celebrated as a solemn feast on August 15 since ancient times. What is the meaning and basis of the dogma and the Solemnity?...

15 August, 2023 /

Jesus heals the daughter of the Canaanite woman because her faith was so great. He rebuked the disciples because their faith was too little. Matthew's gospel here is teaching us something very important about the nature of the faith that moves mountains....

13 August, 2023 /

Reflections on the life and work of St. Dominic, founder of the Friars Preachers or Dominicans, by some of his contemporaries and also Marcellino D'Ambrosio (Dr. Italy) for the feast of St. Dominic August 8th....

06 August, 2023 /

7 min podcast of Dr. Italy discussing the amazing story of Edith Stein, aka St. Benedicta of the Cross, philosopher, mystic, martyr. In this brief excerpt from the Sonrise Morning Show, Dr. Italy introduces listeners to the fascinating story of Edith Stein, born into an observant...

06 August, 2023 /

The gospel story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter sinking has much to teach us about the difference between fear, little faith, and the kind of trust that endures waves and storms, trials and crisis....

06 August, 2023 /

St. John Vianney, the humble and simple Cure of Ars, on the glorious duty of man to pray.  He sees prayer, as intimate union with God in love, as producing serenity and sweetness.  And such experience is available to all, including simple lay people. [dropcaps type='normal'...

02 August, 2023 /

John Chrysostom on James and John, the Sons of Zebedee, and their mother's famous request that her sons sit at Jesus' right and left in the kingdom. St. James was born at Bethsaida and was martyred by Herod around the year 42. He is...

23 July, 2023 /

Ambrose here provides a fascinating glimpse into the rites preceding baptism in 4th century Milan as well as into the adult catechesis (RCIA) of the early Church in which direct discussion of the sacraments, mystagogia, was given only after people had already received the sacraments...

16 July, 2023 /

In 2016, Pope Francis elevated the annual memorial of Mary Magdalene on July 22 to that of a Feast, the same status as celebrations of the apostles and evangelists.  In light of the fact that she announced the good news of the resurrection to the...

16 July, 2023 /

On October 24, 1964, in his Apostolic Letter, Pacius Nuntius, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Saint Benedict of Nursia, patriarch of western monasticism, the Principal Patron of Europe at Monte Cassino Abbey.  Here is an excerpt. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='65' color='' background_color='' border_color='']W[/dropcaps]hen the man of God was...

09 July, 2023 /

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus makes the statement "my yoke is easy, my burden light." For many of us who follow him, this does not seem to square with our experience. This post discusses the reasons for this....

02 July, 2023 /

In this 14 minute podcast, Sonrise Morning Show Host Matt Swaim discusses with Dr. Italy why St. Irenaeus (feast day June 28) was such a pivotal figure in the history of Christianity, truly a link between the apostles and the Church today. Dr. Italy and Matt...

25 June, 2023 /

On the Solemnity (Feast) of the apostles Peter & Paul, disciples & martyrs who said yes to Jesus' call "follow me," the patronal feast of the Church of the City of Rome, the apostolic see, June 29....

25 June, 2023 /

In this 14 minute podcast, Matt Swaim of the Sonrise Morning Show interviews Dr. Italy about St. Thomas More and his relevance for us today, in the struggles we face to maintain our integrity with courage in an increasingly hostile secular society. In the Roman liturgical...

18 June, 2023 /

The term "the New Evangelization" is repeated often in Catholic circles. But what precisely does this phrase refer to and what's "new" about this particular form of the preaching of the gospel?...

18 June, 2023 /

In this beautiful prayer, read by the Church each year on June 9, the feast of St. Ephrem, we see the sacraments as a reflection of the light of the resurrection, an experience of the divine beauty which brings us delight....

05 June, 2023 /
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