Épisodes

  • Fr Burke Masters

    Fr Burke Masters
    Oct 7 2026
    55 min
  • Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are

    Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are
    Sep 30 2026
    Guest: Marcus Grodi, founder and president, Coming Home Network, Intl.

    The name Marcus Grodi might be familiar to many Catholics, as he founded and led a highly successful ministry called The Coming Home Network, helping other pastors discover the fullness of the Catholic Church. Marcus focused his first 20 years on himself. Then, he experienced a life-changing conversion in college and spent his next 20 years studying Jesus, becoming a Calvinist pastor. When Marcus reconnected with former college buddy, Scott Hahn, he converted to Catholicism and his next 20 years were spent trailblazing within Catholic circles, offering non-Catholics a new vision for their future.

    When he retired and moved to his wife’s family farm, Marcus thought contentment was retirement’s natural landscape. Instead, he realized contentment is a choice he still needed to develop. His book, “Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are,” is the result of his journey, where he learned to stop focusing on contentment tomorrow by choosing contentment today. Discovering that gratitude is the foundation for contentment, Marcus devised nine chapters, each one dealing with an important aspect of learning contentment. For example, living with simplicity or paying down debt can be huge relief valves for pent-up stress. Learning contentment means finding peace right where you are.

    Guest biography: Marcus received his BS degree from Case Institute of Technology (CWRU) in Polymer Engineering and a Master of Divinity Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He worked six years as an engineer and over 45 years in some form of Christian ministry. He has served as the Founder/President of The Coming Home Network International for over 30 years, and hosted The Journey Home program on EWTN for 25 years. His son, JonMarc, has taken over the reins. Marcus is the author/editor of eleven books, and his articles have appeared in many publications and online sources. Marcus has taught college and graduate courses in youth ministry, leadership, catechetics, and theology. He and his wife, Marilyn, are now empty-nesters on a portion of Marilyn’s family farm in central Ohio.

    Resources:
    Book: “Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are”
    About Marcus Grodi
    Blog: Just An Old Man Out Standing in his Field
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    50 min
  • The Soul of a Disciple

    The Soul of a Disciple
    Sep 23 2026
    Guest: Allan Smith, author, speaker, radio host, and editor

    Saints choose us; we don’t choose them. Allan Smith’s journey into the legacy of Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a serendipitous event caused by hearing Sheen’s words spoken out loud. He was hooked.

    Sheen’s spiritual fire made him one of the most compelling voices of the 20th century, but his words still resonate today. People are desperately searching for something technology can’t provide. Finding a pearl of such great price, Allan has spent years collecting and republishing Sheen’s works so they can once again lead people to God.

    So far Allan has compiled more than twenty of Sheen’s books into a collection of five anthologies. His latest work is “The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen's Meditations on the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Christian Life.” Inside, you will find five powerful retreats drawn from the heart of the great evangelizer’s preaching. Each day offers short, simple tools to carry back into the world. For Fulton Sheen, a daily Holy Hour was never an obligation. It was a love affair, and Allan has included a practical guide on how we can spend an hour at the Fountain of Grace, where the heart of God speaks quietly to the heart of man.

    Guest biography: Allan J. Smith is a Catholic author, speaker, radio host, and editor specializing in the life, writings, and spiritual legacy of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. A member of the Advisory Board of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation in Peoria, Illinois, he has spent more than a decade helping preserve and promote Sheen's teachings through books, radio, conferences, podcasts, and media outreach. Smith is the compiler and editor of numerous Fulton Sheen anthologies, including bestselling titles published by Sophia Institute Press and his own Bishop Sheen Today publishing apostolate. His work has introduced thousands of readers to Sheen's timeless insights on prayer, suffering, evangelization, the Eucharist, and the spiritual life. Allan Smith is also affectionately known as the “Pipe Padre” because as a professional plumber he’s been in over 30,000 basements, helping customers with their plumbing woes. Born as one of 12 kids to a devoutly Catholic couple, Smith would attend daily Mass with his mother and sibs, after watching his dad get up early to attend the early Mass before leaving for work. Daily Mass was and still is part of Smith’s daily routine. He and his wife, Isabelle, have three adult children and eight grands. His son has taken over the plumbing business while Allan and Isabelle have retired to a sleepy village two hours north of Toronto, Canada, which sits next to property dedicated as a shrine to martyred Jesuit priests. As Smith proudly proclaims, “we live on holy ground.”

    Resources:
    "The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen’s Meditations on The Cross, The Eucharist and the Christian Life” by Allan Smith
    Website: Bishop Sheen Today
    Website: Celebrate Sheen
    Website: Holy Face Miracle
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    55 min
  • Devotion to the Holy Angels

    Devotion to the Holy Angels
    Sep 16 2026
    Guest: Michael Lichens, author, editor, and researcher

    Michael Lichens loves finding obscure, long-forgotten stories about our Catholic heritage. As a young child, his Irish-Catholic grandmother and aunt whet his writing appetite with creepy Irish legends, but it was the story-telling of G.K. Chesterton that drew him back to Catholicism. Chesterton’s ability to masterfully present literary works with a quirky twist gave Lichens an earnest desire to write about obscure Catholic facts, leading to his book, "Weird Catholic Handbook."

    In this episode, Lichens discusses Sophia Press’ reprinted book, "Devotion to The Holy Angels," first published in 1869 by Fr. Henri-Marie Boudon. In it, Boudon shows how angels accompany us at every moment, encouraging virtue, restraining evil, and leading us closer to God. Through rich metaphors, Scripture, and the wisdom of the saints, he awakens gratitude and love for these heavenly guardians who labor tirelessly for our salvation. Boudon explores the nine choirs of angels – from the burning love of the Seraphim to the faithful Guardian Angels whose role is to help us get to heaven. Each choir serves a necessary and distinct role in God’s divine order. Boudon also shares practical, time-tested ways to honor and invoke the angels in daily life.

    Guest biography: Michael J. Lichens is an author and editor living in Denver, where he likes to study and write about the overlooked aspects of Christian history. His writings have appeared in numerous publications. You can find out about his love of ossuaries and GK Chesterton at his website.

    Resources:
    Michael Lichens' website
    "Weird Catholic Handbook" book by Michael Lichens
    “How to Pray a Novena to The Nine Choirs of Angels” article on Catholic Exchange
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    55 min
  • The Feminine Revival

    The Feminine Revival
    Sep 9 2026
    Guest: January Donovan - mother, speaker, and innovator

    Women’s Liberation these last fifty years has left a bad taste in many people’s mouths. Young girls lost strong mentorship, and young men saw women become competitors rather than companions. Due to the prevalence of social media, women struggled with self-worth. January Donovan recounts how her well-meaning parents and the culture of the time left her vulnerable and wounded. Because of this, her passion became to change how women see themselves, declaring we have an opportunity like never before to reclaim the lost vision of womanhood. It’s time to stop trying to fix women and instead, help form them. Educating young women to become equal to men shortchanges everyone by ignoring their innate complementarity. Education can change what they know, but formation can change who they become.

    Creating what January calls a “human formation school,” teaching women practical skills to help them thrive, she successfully started “The Woman School,” an online program which is offered in 52 countries, being named one of Forbes Magazine’s top coaching schools worldwide. The Woman School seeks to start a feminine revival, replacing today’s competitive feminism with a new feminine archetype that helps women reclaim their God-given role as man’s helpmate rather than his competitor.

    Guest biography: January Donovan studied theology and philosophy and worked for a congressman on Capitol Hill for four years, where she worked on women’s issues. Her vision to create a human formation school rooted in objective truth and ordered toward truth, beauty, and goodness is timely in a culture that can no longer define what a woman is. January created a grassroots movement to reclaim femininity that grew to thousands of students in 52 countries in just a few years. She founded The Woman School as a supplemental skill-based training that teaches women to pursue a life of meaning, contribution, excellence, wholeness, and interior strength. January and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of eight young children and live in Florida.

    Resources:
    January Donovan's website
    The Woman School Institute
    Feminine Formation podcast
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    55 min
  • Building a Eucharistic Marriage

    Building a Eucharistic Marriage
    Sep 2 2026
    Guest: Greg Schutte, licensed social worker, musician, and speaker

    Most Catholic couples took mandatory classes before marriage which focused primarily on their faith rather than the skills necessary to build a healthy life together. As a licensed social worker, Greg Schutte quickly realized good marriages need strong foundations. Using his own marriage as a guidepost, Greg created therapeutic models which focus on the sacramental nature of marriage as one of self-gift to each other. His self-guided video series, “Building a Eucharistic Marriage,” teaches couples how to walk through any problem with intentionality.

    Pulling together seven key areas that build upon each other, Greg explains how these steps become the foundation to a healthy marriage. Once a couple recognizes a harmful pattern, they can change the trajectory of their marriage. Skills like active listening or giving and seeking forgiveness become opportunities to rebuild rather than opportunities to lick old wounds.

    Just as Christ feeds us through the Eucharist, couples will learn how to feed one another and help each other get to heaven in the sacramental way marriage was created to be. "Building a Eucharistic Marriage" helps couples reshape their thinking, enabling them to look to their future with eager anticipation by changing the patterns that were ruining their trajectory.

    Guest biography: Greg Schutte is the senior director of Marriage Works! Ohio, part of Elizabeth’s New Life Center in Dayton, Ohio, and has been a licensed social worker and therapist for over thirty years. Greg has developed programs, lead presentations, and most importantly, worked with hundreds of couples to heal their marriages. He has been a keynote speaker at several national marriage and family conferences throughout the nation and hosted “Living Out the Sacrament of Marriage” on Radio Maria from 2015–2017. He is the author and presenter of Building a Eucharistic Marriage – a seven-part series designed to help marriages thrive. Greg has been married for 31 wonderful years to his wife, Stephanie, and is the proud father of seven children. Greg has also been a member of the Catholic band, ROMANS, since 1996 and has several original songs at the band's website.

    Resources:
    Marriage Works! Ohio website
    Building a Eucharistic Marriage – course description and sign-up
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    55 min
  • Legacy of Faith

    Legacy of Faith
    Aug 26 2026
    Guest: Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Catholic priest, author, and speaker

    Fr. Dwight Longenecker comes from seven generations of godly evangelical ancestors, living under the legacy of his grandfather’s self-sacrificing, heroic death. Wanting to serve God but raised to reject Catholicism, Fr. Longenecker became an Anglican priest in England. Yet, Catholicism drew him and his family to become Catholic. They returned to the U.S. in 2006 where he was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest through the Pastoral Provision established by Pope St. John Paul II.

    Fr. Longenecker believes Catholicism adds more Christianity to his ancestor’s faith tradition, not less, but felt the Church was out of balance. He breaks it down, stressing that to believe is much more than giving intellectual assent. Through his books, talks, and retreats, Fr. Longenecker seeks to help bring the Church back into balance incorporating liturgy, education, and service.

    Now the pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Greenville, South Carolina, Fr. Longenecker maintains that beauty is the language of worship and has successfully built a beautifully traditional Catholic Church within a modest budget.

    Guest biography: Fr. Dwight Longenecker was raised in an Evangelical home in Pennsylvania. After graduating from Bob Jones University with a degree in Speech and English, he studied theology at Oxford University in England. Eventually he was ordained as an Anglican priest and served as a curate, a school chaplain in Cambridge, and a country parson on the Isle of Wight. Realizing that the Anglican Church and he were on divergent paths, he and his family were received into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1995. For ten years they continued to live in England where he worked as a freelance writer and charity worker. In 2006 he and his family returned to the U.S., and Fr. Longenecker was ordained as a Catholic priest. He accepted a post as chaplain to St Joseph’s Catholic School in Greenville, South Carolina. After five years there he was asked to be the administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary parish where he now serves as pastor.

    Resources:
    Fr. Longenecker's website
    Email Fr. Longenecker at DLongenecker1@gmail.com for tips on how to build a Catholic church on a budget
    Reflection "Affirm, Not Deny" based on maxim by F.D.Maurice
    Blog: “Standing On My Head”
    Pastoral Provision
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    55 min
  • A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More

    A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More
    Aug 19 2026
    Guests: Rob and Sam Fatzinger, parents, grandparents, authors, and mentors

    Is every month a struggle deciding which bills to pay and which to delay? Does your old furnace give you nightmares? If you yearn to live comfortably, pay for your children’s education, and retire early, Sam and Rob Fatzinger can help you cultivate the values and virtues you need to achieve your financial goals.

    In "A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More," this husband-and-wife team shares an extraordinary story of raising fourteen children on a modest income while living outside Washington, D.C. Their practical wisdom and Catholic perspectives on creating a life with purpose and clarity will give hope to the weary.

    Rob insists that being broke when they first married was a blessing because it forced them to learn how to manage their finances with little room for error. Sam wanted lots of kids, so she quickly learned to be creative in managing a big household.

    By relying on God’s providence while simultaneously taking advantage of the sage advice from financial gurus like Dave Ramsey, the Fatzingers have been able to create a roadmap that puts debt in its proper perspective. Their candid, down-to-earth advice shows how to manage finances and live debt-free.

    Guest biography: Rob and Sam Fatzinger are the parents of fourteen and the grandparents of eighteen. The couple's financial success story has been featured in publications including The Washington Post, Marketplace.org, EpicPew, Patheos, Aleteia, The Oakland Press, and the Daily Mail, as well as on The Chris Hogan Podcast (Dave Ramsey Ministries), Girlfriends, and EWTN Pro-Life Weekly. Sam is a homemaker and homeschooler who served as a principal of St. Peter the Rock Homeschool Tutorial and as a parish, family, retreat, and homeschool coordinator. Rob was a software quality assurance manager at ManTech International. Now retired, the Fatzingers are helping to home-school their grandchildren and live in Bowie, Maryland.

    Resources:
    “A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More: Advice from a Debt-Free Family of 16” by Sam and Rob Fatzinger
    “8 Ways a Catholic Family of 16 Lives Debt-Free” - article in National Catholic Register (April 2026)
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    55 min