The Cordial Catholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic convert Mike Sharp to tell the incredible conversion journey him and his wife experienced – culminating in their decision to join the Catholic Church!Mike's journey touches on so many interesting points like the insufficiency of Sola Scriptura, the Early Church and apostolic succession, the liturgy, the Eucharist, confession, authority, and so much more. You name it, Mike wrestled with it, and his thoughtful, deeply spiritual engagement with all of these topics makes this one of the best conversion stories out there. Mike absolutely nails it and by the grace of God has come through this amazing experience with a great story to tell. I think you're going to love it. For more from Mike visit his website and check out his podcast, Sharpened Iron, everywhere you find podcasts.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by the incredible Mike Aquilina, church historian extraordinaire, to talk about the African roots of the Catholic Church. Mike unpacks some of the interesting – and surprising – roots of things we take for granted in Catholic Christianity: the liturgy, the Latin language, some of our most important developments of doctrine and dogma and, of course, some of the most important thinkers in Early Christianity. Mike has a great take on Church history, great insights, and great stories to well. I hope you enjoy it!For more from Mike check out his latest book Africa and the Early Church: The Almost-Forgotten Roots of Catholic Christianity. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Lauren Bacon. Lauren is an "expected Catholic convert" and the wife of John Bacon, a former Anglican priest, and a previous guest on this show. John's own story featuring exorcisms, a friendship with Dr. David Anders, miracles, and the Early Church – and, this week, we hear it from his spouse's perspective!Lauren joins us to tell her own unique conversion story and walks us through what it was like to meet someone destined for ministry, ordained an Anglican priest, only to have God take their relationship with Himself and with one another in a completely different direction. It's a story about faithfulness, trusting God, and thirsting after the Truth! With lots of twists, turns, and miracles along the way. It's a great conversation.To listen to her husband John Bacon's episode look for Episode 167: An Anglican Priest Encounters Catholicism (w/ John Bacon) on your favourite podcasting app.For more from Lauren check out her Instagram page.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Shannon Wimp Schmidt, Parish Vitality Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Chicago, to talk about the Catholic parish. What exactly should we expect from a Catholic parish?  How does it compare to an Evangelical church? How can we get more involved? What if nothing is happening in our parish – is it OK to go somewhere else? These questions, and many more, are answered this week as Shannon joins me for an honest, sometimes spicy, chat about what's going on at the grassroots level in the Catholic Church. You don't want to miss this!For more from Shannon, check out her podcast Plaid Skirts & Basic Black everywhere podcasts are found and. her fantastic book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin's: A Black Catholic Celebration of Faith, Tradition, and Diversity. For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests! To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined  by David Patterson from Yes Catholic to talk about his own incredible journey out of, and then back into, the Catholic faith – thanks to some amazing miracles, plenty of grace, and some incredible moments of divine providence! Then we dig into what it means to say "Yes" to Christ and His Church, the beauty of being Catholic, the Eucharist, confession, and so many incredible stories of grace that David has encountered in his life and the stories he's heard. It's an awesome episode! For more from David visit his website and follow Yes Catholic on Instagram.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined  Heidi Witte, aka Miss Heidi, from Children's Liturgy of the Word, to talk about just about everything to do with raising our kids Catholic. For this listener-requested topic, we tackle bringing kids to Mass, passing on the faith, creating a domestic church within our homes, celebrating the liturgical calendar and feast days, praying as a family, and a whole bunch of other incredible insights, ideas, and tools for not only making the Mass meaningful but for helping us to raise our kids Catholic.Heidi is an educator, a mom, a speaker, and an bonafide expert on making the Catholic faith intelligible and meaningful for children. She has a lot to share. For more from Heidi check out her Linktree. And, for a huge list of resources Heidi has generously compiled for our listeners click here.