Ignatius Press Podcast

Curtis Mitch, co-editor of the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible and an associate professor at the Augustine Institute, shares insights from his two-decade effort to create this valuable resource for Catholics. He discusses the Bible's power to transform lives and emphasizes the importance of biblical literacy within the Church. Curtis delves into the features of the study Bible, including links to Church teachings and the significance of engaging with various translations. The conversation highlights how these tools enhance understanding and promote deeper faith experiences.

Like many Christians, Matthew Wiseman’s family was in search of the original or purest form of Christianity, which was most faithful to the way that the apostles and early Christians lived and practiced the faith. Originally Baptists, they discovered the Hebrew Roots movement, and they lived for many years in strict adherence to Torah. However, after studying the Bible and the Church fathers, Matthew converted to Anglicanism and eventually to Catholicism. Only in the Catholic Church did he find the one faith and the fullness of the truth that he had been searching for. In this episode, Andrew Petiprin talks with Matthew Wiseman about his new book Two Jeusalems and the key moments of Matthew’s conversion story. Their conversation highlights the beauty of our Catholic faith, which safeguards the teachings of Christ and sacred traditions that date back to ancient Israel. Find Two Jerusalems: My Conversion from the Messianic Movement to the Catholic Church at https://ignatius.com/two-jerusalems-tjp/

In this engaging discussion, Amy Welborn, an insightful author known for her work on Catholic family traditions, joins Rose Trabbic. They dive into the importance of establishing meaningful Christmas customs, like St. Nicholas Day and Bambinelli Sunday, to create lasting memories for children. They explore the role of children's literature in these traditions, highlighting new book releases that enhance the festive spirit. Additionally, they thoughtfully debate the inclusion of Santa in family celebrations, emphasizing a Christ-centered approach to the holiday season.

We live in an age where treasures are frequently rediscovered and brought back into the light for further examination and appreciation. Such is the work of Ida Friederike Görres’s John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed which gives us a compelling and detailed introduction to the life and personage of Saint John Henry Newman. This work is perfect for those who are unfamiliar with John Henry Newman and for those who are avid Newman devotees and wish to gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation of this modern-day saint. In this episode, Andrew Petiprin talks with Jennifer Bryson about her translation of Ida Friederike Görres’s John Henry Newman. This wide-ranging and engaging conversation touches not only on Jennifer’s own conversion from Marxism to Christianity but also on the importance of rediscovering Ida Görres and what insights this work can offer into the life of John Henry Newman. Find John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed at Ignatius.com.

Today, many Catholics feel a sense of urgency or even dread as they look upon the dark forces and ideologies that besiege the world, the Church, and the truth. Some people may even ask, “What can I do in the face of these forces and against so many injustices?” In their recent work, Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights, Matthew Daniels and Roxanne King provide many heroic examples of everyday Catholics who stood as lights for the rights and dignity of others. This book provides sixteen short but thorough biographies of Catholics whose faith inspired and motivated others to work for social justice and the salvation of all people. In this episode, Matthew Daniels and Andrew Petiprin discuss how Catholics like Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, Venerable Father Agustus Tolton, Sr. Thea Bowman, and Diane Nash can serve as role models for Catholics today. While many of these Catholic heroes may be unfamiliar to many, their work is nonetheless crucial and the impact of their work and faith is beyond measure. Find Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights at Ignatius.com.

Join Joseph Pearce, an accomplished author and literary expert, as he discusses his insightful book, Classic Literature Made Simple. He shares his compelling list of fifty essential reads, highlighting the moral and aesthetic values of each. Pearce emphasizes the transformative power of literature, the interconnectedness of literary history, and the need for emotional maturity when engaging with classics. He also unpacks the depths of works by Dante, Shakespeare, and Tolkien, revealing their lasting impact on culture and morality.

Author Kevin Wells felt like his marriage—his whole life, even—was falling apart. His wife, Krista, was mired in an addiction to alcohol that cut her off from God, family, and friends, and Kevin felt helpless and alone. When, at last, supported by the grace of the sacraments, Krista started to find her way to healing and sobriety, the Covid-19 pandemic plunged the whole world into confusion and isolation. In his new book, “The Hermit,” Kevin tells the story of a remarkable priest, Fr. Martin Flum, who extended a life-line to Krista and to many others during the dark days of 2020. In this episode, Kevin speaks with host Andrew Petiprin about the healing he and Krista have found through suffering, about the deep reservoirs of grace to be found in the sacraments, and about the profound witness of Fr. Flum in their family’s dark night of the soul. Find “The Hermit: The Priest Who Saved a Soul, a Marriage, and a Family” at Ignatius.com.

There are multiple ways in which Abigail Favale’s conversion to Catholicism may be seen as unlikely. First as an ex-Evangelical, then as a feminist academic, Favale had built a worldview—and career—on the rejection of “patriarchy” and on the promotion of progressive causes. How could she enter a Church known for male-only leadership, and for rigorous opposition to contraception and abortion? In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Favale about her conversion—which in many ways began after she had entered the Catholic Church and began to explore its rich teachings and traditions in earnest. Her conversion memoir, “Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion,” is available now at Ignatius.com, as is her bestselling book “The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory.”

Pope Francis wrote recently about the importance of literature in moral formation. For millennia, humans have used story-telling to communicate religious beliefs and moral values, and to ensure that history and culture remain alive for future generations. As a teacher in Catholic classical schools, Abigail Palmer has a passion for using stories as vehicles for learning history, language, and the Faith. Her new novel for middle-grade readers, "Faelan and the Miracle Machines," grew out of that passion. It tells the story of a young British slave during the days of the Roman Empire, and is full of adventure and mystery as well as history and culture. In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Palmer about the book, about the fascinating historical period in which it is set, and about why stories are indispensable for teachers and parents wanting to engage their children’s imaginations as they study a wide range of subjects. Find "Faelan and the Miracle Machines" at Ignatius.com.

There was a time when Steve Dawson found himself in trouble with the law, mired in destructive behaviors and relationships. Today he spends his days sharing the Good News with anyone who will listen, as founder and president of Saint Paul Street Evangelization (in between these two stages of his life, he says, he could be found downing Jack Daniels while watching Mother Angelica).   Struck by how Jehovah’s Witnesses, Evangelicals, Mormons, and even atheists are comfortable preaching about their beliefs in the streets, Dawson has devoted his life to combating the perception that street evangelization “isn’t a Catholic thing.” In fact, preaching, teaching, and sharing the Good News in public are practices that go all the way back to the Apostles, and many great saints have engaged in them.   During his years as a street evangelist, Dawson and his team have honed skills and developed methods of communicating the Faith in simple, accessible, and compelling ways. In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Dawson about his powerful conversion story, some of the amazing things that he’s seen in his years of street evangelizing, and why the basics of evangelization are important for every Catholic to master—whether they’re sharing the Faith on the street, in the workplace, or in their own families. Related reading: “Catholic Evangelization: Stories of Conversion and Witness”, now available at Ignatius.com. Learn more about Dawson’s work at Saint Paul Street Evangelization: https://streetevangelization.com/