Catholic Theology Show

Whether you are starting your career, a CEO, or a college student, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes Jeff Schiefelbein, Managing Partner of Undivided Life, to explore the Catholic theology of work as a true vocation. Drawing on the Pontifical document The Vocation of the Business Leader (“the bane of man’s existence is the divided life”), Vatican II’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens, and St. Josemaría Escrivá’s call to sanctify ordinary labor, they present work as co-creation with God—neither ruthless nor monastic, but permeated with Christian generosity. Key themes include: subsidiarity as the path to agency, mastery, and human formation (in business and family); pitfalls like fear-driven centralization, judgmental language, passive conformity (“going along to get along”), and inadequate miscarriage bereavement policies; remedies through neutral outcome-focused feedback, bold faith witness, and explicit recognition of every child lost to miscarriage as a profound grief deserving mercy and support. A highlight is Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, a thriving pro-life enterprise providing dignified, challenging employment to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities—demonstrating that businesses can do both good and well. Resources: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Elimination-Hurry-Emotional-Spiritually/dp/0525653090 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/schiefelbein_storytelling-leadership-keynotespeaker-activity-7135620927144300544-Cy5t?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.undivided.life/ Catholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Dr. Carrie Gress, author of The End of Woman: How Smashing the Patriarchy Has Destroyed Us. The conversation explores the historical, philosophical, and theological roots of modern feminism and its cultural impact.Dr. Gress reflects on her academic journey in philosophy and explains how her research led her to examine the intellectual foundations of feminist thought. The discussion traces early feminist figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft and her work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, highlighting key themes related to the redefinition of womanhood. The conversation then turns to second-wave feminism, including the influence of Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique, as well as Simone de Beauvoir and The Second Sex. Dr. Gress discusses how certain feminist movements intersected with broader political ideologies and how these developments shaped contemporary understandings of sex, family, and social roles.Throughout the episode, Dr. Dauphinais and Dr. Gress examine questions of patriarchy, vulnerability, motherhood, and the cultural transformation of the home. They consider the theological vision of complementarity between men and women and reflect on how Christian tradition understands authority, family life, and human flourishing. The conversation also addresses practical concerns, including the challenges faced by women today, the role of fear and autonomy in modern culture, and the call to fruitfulness in different states of life.The episode concludes with personal reflections from Dr. Gress on her recent reading, spiritual practices, and insights about God’s love, offering listeners both intellectual analysis and spiritual encouragement.Resources:Dr. Carrie Gress Books:The End of Woman: How Smashing the Patriarchy Has Destroyed Us — available on the Theology of Home store: https://theologyofhome.com/products/the-end-of-woman?utm_source=chatgpt.com The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing the Culture from Toxic Femininity — available on the Theology of Home store: https://theologyofhome.com/products/the-anti-mary-exposed-rescuing-the-culture-from-toxic-femininity?utm_source=chatgpt.comThe Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis — available from TAN Books: https://tanbooks.com/products/books/the-marian-option/?utm_source=chatgpt.comWebsite: https://www.carriegress.com/books/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Catholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Christopher Kaczor, Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, Honorary Professor of the Renewal of Catholic Life at the Word on Fire Institute, and President of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, on his recent publication Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C.S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson (Ave Maria Press, 2025).The discussion explores Aquinas' preambles of faith, including per se causality (illustrated through atmospheric pressure and ongoing creation), and the mysteries of revelation as God's self-disclosure, enabling intimate communion beyond rational limits.Central to the dialogue is Christianity's soteriological essence: not mere ethical guidance or societal cohesion, but salvation from sin through Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. Kaczor critiques reductions of the Gospel to moralism, emphasizing grace's role in transforming deceitful desires. Kaczor elucidates the harmony between faith and reason, challenging the pervasive assumption—prevalent among diverse ideological perspectives—that the two are inherently opposed. Drawing from his pedagogical experience, he addresses obstacles to belief such as scientism and materialism, demonstrating how scientific inquiry presupposes immaterial realities like mathematics, which point to an infinite divine mind. Dr. Christopher Kaczor's Book from Word on Fire:https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/pages/chris-kaczor?srsltid=AfmBOordE8M9jGBUoM0yX_3Z2p4YQQ2f5N03jx7ZJKWGsWcTR7FrZurY▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais engages Dr. Chad Pecknold, Associate Professor of Theology at The Catholic University