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by the Marlene Watkins, founder of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers, to talk about Lourdes: the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to a poor French peasant girl, the miracles that followed, and, incredibly, the mind-blowing miracles that science and medicine cannot prove which are still happening today! This episode is truly one of my favourites. Marlene shares her experience with leading over 200 pilgrimages, bringing thousands of pilgrims to this incredible holy site, and some of the amazing miracles experienced there. On my own personal journey into Catholicism, miracles surrounding the Virgin Mary left me confused. After all, if Mary was just a simple girl, just a means for Jesus to be born on Earth, then how could she possibly "perform miracles"? It never made sense to me as an Evangelical. Stories like these, of incredible miracles as a result of the prayers of Mary, shook my faith!If that's you, on the journey, maybe they'll shake yours too! For more from Marlene Watkins check out her book Everyday Miracles of Lourdes and visit Lourdes Volunteers to find out more about how you can get involved.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Matthew Breuninger, clinical psychologist and associate professor of Psychology at Franciscan University of Steubenville to talk about finding freedom from our wounds in Christ and the Catholic Church. We talk about the healing power of the sacraments, how to begin letting go of what we put in the way of true healing and freedom and, practically, how we can get out of the way and let God do His thing. This was such a fun and joyful conversation and I really hope you enjoy it! For more from Dr. Breuninger check out Finding Freedom in Christ: Healing Life's Hurts from the St. Paul Center and Emmaus Road Publishing.Also, check out Dr. Breuninger on Twitter, his YouTube channel, and if you're interested you can join him on pilgrimage too.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Justus Hunter, a Methodist seminary professor, church historian, and theologian to unpack his family's remarkable story of Catholic conversion. From an "all in for Jesus" faith background, Justus and his wife, both devout and deeply connected Christians, began to find themselves attracted to the Catholic faith and, following an incredible journey eventually became Catholic.Justus spins a fantastic tale this week full of ups and downs, miracles, incredible insights, and a healthy dose of Holy Spirit connections to explain what drew his wife, himself, and their family out of a faith tradition they loved into Catholicism – a decision which could've easily cost Justus his job, their livelihood, and their faith support network. It's a great conversation!To find and follow Justus Hunter check out his faculty page at United Theological Seminary and his Twitter account.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester to talk about some of the pitfalls new Catholic converts may experience on their journey. Keith is a former Protestant pastor (with 20+ years in ministry), a Catholic convert himself, the author of some fantastic books, and the host of a popular YouTube channel – and he knows a thing or two about this topic! We talk about bad liturgy, bringing kids to Mass, a loss of programs, events, and a sense of community we once had in our Evangelicals churches, sermons and homilies, music in the Mass – and much, much more. This episode is all about being guide for those looking into the Church – a kind of peek into what you may encounter – what we encountered – that wasn't always exactly what we expected. It's an honest, earnest conversation about how, sometimes, our expectations weren't exactly met – and how maybe those expectations weren't the best anyway. Plus much more.For more from Keith please check out our extensive back catalogue – he's appeared may times – and find him online on his website and YouTube channel. Also, check out the Rosary Crew where Keith and his community pray the rosary every single day (for over 1,000 days and counting). Not bad for a Protestant pastor.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by one of my favourite people to talk to Erick Ybarra. Erick is a former Reformed Baptist who became Anglican in his search for an authoritative, apostolic Church but didn't stop there. After carefully examining Catholic vs. Orthodox claims Erick eventually became Catholic – although continued his long and exhaustive search of Scriptures and Church History to be able to fully defend his decision. Erick's search, and his extensive research into the papacy, is recorded in his new book The Papacy: Revisiting the Debate Between Catholics and Orthodox.Erick joins us this week to unpack the history of the papacy from Scripture and throughout Church history; tackling subjects like development of the papacy, papal infallibility, objections to Catholic claims, and more. To read more from Erick check out his popular blog and check out some of his other amazing books, too. Erick shared his conversion story on this podcast on Episode 144: Where is the True Church?Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by the show's most requested guest Keith from Grassroot Catholic. Keith has a popular Instagram and YouTube channel where he unpacks beautiful, sometimes forgotten practices from the Catholic faith, encourages reverence, and shares awesome insights as someone trying to earnestly live the Catholic life and pursuit Christ. Keith is an awesome guy – of course he is, he's a Keith – and this is a wonderful conversation about how we can be more reverent as Catholic even when those around us don't seem to get it. We tackle the Mass, the Eucharist, Adoration, Confession, guitars, bad worship songs from the 90's, and that time I heard about a water gun fight during a Baptism. It's all in here, and it's all awesome. For more from Keith check him out on YouTube and Instagram.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by Patrick Callahan, Director of the Newman Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We talk about the Catholic experience on college campuses and dig into some of this wisdom Patrick's gleaned over years of working with Catholics on campus. We chat about how Catholics often come to college (inoculated against learning more about the Catholic faith), how to meet them and engage them, how relationships trump programs, and how introducing Catholics to a mindset of wonder, curiosity, and the great books can help to draw them into a deeper, more meaningful Catholic faith in those crucial college years. It's an incredible conversation. For more from Patrick and the Newman Institute check out their website.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Michael Foley, renown author, professor of theology, and one of the best storytellers out there to explain some of the incredibly weird and terribly wonderful Christian roots of our favourite Christmas traditions. Dr. Foley unpacks the dating of Christmas, the roots of Santa Claus, the incredibly weird world of "Mutant Christmas Saints," and much, much more as we sit down for a glass of egg nog and stir up some Christmas cheer. Listen, enjoy, and impress your family around the Christmas table with the most incredibly strange facts about the origin of the Christmas traditions we know and love. I guarantee you you'll learn something new – and have a ton of fun listening! To find more from Dr. Foley check out his website. And find his latest book "Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe" from Regency Press and everywhere books are found.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by author, speaker, and all-around awesome guy Mike Pacer to talk about Advent. What is Advent? How can we best approach Advent? What are some Advent traditions, liturgies, and activities to try for single people and for families? Mike draws on the beautiful history of his Catholic upbringing to share some incredible insights into Advent specifically for new Catholics and non-Catholics looking to understand this ancient Christian tradition. For more from Mike check out Cedar House, an online Catholic marketplace where you can find his book and much, much more.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Randall B. Smith, theologian, professor, and a Catholic convert himself, to talk about the wonderfully uplifting subject of death, dying, and the afterlife. Actually, we have a great time. Randall has some incredible insights in these areas and draws on history, experience, and the wisdom of the Church to help shape our understanding of how to think about, talk about, and evangelize around these difficult and strange subjects. It's a great conversation about an uncomfortable topic! For more from Randall check out his website. You can also find Randall's writing over at The Catholic Thing.Look for his book, From Here to Eternity, from Emmaus Road Publishing and available everywhere.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Eddie Trask, host of the Catholic Re.Con. YouTube channel, to discuss his incredibly intense and interesting journey back to the Catholic Church as a "revert" to the faith. Eddie's story is a wild one with many ups and downs and a journey which led him, a baptized Catholic, into non-denominational Protestant Christianity where he and his wife – a former Seventh Day Adventist – found a spiritual home. But mixed messages from the pulpit, confusion around biblical interpretation, and Eddie's research into Early Christianity slowly began to poke holes in Eddie's Christian worldview. When he began exploring the Catholicism of his childhood in earnest he discovered much that he never even knew. It's a fascinating story. Not to mention Eddie's incredible experience of confession after leading a double-life – it's intense! For more from Eddie, visit his website. Also check out his YouTube channel Catholic Re.Con. for some seriously great content.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by one of our favourite guests of all time, Dr. Douglas Beaumont, to talk about Evangelical Christian conversions to Catholicism. Doug is a convert himself and a former student, then instructor, at Southern Evangelical Seminary where he worked, as a graduate student, under the late Evangelical theologian Dr. Norman Geisler. Dr. Beaumont tells the story of his own conversion – borne out of looking into the Bible's origins and authority – and the how, why's, and when's of other Evangelical Christians and their conversions to Catholicism.Doug was the very first guest on the podcast nearly four years ago and he's always a welcome visitor – his insights in this episode, as always, are incredible. To find more from Dr. Beaumount visit his website and check out his fantastic YouTube channel as well.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Morgan K. Blair, an evangelical, episcopal convert to the Catholic faith. Morgan tells her story of what happened when an author she respected and followed and then a good friend of hers became Catholic and how it catapulted her into her own journey. Morgan explains how she met Catholics online who walked with her, how she left behind progressive Christians views for the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, and the incredible graces, blessings, and life-changing events which have followed. To follow Morgan, find her on Twitter.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by speaker, author, and accomplished Catholic Answers apologist Karlo Broussard to talk about anticipating and responding to Protestant objections to Catholic ideas. It's all about knowing the Catholic faith and how to respond under pressure – and it's a great conversation. Karlo is a great guy and a perfect fit for the goal of this show which is to cordially explain the Catholic faith. Karlo has made a career out of building up the best arguments against the Catholic faith and, in charity, showing why they're completely wrong! For more from Karlo check out Catholic Answers and his website. His book, Meeting the Protestant Response is available everywhere.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, filmmaker, and Catholic convert Don Johnson to talk about his experience with Sola Scriptura – "Bible alone" Christianity – and how, he finds, it's not only utterly broken but utterly breaking the larger Christian church, the witness of Christianity, and the ability of Christians to stand up for Christian beliefs with a united front. Drawing on examples from slavery, the sexual revolution, and more, Don lays out a concrete case for the destructive nature of the principle of Sola Scriptura – and a pathway forward.For more from Don check out his website where you can stream his films and buy his books.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by YouTube sensation Mike Wilson from The Popish Plot to tell the incredible story of how an encounter with a well-meaning Evangelical Christian – and his pastor – led Mike to look deeper into his own Catholic faith, to double down on the ancient creeds, and to become serious about following the practice of his Catholic faith. It's an amazing story which begins with a question about salvation and baptism but doesn't end there. You're going to love our conversation!For more from Mike you can follow him on Twitter and find The Popish Plot on podcast and on their YouTube channel which you absolutely must check out.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Abigail Favale, one of the foremost Catholic thinkers on the topics of gender and sexuality, to give us the straight goods on what the Catholic Church believes about gender. We've tried our best to strip away ideology, prejudice, and commentary and dig into what we mean by gender, how it's understood by others, and what the Catholic Church presents for us to believe, and follow, as practising Catholic Christians. It's one heck of a conversation and I'm grateful to Abigail for coming (back!) on the show to have it. For more from Dr. Favale check out her fantastic book The Genesis of Gender and her conversion story Into the Deep. You can also find her writing for Notre Dame's Church Life Journal.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Jack Morgan from the What Is Truth podcast, a non-denominational, evangelical convert to the Catholic faith who shares his journey – and his absolutely contagious excitement about being Catholic! We talk about the Old Testament studies, the Early Church, questioning authority, Mary, the Magisterium, and how an incredibly devout, reasonable, Bible-loving, Christ-centred Christian would ever think about becoming Catholic. Jack's story is a great one – and one for the record books. I think you'll love it! For more from Jack, check out the What is Truth podcast, available everywhere and take a lot at the incredible apostolate Jack works with Seton Teaching Fellows.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester, a former Protestant pastor, to unpack the rosary. What exactly do we do when we're praying the rosary? How do we pray it more fruitfully and more authentically? How can we avoid the trap of "vain repetition" that Protestants often accuse Catholics of. And more. Keith explains how the rosary is a Bible study, a sermon series, and a recounting of the life of Christ that we can enter into again and again, each time discovering new fruits from God.Keith Nester is a former Protestant pastor – he spent over 20 years in ministry before converting to Catholicism. Keith is the host of the Catholic Feedback podcast and has an incredibly popular YouTube channel (that I'm sure you've already heard of). You can find the Rosary Crew on YouTube, too.To check out Keith's book, Unpacking the Mysteries of the Rosary visit his website. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Levi Sikes, the musical genius behind Former Ruins, to talk about his journey into Catholicism. What drew Levi out of his Evangelical Christian tradition, what drew him into Catholicism, and what continues to draw him in, evermore. And, as a musician, how Levi strives to bridge this gap, to explain and wrestle with his own paradigm shift, and to speak into a place of the deep faith and longing felt by others on journeys similar to his.It's an amazing interview!For more from Levi check out the Formers Ruins website, on Bandcamp, and everywhere streaming music is found! You won't be disappointed.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Sister Orianne Pietra René from the Daughters of St. Paul to talk about the story of her deep conversion to Catholicism – out of a very interesting mixed-religious household – and the call to her vocation as a religious sister, living out her life in the service of Christ and the Church. It's a fascinating look at how God calls someone to deeper and deeper conversion – like St. Paul, of course – and how to listen for and answer that call. And some really fascinating stories along the way. So grateful to be able to talk with Sr. Orianne and I hope you enjoy this episode!For more from the Daughters of St. Paul check out their website and find one of their bookstores around the world.You an also follow Sr. Orianne on Instagram where she's always sharing incredible content.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Robert LeBlanc, co-host of the Pints and Pews Podcast, author, and speaker – and a guy who was born in the same hometown as me! Our conversation this week revolves around that idea: what it's like to be grow up Catholic (for Robert) and Evangelical (for me) in the same small-ish town. Robert shares some incredible stories of his own upbringing from how he inherited and experience the faith of his parents, his peers, and the Catholic Church of his time. I share some of my own thoughts and impressions of the Catholics I knew and experienced and my perspective on Catholicism as an Evangelical – a convert to the faith at age 15. I had this idea for a conversation like this ever since Robert invited me on his podcast and we realized that we both grew up in the same small-ish town. I had no idea how the conversation would go but, as it turns out, it was amazing. I hope you enjoy it. For more from Robert check out the Pints and Pews podcast everywhere podcasts are found and check out his books from Justin Press.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the one and only Melissa Presser to talk about her amazing journey into Catholicism. Raised culturally Jewish, Melissa had an incredible encounter with God which led her to become a devout practitioner of her Jewish faith. Through trauma and abuse Melissa continued to practice and deepen her faith eventually being led by the Holy Spirit into Protestant Christianity and, through some incredible encounters (including St. Edith Stein!), finally home into the Catholic Church. Melissa's journey is great and she's a wonderful storyteller. To find out more about Melissa and her work check out her website and make sure to read her work over on Missio Dei as well.Melissa also asked to include these additional thoughts in our show notes.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this REPLAY episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the incredible Father Mauro Gagliardi, STD, Catholic theologian, to talk about Mary. Fr. Gagliardi is the author of an enormous 1,000 page book on Catholic Dogmatic Theology and, within the context of this massive work, we're talking about his chapter on Mary. It's an absolutely fascinating discussion. We talk about Mary's role in salvation history, the importance of her "yes" to God, her role as Mother of God, and the various Marian dogmas like the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption. It's a great talk to help underscore exactly why Catholics make such a big deal about Mary – and her role in the Catholic Church today, which is always pointing back to Christ. For more from Fr. Gagliardi, check out his incredible book Truth is a Synthesis: Catholic Dogmatic Theology from Emmaus Academic.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our weekly newsletter for my reflections on each episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests! To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Crown & CrozierLeading thinkers explore the church/state relationship and living as faithful citizensListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySubscribe to the Bible Car Quiz wherever you find this podcast!Visit Bible Car Quiz for more information.  This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic