CSVF Blog

The topic of today’s show was this weekend’s celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King.  Listen in as I discuss the history and lessons of Sunday’s feast with Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from the Church of St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville, KY, and Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, from Providence College in Rhode Island.

Also, welcome to all of our new XM listeners!  Since the merger with Sirius, you can now tune in to The Catholic Channel on XM 117.  

Word to Life - November 21, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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As we approach the end of the liturgical year—there are just two Sundays left before Advent!—this weekend’s readings turn our attention to the last things: life, death, heaven, and hell.  The Church’s meditation at this time of year is not meant to instill fear in our hearts, but rather strength in our souls to prepare and fortify ourselves for judgment.  The King will return in glory, and we will render to him an account of our lives.

As children of the light by baptism, as St. Paul calls us, we live and move in the brightness of day, not the shades of night.  The end, therefore, will not sneak up on us as a thief lurking in the darkness.  Instead, we will know the signs announcing the end of life and the end of the world, and living in the truth and love of Christ is all the preparation we need to endure these mysteries well.  God asks no more.  He provides nothing else.  His divine truth and love, lived freely in the Church, are our anchors in this life and our lifelines into the next—to Him.

Joining me on today’s show were Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, from St. Catherine of Siena Church here in New York City, and Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, KY.  Looking ahead to this Sunday’s readings, we focused specifically on the Gospel, in which we hear the “Parable of the Talents,” the last of the Lord’s parables and a preface to his teachings on the final judgment.  Both Fr. Gillen and Fr. Cuddy had excellent insights into the parable’s core meaning.  We extended the parable’s application to everything from the current financial crisis to preaching the Gospel in our families.

Listen and enjoy!

Word to Life - November 14, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Today’s was a packed edition of “Word to Life.”  We had a lot of material to cover — Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and next week’s Election Day.  Joining me to help put it all together were Kathryn Lopez, editor of National Review Online, and Fr. Chad Partain, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Mansura, LA.

A graduate of nearby Dominican Academy and Catholic University in Washington, Kathryn shared with us her thoughts about the upcoming election, as well as her more general insights into how faith and politics can come together in American life.  A model she looks to, somewhat naturally considering her job, is William F. Buckley, the recently deceased founder of National Review.  Buckley, a Catholic, wrote regularly on faith in the public square, including his famous God and Man at Yale and Nearer, My God.  During our conversation, Kathryn was at her best when describing how she grew up Catholic and conservative in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, over at National Review Online, Kathryn had this to say about All Saints Day.

Later in the show, Fr. Partain gave us an update on the shrine he is building to St. Philomena, which he said may be the largest dedicated to her in the United States.  He also explained a few of the traditions one can find connected to All Saints and All Souls celebrations in Louisiana, including grave blessings and Masses held in the area’s cemeteries.  

Click below for the full audio of today’s show.

Word to Life - October 31, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This afternoon I had the pleasure of discussing Sunday’s readings with Sr. Marie Pappas, a Resurrection Sister and one of the assistant superintendents of schools for the Archdiocese of New York.  Sr. Marie has her own show on The Catholic Channel, “Pathways of Learning,” which airs Tuesdays at 1:00 PM.  Listen below to hear Sr. Marie share her insights into this weekend’s readings, as well as tell the story of her congregation’s foundation.  As she explains, the Sisters of the Resurrection remains the only congregation in the Church co-founded by a mother and daughter.

I also spoke with Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, from the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Zanesville, OH.  Fr. Pius shared with us the main points of his Sunday homily, which include this gem: loving neighbor and making ourselves lovable for neighbor are two sides of the same coin.  In both cases, love is given on our neighbor’s terms, not ours.

Listen and enjoy!

Word to Life - October 24, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This weekend’s Gospel couldn’t be more timely.  At its conclusion, Christ avoids yet another trap of the Pharisees by commanding them: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  Shocking in its own day, this command of the Lord continues to test certain positions defended by the political establishment.

Joining me on today’s “Word to Life” were Mary Halpine, Rita-May Rahme, and Kelly Schulz, the president and interns respectively of the World Youth Alliance, a non-governmental organization (NGO) attached to the United Nations.  With them I explored the challenge they have undertaken to render true justice to Caesar by promoting and protecting the dignity of the human person on the local, national, and international levels.  In their work, these three young women witness to the truth that the justice we owe to God is not in fact opposed to the justice we owe to the state, as it is commonly believed to be.  The two justices are necessarily compatible.  Note that this compatibility is what several bishops have recently defended by correcting the public statements of certain pro-choice Catholic politicians.

Also joining me on the show was Fr. Gabriel Gillen of St. Catherine of Siena Church.  He shared how he hopes to speak this weekend about Archbishop Charles Chaput’s new book, Render Unto Caesar.  Fr. Gabriel argues that in his book the archbishop offers Catholics an excellent explanation of their responsibilities as thinkers and believers in the public square.  Again, as the election approaches, the topic couldn’t be more timely.

Click below for the full audio of today’s show. 

Word to Life - October 17, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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On today’s “Word to Life” I discussed this Sunday’s readings with Fr. James Cuddy, OP, and Fr. Sean Connor.  Fr. Cuddy, a Dominican priest at the Church of St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville, KY, focused on how Isaiah’s “Song of the Vineyard” in the First Reading foreshadows Christ’s “Parable of the Wicked Tenants” in the Gospel. God’s tenacious love for his creation, explains Fr. Cuddy, is the key to understanding both readings.

Fr. Connor, pastor of St. Ann’s Church in Neponset, MA, highlighted the unflappable courage of the landlord’s son.  In obedience, he willingly entered the vineyard fully aware of his impending death.  Christ meant the chief priests and elders to see his own predicament in this parable.  It worked.  Centuries later, the parable still strikes to the heart.

Click below for the audio of today’s show.

Word to Life - October 3, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Joining me on today’s show were Angelo Matera, the editor and publisher of Godspy.com, and Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, a professor of theology at Providence College.  

With Angelo the topic of conversation was this weekend’s “Parable of the Two Sons” and the lessons it teaches concerning God’s mercy and Christian conversion. Later in the show Fr. Legge focused on the Second Reading from Philippians 2, which contains that famous hymn to Christ–”Though he was in the form of God . . .”  Fr. Legge explained how proper exegesis of the hymn can uncover facts about early Christian belief much more interesting–and much truer–than anything found in something like The Da Vinci Code.

Click below for the full audio.

Word to Life - September 26, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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On September 9, Sr. Marie Pappas, host of “Pathways of Learning,” invited me on her show to discuss the Year of St. Paul.  Over the course of the program we focused on many things, including the Apostle’s life, conversion, travels, and theology.

“Pathways of Learning” airs each Tuesday at 1:00 PM on Sirius 159, The Catholic Channel.

Click below to hear the show.

Pathways of Learning - September 9, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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On today’s show I spoke with Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, and Fr. James Moore, OP. Both are newly-ordained priests.  Fr. Pius has been assigned to the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Zanesville, OH, and Fr. James just arrived at the St. Thomas More Newman Center for the University of Arizona in Tuscon, where Fr. James informs us they engage in a little “street preaching.”

The readings for this weekend prompted us to discuss how God’s forgiveness and generosity sometimes lead us to experience envy, or at least of sense of injustice. How is it that the deathbed convert and Mother Teresa both go to heaven?  The First Reading from Isaiah tells us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.”  But what does this mean?  Tune in to see.

Word to Life - September 19, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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On this week’s show I chatted with Fr. Luke Sweeney, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of New York, and Deacon Vincent Druding, a fourth-year theologian at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, about the readings for this Sunday’s Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  Before speaking of the feast itself, Fr. Sweeney and Deacon Druding shared stories of Pope Benedict’s visit to the seminary this past April.  Deacon Druding can be seen in the photo below.  He’s the one bowing before Pope Benedict.  

At the end of the show I spoke with Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP, about what he’ll be preaching on this weekend.  As always, Fr. Thomas Joseph takes us right to the heart of the mystery.  His words are few but profound.  Our student brothers are blessed to have him teaching at the House of Studies in Washington.

Enjoy the show!

Word to Life - September 12, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Tune in at 1:00 PM tomorrow (Tuesday) to Sirius 159, The Catholic Channel.  I’ll be on the “Pathways of Learning” program hosted by Sr. Marie Pappas, the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York.  We’ll be talking about the Year of St. Paul.  

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All three of this weekend’s readings focus on one of the more difficult spiritual works of mercy: fraternal correction.  

However difficult dealing with sin might be in our own lives, as Christians we are duty-bound to confront sin in the lives of others, too.  How do we do this?  In lieu of the audio of today’s show (technical difficulties!), I’m posting several links to articles and homilies that might help us understand and better appreciate our duty in Christ to become active instruments of conversion.

First, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the preacher of the papal household (pictured above), shares his own thoughts on this Sunday’s Gospel.

Secondly, as you might have guessed, St. Thomas dedicates a whole question of the Summa to fraternal correction.

Lastly, the old Catholic Encyclopedia has an excellent summary of the Church’s classical wisdom regarding the duties we have to our neighbor.

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In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem-a place hostile to prophets-and announces his immanent suffering and death.  When studied with the weekend’s other readings, this passage turns our attention to the price that must often be paid for witnessing to truth and justice.  Christ calls it “the cross.”  

My guest on today’s show hit upon this theme in light of this week’s controversy surrounding Speaker Pelosi.  Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, professor of theology at Providence College, helps us to make a clear distinction between Christian discipleship and political expediency.

Listen and enjoy!

Word to Life - August 29, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Joining me on the show today were Fr. James Cuddy, OP, the parochial vicar of St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, KY, and Fr. Sean Connor, pastor of St. Ann’s Church in Neponset, MA.  We discussed the Queenship of Mary and the readings for this coming Sunday.  

The Gospel, taken from Matthew 16, recounts Peter’s confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi.  As you will remember, upon hearing Peter’s confession Christ gives him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which symbolize his authority in Christ’s Church to bind and loose sins.

Meditating on this Gospel never gets old, for how can we fail to appreciate the divine love, mercy, and forgiveness we receive through the Sacrament of Penance, the gift of the keys par excellence.

Enjoy the show!

Word to Life - August 22, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Fr. John Farren, OP, the Director of Advancement for the Province, discusses the readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption and the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time with Angelo Matera, the editor of Godspy.com.

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Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, discusses the readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time with Fr. Jonathan Kalisch, OP.

Word to Life - August 8, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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A priest, Buzz Aldrin, and the members of Black Sabbath (sans Ozzie) walk into a studio . . .

Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, right?  Well, sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.  This very scenario unfolded earlier today at the studio as I arrived for this afternoon’s show.  Walking through the Sirius lobby, you can run into just about anyone.  It’s the new areopagus.  And in the middle of it all is The Catholic Channel.  

On this afternoon’s show Br. Jerome Zeiler, OP, joined me to discuss the readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary time: Isaiah 55:1-3; Romans 8:35, 37-39; and Matthew 14:13-21.  We examined the theme of divine providence that emerges from all three readings, and we tried to understand this mystery in light of the evil we sometimes suffer.  Tune in . . . I think we may have given Christopher Hitchens a run for his money.

In the show’s last segment I spoke with Fr. Chad Partain, the pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Mansura, Louisiana.  Fr. Partain gave us an update on his parish’s new shrine to St. Philomena, and he also shared with us some thoughts for this Sunday’s homily.

Word to Life - August 1, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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One of the Province’s new postulants, Jack Devaney, who entered the Order through St. Vincent’s, was interviewed recently on Sirius Radio’s The Catholic Channel.  Jack discusses with Fr. Dave Dwyer his gradual movement to the Order, including all of the sights and sounds (and silences) he enjoyed along the way.  Jack’s vocation story gives all of us a glimpse into the wonderful workings of divine providence.

Click below to listen to Jack’s interview, and remember to keep him and the other ten postulants in your prayers.  They will begin their yearlong novitiate next month.

Jack Devaney on The Catholic Channel Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Today’s Metro Section of The New York Times carried an article on The Catholic Channel, one of just three religious stations broadcast on the Sirius Satellite Radio network. The article details how the communications office of the Archdiocese of New York teamed up with Sirius to expand the Church’s presence in the media. Still in its early stages of development, The Catholic Channel offers a wide range of Catholic content in a form resembling more your edgy drive home show than, say, “Life is Worth Living” by Bishop Sheen.  And that’s exactly the point.  The article quotes Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the Archdiocese, as he explains the concept behind The Catholic Channel:

“If someone who listens to Howard Stern happens to turn to the Catholic Channel one day and doesn’t realize for a couple of minutes that what he’s listening to is the Catholic Channel, well, I’m not going to be upset about that,” Mr. Zwilling said. “We recognize that Catholics are listening to Howard Stern. What we want people to know is that they can talk about all the same things he does, but in a Catholic context.”

At the channel’s inception, the Archdiocese of New York approached the Province of St. Joseph to produce and host a weekly show.  It’s called “Word to Life,” and its purpose is to prepare listeners for Sunday Mass by examining the weekend’s Scripture readings.  After being hosted initially by Fr. Peter John Cameron, OP, and other friars of the Province, I was asked last May to become the show’s producer and host.

“Word to Life” airs live every Friday at 1:00 PM Eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159.  If you don’t have Sirius radio and are interested in listening to the show, check back here each week for a posting of the show’s audio.

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Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, OP, discusses the readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time with Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP, and Fr. Bryce Sibley.

Tune in to “Word to Life” every Friday at 1:00 PM on Sirius 159, The Catholic Channel.

Word to Life - July 11, 2008 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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