of America and Theologian in Residence at the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia, on his recent work Fire on the Altar: Setting Our Souls Ablaze through Augustine's Confessions.Pecknold offers a rigorously Catholic interpretation of Augustine's Confessions, countering experiential-expressivist and individualistic readings prevalent in modern scholarship. He demonstrates that the text constitutes an objective moral and liturgical reckoning of reality, structured around the motif of sacrifice. Central to this reading is the pivotal phrase in Book V—“accept the sacrifice of my confessions”—which Pecknold interprets as Augustine's offering of his life story united to Christ's Eucharistic sacrifice on the Church's altar. This liturgical anthropology culminates in the Eucharist as the fire of divine charity that purifies the inner altar of the soul, integrates the person, and orients both soul and civilization toward God.The conversation traces Augustine's rejection of false religions (Manichaeism and pagan altars) as disordered offerings that disintegrate the self, contrasted with the true sacrifice that unifies. Pecknold applies this framework to contemporary phenomena, identifying functional religions in ideologies of identity, sexuality, and collectivism as modern analogs to bad religion. He further elucidates Augustine's doctrine of grace—epitomized in the plea “give what you command”—as the divine initiative that enables adherence to God beyond Platonic ascent, realized sacramentally through baptism and the Eucharist.Pecknold reflects on his own intellectual and spiritual journey from existentialism to Augustinian theology, underscoring the Confessions' enduring relevance amid crises in Western civilization. The discussion closes with reflections on uniting personal suffering to Christ's sacrificial fire for purification and integration.Resources: Links to Dr. Chad Pecknold's bookshttps://www.bloomsbury.com/us/transforming-postliberal-theology-9780567288219/utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://trs.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/pecknold-chad/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.comCatholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived....

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press and longtime contributor to the Catholic apologetics movement. Together, they reflect on the rise of Catholic apologetics in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, a time marked by doctrinal confusion, limited catechetical resources, and strong evangelical critiques of the Catholic faith.Brumley shares his personal journey from unaffiliated theism to evangelical Christianity and ultimately to Catholicism, highlighting how historical research, Scripture, and engagement with early Church writings led him to embrace the Catholic Church. The conversation explores the challenges Catholics faced before the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the impact of Catholic Answers, and the importance of clear, reasoned explanations of the faith.The discussion then turns to contemporary apologetics, including the influence of digital media, responses to the New Atheism, the renewed interest in Christianity among young people, and the importance of presenting both rational arguments and the broader narrative of salvation. Brumley and Dauphinais emphasize that apologetics serves evangelization by removing intellectual obstacles and inviting people into a transformative encounter with Jesus Christ.The episode concludes with reflections on faith and reason, the renewal of biblical literacy among Catholics, current cultural challenges, and the enduring mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel with clarity, confidence, and charity.Resources:Links to Mark Brumley's booksHow not to Share Your Faith: https://a.co/d/04lPO6MyThe Seven deadly Sins of Apologetics: https://shop.catholic.com/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-apologetics-digital/Websites:https://ignatius.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22959487649&gbraid=0AAAAAD_ZLxiTtemBbEjN2GDeUyZQM44VPhttps://www.catholic.com/profile/mark-brumleyCatholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Paul Gondreau, professor of theology at Providence College, for an in-depth conversation on the full humanity of Jesus Christ and its implications for Christian anthropology, masculinity, femininity, and moral life. Drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas, Scripture, and the Catholic tradition, Dr. Gondreau explains how affirming Christ as fully human—and fully male—counters ancient and modern forms of docetism and defends the goodness of creation, embodiment, and sexual difference.The discussion explores Christ’s human emotions, passions, and affectivity, the scandal of particularity in the Incarnation, and why Jesus’ maleness matters without marginalizing women. Together, they examine how Jesus radically reorients relationships between men and women, elevates women as disciples, and calls men to moral self-governance, chastity, and rightly ordered aggression. The conversation also addresses contemporary cultural confusion around sexuality, masculinity, and femininity, showing how Christ reveals authentic human flourishing through virtue and grace.Dr. Gondreau shares personal insights from his work in Catholic moral theology, his experiences as an extra on The Chosen, and his teaching on marriage and sexual ethics. The episode concludes with reflections on the beauty of the Church’s vision of marriage, the role of virtue in healing disordered desires, and how Christ fully reveals the human person by perfecting, not negating, our humanity.Resources: Links to Paul Gondreau's Bookshttps://a.co/d/01MM7FGghttps://a.co/d/08XpAmlCCatholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais speaks with Immaculée Ilibagiza, survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and author of A Blessing in Disguise: Miracles of the Seven Sorrows Rosary. Drawing from her harrowing experience of hiding for three months while much of her family was murdered, Immaculée reflects on how suffering became a place of encounter with God rather than abandonment. She shares how meditation on the Passion of Christ and the sorrows of Mary sustained her hope, preserved her dignity, and anchored her faith amid profound darkness.The conversation centers on the Seven Sorrows Rosary and the Marian apparitions at Kibeho, Rwanda, officially approved by the Church. Immaculée explains how this devotion leads believers more deeply to Christ by contemplating His suffering through the heart of His mother. She emphasizes the distinction between accepting suffering and approving the evil that causes it, showing how forgiveness and prayer freed her from hatred, healed her mind, and restored her capacity to love. Together, Dr. Dauphinais and Immaculée explore prayer as a living relationship, the dangers of faith without ongoing prayer, and Mary’s role as a spiritual mother who guides souls toward healing, hope, and redemption. The episode offers a profound meditation on suffering transformed by grace, rooted in lived testimony and Catholic theology.Resources:Link to Immaculee's Book: Left to Tellhttps://a.co/d/0hE6penS The Power of Faith in Suffering w/ Immaculée Ilibagiza | Ep. 92https://youtu.be/dh8YOvoZ018Why Do We Need Marian Consecration? with Dr. Mark Miravalle:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=603zUdzyYmY&pp=ygUlbWFyayBtaXJhdmFsbGUgY2F0aG9saWMgdGhlb2xvZ3kgc2hvdw%3D%3DCatholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...https://catholicmasstimes.com/

In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Gerald Boersma, professor of theology at Ave Maria University, for an in-depth conversation on St. Augustine’s City of God. Together they explore Augustine’s historical context, writing in the aftermath of the sack of Rome, and his enduring vision of the two cities: the City of God and the City of Man. The discussion highlights Augustine’s critique of pagan religion, political power, and the illusion of earthly peace, as well as his response to Pelagianism and Donatism.Dr. Boersma explains how Augustine understands history, politics, virtue, and grace through the lens of love, contrasting the self-centered love that defines the earthly city with the love of God that animates the heavenly city. They examine Augustine’s insights into pride, domination, and false notions of justice, as well as his insistence that true righteousness and peace are gifts of grace rather than human achievements. The conversation also addresses why The City of Godremains especially relevant today, in a cultural moment tempted to seek ultimate meaning in politics, technology, or human progress.The episode concludes with a reflection on Augustine’s powerful vision of heaven, particularly his teaching on the resurrection and the beatific vision at the end of The City of God. Drs. Dauphinais and Boersma emphasize Augustine’s call to hope, humility, and perseverance, encouraging listeners to rediscover heaven as the true end of human life and the key to understanding both personal history and the destiny of the world.Catholic Mass Times App | Find Catholic Churches Near Me:The most popular app worldwide for finding Catholic Mass times near me. Confession times. Adoration. 110,000+ churches. Updated in 2025.https://catholicmasstimes.com/▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, psychiatrist and author, discusses his upcoming book "Teach Me Your Suffering" and shares insights on how contemplating Christ's passion can transform our experience of personal suffering. The conversation explores the prayer "doce me passionem tuum" (teach me your suffering) as a spiritual practice that helps people move from isolation to communion with Christ during difficult times. Dr. Kheriaty explains how Christ suffered throughout his entire earthly life, not just during the crucifixion, making him relatable to all human experiences of pain. The discussion covers practical approaches to prayer, forgiveness, and finding meaning in suffering, emphasizing how focusing on Christ's wounds can provide healing for our own wounds. The conversation also addresses how to experience Mass more deeply as a participation in Christ's sacrifice and offers guidance on accepting suffering without approving of it, while still seeking appropriate treatment and remedies.▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

In this episode of the Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais interviews Father James Mason, pastor and vicar of clergy for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, who has been giving Ignatian retreats for seventeen years. Father Mason shares his personal conversion story as a late vocation who entered seminary at thirty after a career in law, describing his spiritual struggle as fighting God until he finally surrendered. The conversation explores the four stages of Saint Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises: beginning with recognizing God's love and the reality of sin, journeying through Christ's life, contemplating the passion and death, and finally the resurrection. Father Mason emphasizes how these exercises are universal tools for spiritual growth, not just for religious but for all Catholics seeking deeper union with Christ. The discussion covers practical aspects of prayer, dealing with suffering redemptively, the challenge of evangelizing family members who have left the faith, and living with holy indifference to God's will. Father Mason concludes by sharing his daily spiritual practices and reflecting on how his understanding of faith deepened from a superficial teenage concept to a total surrender to Christ. ▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.