The Cordial Catholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Samuel Klumpenhouwer, an expert in Medieval Catholicism, to talk about the day-to-day realities of what it was like for Catholics in the Middle Ages? Did the Catholic Church really keep the Bible out of the hands of average Catholics? Was doctrine, dogma, and theology out of touch with Scripture and the history of the Church? Did Catholicism really go off the rails? Was the Reformation necessary? We tackle these questions and much more this week on the show with a wonderful guest. For more from Dr. Klumpenhouwer visit his website.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests! To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, podcaster, and Catholic convert Tsh Oxenreider to talk, first of all, about how the liturgies like those surrounding Advent drew her and her family deeper into the traditions and practices of Catholicism. And then about how each of us can deepen our own walk towards Christmas through embracing the season of Advent and the liturgical calendar. We talk about trying new Advent traditions (but also doing too much!), how to truly connect with the season through choosing the right Advent traditions to take on, how the Church calls us to embrace that time of waiting, and some of the more quirky celebrations we can take on during the Advent season. For non-Catholic Christians looking at us Catholics through the keyhole, for new Catholics looking to build some Advent liturgies into their lives, and for those Catholics who want to embrace the season even more, this is a conversation for everyone!And I really hope you enjoy!For more from Tsh visit her website. Her fantastic Advent book Shadow and Light is available where most fine books are found.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests! To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend Taylor Schroll from Forte Catholic, among other things, to talk about what's wrong (and what's right?) about the official process for converting to Catholicism. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (R.C.I.A.) is a long-standing, historical process of initiating non-Catholics into the beauty of the Catholic Church but it's not without its faults, its pitfalls, and its problems and this week Taylor and I talk about what to do when things go wrong, how to stick with it (or move on), and what can be done to make sure the whole thing makes more sense, and creates authentic Catholic disciples. This is such a fun conversation filled with lots of laughter, some great spicy hot takes from Taylor, and our own personal experiences of struggling through teaching and learning in the RCIA program. I know lots of listeners to this show have had struggles (or are having struggles) with this process and we're here to try and help!For more from Taylor check our Forte Catholic website, the podcast (available everywhere) and, in particular, the Catholic Foundations Teaching series, which is fantastic.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend and fellow Catholic convert Brantley Rutz to share the story of his conversion. Brantley is a wonderful guy. A "dyed-in-the-wool" Protestant who even named one of his children after a famous Baptist preacher – yes, he was that serious of a Protestant. It wasn't until Brantley and his wife began investigating what they believed about Infant Baptism – and looking into what the Early Church believed about the practice – that he had ever even thought about Catholicism! This story is a fantastic one. Listen, and learn how Brantley, a deep thinker, a dedicated Evangelical Christian, and a Calvinist to boot, made the journey into Catholicism! To connect with Brantley find and follow him on Facebook.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Adam Blai, an expert on exorcism out of the Diocese of Pittsburg. Adam has witnessed hundreds of solemn exorcisms, written several fine books on the topic, and helps to train exorcists in his official capacity in his diocese and also all over the world. In this episode we talk about the nuts and bolts of exorcism, the stages and signs, why God allows demons to possess, oppress, and infiltrate the lives of humans, and what sorts of things we need to pay attention to and be wary of as Catholic Christians a world increasingly interested in the paranormal. Adam is a great and holy man with amazing insight into the paranormal and the world of spiritual warfare. I hope you enjoy this episode!For more from Adam check out his books from Sofia Institute Press, especially his newest The History of Exorcism.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, MD to talk about the incredible Shroud of Turin. Dr. Lavoie, a medical doctor who has undertaken a more than 40 year forensic study of the Shroud, shares his incredible insights on what is supposedly the burial cloth of Jesus, venerated by Christians for 2,000 years. Dr. Lavoie digs deeply into the evidence – what we know and what we don't know – and explains why everything you've heard about why the Shroud is inauthentic is probably wrong. And the evidence for why we should believe in its authenticity. It's amazing. Dr. Lavoie is an absolute expert on this subject and shares not only insights from science, history, and archeology, but from the biblical evidence as well. And preaches a mean homily on the resurrected Christ while he's at it! What an incredible episode. To find Dr. Lavoie's book look for The Shroud of Jesus from Sophia Institute Press or on Amazon.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the remarkable Sister Mary Ann Fatula, O.P. to talk about non-Catholic Christians who were converted, and then became saints, through the witness of the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ at Mass. These are some incredible stories of how real people encountered the theology of the Catholic Church – the belief that Jesus is really present at Mass – and decided to convert to Catholicism. We'll talk about the Eucharist in the Early Church Fathers, the witness of other Catholics and their reverence towards the Eucharist, and the power of the tenderness of the Eucharist in Adoration. And while these stories are like a lot of the conversion stories we feature on this podcast, these converts, like St. Elizabeth Seton and St. John Henry Newman, are now canonized saints! Check out Sister Mary Anne's book, The Wonders of the Mass and the Eucharist: Insights from the Saints, available now from Sophia Institute Press.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, speaker, and star of the  Word on Fire show, Rachel Bulman. Rachel joins me to talk about Catholic relationships, marriage, and how to understand and approach these from the perspective of the rich teachings of the Catholic Church, as understood through the lens of a convert to Catholicism. There's so much in this wonderful conversation. We talk about our perspectives of dating, coming from the Evangelical Christian world, to the beauty of the sacramental view of matrimony in Catholicism, how to live out that daily call to spousal love, how to understand the vocation to marriage, celibacy, the priesthood and religious life, and how to impart these values to our children. Such a wonderful conversation and I truly hope you take something valuable away from this rich discussion.To find out more about Rachel you can visit her website. Check out her book, Becoming Wife, available everywhere books are sold. And check out Meet the Bulman's from Word on Fire.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic Answers apologist extraordinaire Joe Heschmeyer to talk about Jesus and the Eucharist. Together we unpack the history of the Eucharist from the Early Church to today, what we mean by "real presence" and how the very first Christians understood this, the Eucharist in light of the Old and New Covenants and much, much more. It's a banger of an episode, filled with all of the best Eucharistic apologetics like you'd expect from a guest as high calibre as my friend Joe Heschmeyer. I hope you enjoy!For more from Joe check out latest book The Eucharist Really Is Jesus  from Catholic Answers Press and visit his website Shameless Popery where you can find links to all the amazing things Joe is doing – including his podcast Shameless Popery, available everywhere podcasts can be found.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Andrew and Sarah Swafford to talk about the idea of virtue and how to have meaningful Catholic relationships at all stages of life.Dr. Andrew Swafford and his wife Sarah are the authors of Gift and Grit: How Herotic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships our from Ascension Press. Sarah, the founder of Emotional Virtue Ministries is a sought after speaker on these kinds of topics and is joined by her husband Dr. Andrew Swafford, theology professor at Benedictine College, to discuss their perspectives, as a couple, on these topics. We tackle chastity, emotional virtue, dating, friendships, and much, much more from a Catholic perspective and through the lens of the work of St. John Paul II. An amazing conversation for listeners at any stage of life! For everything that Andrew and Sarah are up to follow them on their website.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic