

Catholic Theology Show
Ave Maria University
Presented by Ave Maria University, Dr. Michael Dauphinais, Chair and Professor of Theology, sits down with colleagues and friends to discuss Catholic theology. Ave Maria is a Catholic University located in Southwest Florida. This Catholic podcast covers themes such as the value of a Catholic higher education, religious liberty, how to pray, the philosophies of Thomas Aquinas and more!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 15, 2026 • 1h 12min
The Daily Wire, Going Tech Free, and Accepting God's Intimacy w/ Matt Fradd | Ep. 207
How do we disconnect from distractions and discover intimacy with God? In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Matt Fradd, host of Pints with Aquinas podcast and author of Jesus Our Refuge, for a wide-ranging conversation about encountering Christ, Thomas Aquinas, prayer, spiritual growth, technology, community, and the struggle to live an authentically Christian life in a distracted age. He describes the history of his hugely popular Pints with Aquinas podcast and what it was like to bring it to The Daily Wire. Matt shares the story of his conversion, why St. Thomas Aquinas remains so relevant today, they discuss one of the great spiritual challenges of our age: distraction. From smartphones and social media to endless news and digital entertainment, modern technology can fragment our attention and weaken our experience of genuine community. Matt shares his experience of taking an extended break from his phone and computer and offers practical advice for recovering silence, presence, prayer, and attention and more on podcasting, and finding unity with God. Resources:Be Healed by Matt FraddShift My PhonePints with Aquinas on the Daily WireRelated Episodes:Faith, Politics, and Freedom of Speech w/ Michael Knowles | Ep. 138The Summa for Beginners Episodes on The Catholic Theology Show

Sep 8, 2026 • 48min
What does the Gospel of Matthew Teach us about Jesus? w/ Dr. Edward Sri | Ep. 206
What can the Gospel of Matthew reveal about Jesus, His Kingdom, and the Church He established?Dr. Edward Sri, author, theologian, Vice President of Formation at FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), and visiting Professor at Ave Maria University, joins Dr. Michael Dauphinais to explore the deeper structure of Matthew's Gospel and the connections it makes between Jesus, David's kingdom, Peter, and the authority Christ gives to His Church.This conversation also explores what Matthew reveals about the Christian life, including the Father's loving gaze, forgiveness, evangelization, the Sacraments, and Christ's promise to remain with His Church.Resources:The Gospel of Matthew by Curtis Mitch & Edward SriDr. Edward Sri’s WebsiteGod With Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew by Edward SriRelated Episodes:Understanding the Gospel in a Digital World w/ Dr. Edward Sri | Ep. 105How to Be Overwhelmed by the Gospel w/ Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P. | Ep. 199

Sep 1, 2026 • 1h 3min
Is the Shroud of Turin Real? w/ Dr. Gilbert Lavoie | Ep. 205
How does the Shroud of Turin show the risen Christ? Hair falling to the shoulders, facial shadows from overhead light, and an unflattened back all point to a man lifted up, just as Jesus promised in the Gospel of John.This episode’s guest, Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, is a physician specializing in internal medicine, occupational medicine and public health. For more than forty years he has conducted a forensic study of the Shroud of Turin, focusing on the blood marks, anatomical details of the image, and their alignment with the Crucifixion and the Gospel of John. He is the author of several works on the Shroud, most recently, The Shroud of Jesus and the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed, and has contributed to the Ave Maria University Shroud of Turin exhibit.From the off-image blood mark that first convinced a skeptical physician to microscopic fibers, first-century dating evidence, and the three-dimensional sculpture now at Ave Maria University, this conversation weaves science, Scripture, and the mystery of the Resurrection. Related episodes:The Life of Christ (Aquinas) w/ Fr. Legge | Ep. 198I am the Bread of Life w/ Fr. Thomas Weinandy | Ep. 32

Aug 25, 2026 • 54min
Getting to Know the English Catholic Martyrs w/ Joseph Pearce | Ep. 204
In this powerful episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with author and scholar Joseph Pearce to uncover the astonishing courage and heroic fidelity to Christ and his Catholic Church of the English martyrs. Drawing from Pearce’s book Faith of Our Fathers: A History of True England, they bring to life the stories of saints such as Thomas More, John Fisher, Edmund Campion, Margaret Clitherow, Robert Southwell, and Nicholas Owen, ordinary men and women who chose Christ over comfort, freedom and even life itself.From persecution under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, to the hidden priest holes and secret Masses that kept the faith alive for three centuries, Pearce shows why these heroes represent the “true England.” You’ll also hear how their witness paved the way for the great Catholic revival led by figures such as St. John Henry Newman, and the timeless lessons of humility, fidelity, and the Cross that still speak to us today. May all the English Catholic Martyrs, pray for us! Related Episodes:Who Was St. Thomas More? W/ Dr. Travis Curtright | Ep. 19 That Hideous Strength w/ Joseph Pearce | Ep. 88

Aug 18, 2026 • 57min
How to Stay Catholic in Today’s World w/ Bishop Thomas Paprocki | Ep. 203
Thomas Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield with decades of priestly ministry and law expertise, offers a vivid look at faith lived boldly. He discusses how church law guides freedom, the sacramental meaning of marriage, the shift from cultural Catholicism to intentional discipleship, faith in public life, and how courage and hope sustain Christian witness today.

Aug 11, 2026 • 1h 11min
Unveiling the Mystery of Salvation w/ Dr. Scott Hahn | Ep. 202
Join Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Scott Hahn, founder of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology, for a rich, eye-opening journey through 1–2 Chronicles. These books pulse with God’s relentless love, revealing how He weaves covenant, kingship, temple, and liturgy into one sweeping story of salvation.Hahn and Dauphinais pull back the curtain on the history, and theological depth that make Chronicles the vital bridge between the Old and New Testaments. You’ll discover why these pages matter more than most people realize, and how they prepare the way for Christ. This conversation also marks the release of Dr. Hahn’s new book: Kingdom Come: Unveiling the Mystery of Salvation History, A Study of 1–2 Chronicles (co-authored with Celeste Fortenberry, Emmaus Road Publishing, mid-2026). Come ready to see Scripture with fresh eyes, and a fuller heart.Resources:Holy People, Holy Land' by Dr. Dauphinais and Michael Levering Related episodes:Catholics In Exile w/ Dr. Scott Hahn | Ep. 106▶ 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.

Aug 4, 2026 • 1h 13min
The Bible and Marriage w/ Dr. John Bergsma | Ep. 201
What if the Bible isn’t just a collection of laws and stories, but the original romantic comedy with the happiest ending of all time? Discover how marriage reveals the very heart of God’s Trinitarian love and why recovering this vision is urgent for our culture today.In this rich conversation on The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes Dr. John Bergsma, author of The Bible and Marriage: The Two Shall Become One Flesh by John Bergsma to explore how marriage stands at the very center of God’s plan for humanity, from Adam and Eve’s original communion, through the covenants and prophetic love stories like Hosea, to Jesus as the Bridegroom who prepares a place for His Church. Together they recover the beautiful biblical vision of companionate, indissoluble, self-giving love, address common misunderstandings about the Old Testament, polygamy, headship, and Ephesians 5, and show how the entire scriptural narrative is ultimately a divine romance culminating in the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.Resources:St. Paul Center for Biblical TheologyRelated Episodes:The Biblical Roots of the Jubilee Year w/ Dr. John Bergsma | Ep. 144

Jul 28, 2026 • 58min
How to Restore Reverence in the Mass w/ Archbishop Cordileone | Ep. 200
Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco and founder of the Benedict XVI Institute, discusses restoring reverence in worship. He talks about sacred music, Latin and Gregorian chant, ad orientem celebration, kneeling for Communion, silence in church, and practical steps for renewing liturgy and inviting people back to the Mass.

Jul 21, 2026 • 1h 3min
How to Be Overwhelmed by the Gospel w/Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P. | Ep. 199
Drawing on Scripture the Church Fathers, the parable of the Good Samaritan, personal stories, and rich analogies including black holes, heart transplants and the Sistine Chapel, Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P., shows how the Gospel moves from background noise to a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.In this powerful episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P., Dominican Friary and National Chaplain for FOCUS to explore how we can move from mere knowledge of the faith to being truly overwhelmed by the Gospel. Fr. Gillen unpacks the Five R’s that form a clear, compelling presentation of the kerygma, the proclamation of the Gospel , the Five R’s are revealed in the episode!Whether you’re a longtime Catholic or someone rediscovering the faith, this conversation will deepen your wonder at God’s plan of salvation and inspire you to live it more fully.Understanding the Gospel in a Digital World w/ Dr. Edward Sri | Ep. 105The Gospel in the Cosmos: Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis w/ Joseph Pearce

Jul 14, 2026 • 1h 8min
The Summa for Beginners: The Life of Christ w/ Fr. Dominic Legge, O.P. | Ep. 198
Every moment of Jesus’ life is for our transformation and an invitation to be united with Him.In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes back Father Dominic Legge, O.P., President of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and former Director of the Thomistic Institute. Aquinas devotes an entire section to what Jesus did and suffered, from His conception and baptism, through His transfiguration, passion, and death, to His resurrection and ascension. Fr. Legge unpacks the importance of these mysteries and how they reveal God’s plan for humanity, and what it means to be united to Christ through His grace and the Sacraments. Resources:Thomistic Institute Aquinas 101 video series and Aquinas' treatment of the mysteries of Christ's life in the Summa Theologiae.A lecture by Karen Oberg on the theology and science of water, and the book They Flew by Carlos Eire.Explore the work of the Dominican House of Studies and the broader Thomistic tradition.Related Episodes:The Trinitarian Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas w/ Fr. Dominic Legge | Ep. 87The Summa for Beginners: Understanding Christ w/ Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 165


