The Catholic Culture Podcast

The Western liberal democratic order is in crisis. If it collapses or significantly wanes in power, what will replace it? A long period of chaos and massive human suffering? Regressive authoritarianism? Or, reading the signs of the times, could we arrive at a synthesis which learns from liberalism’s mistakes while preserving its best features? Today’s guest is Jonah Bennett, editor-in-chief of a fascinating new online magazine called Palladium which is devoted to constructing what could be called the post-liberal synthesis. Palladium Magazine seeks to foster the perspective of a responsible elite, with high-quality, non-ideological coverage of everything from geopolitics to video-game addiction to the crisis in Ivy League institutions. Links Transcript of this podcast https://medium.com/@thejonahbennett/responsible-elites-podcast-transcript-7fb270681280 A few Palladium articles: “Towards The Post-Liberal Synthesis”, Jonah Bennett https://palladiummag.com/2018/09/29/towards-the-post-liberal-synthesis/  “The Real Problem At Yale Is Not Free Speech”, Natalia Dashan https://palladiummag.com/2019/08/05/the-real-problem-at-yale-is-not-free-speech/ “My Time On A Terror Trial Jury”, Wolf Tivy https://palladiummag.com/2019/09/05/my-time-on-a-terror-trial-jury/ “The American Dream Is Alive In China,” Jean Fan https://palladiummag.com/2019/10/11/the-american-dream-is-alive-in-china/  “The New Authoritarian Hungary That Isn’t”, Will Collins https://palladiummag.com/2019/05/06/the-new-authoritarian-hungary-that-isnt/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

John-Mark Miravalle is the author of a rather good popular introduction to the topic beauty, Beauty: What It Is and Why It Matters. He and Thomas converse on our moral obligation to delight in beauty, why we are moved by the combination of order and surprise, and the proper way to delight in the beauty of the human body. John-Mark closes the discussion with a moving reflection on the relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit. Links Beauty: What It Is and Why It Matters https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/beauty This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

In the new off-Broadway play Heroes of the Fourth Turning, playwright Will Arbery (son of two Wyoming Catholic College professors) offers a nuanced, accurate portrayal of the way conservatives talk to each other when progressives aren’t around. The characters are instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent time among well-educated Catholic conservatives. The play has attracted positive attention from both secular and Catholic media. Is Heroes a zoological exhibit for progressives to gape at, or something deeper? Is it ultimately more unsettling to a perceptive Catholic viewer, for whom Arbery’s troubled characters might function as an indictment of a Catholic conservatism that can be focused more on ideas and temporal concerns than on the reality of Christ? And if so, does the play itself recognize the nature of the problem? That is, does it deal substantively with its characters’ Catholicism, or, like some of those characters, does it merely use certain Catholic ideas in the service of temporal political debates? Having seen Heroes of the Fourth Turning, Thomas Mirus and James Majewski discuss. Links Heroes of the Fourth Turning https://www.playwrightshorizons.org/shows/plays/heroes-fourth-turning/ C. C. Pecknold’s review: https://catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2019/10/01/an-extraordinary-play-that-challenges-progressives-and-conservatives-alike/ Rod Dreher’s commentary: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher-tags/heroes-of-the-fourth-turning/ Theme music: “Franciscan Eyes”, written and performed by Thomas Mirus. This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Indie rock trio The Duskwhales formed almost 10 years ago at a small Catholic high school in Virginia. Over that decade, four albums and three EPs, they have forged a distinctly melodic sound in contrast to today’s joyless pop milieu. Their vocal harmonies hearken back to The Beatles and The Beach Boys, while their organ-heavy instrumentation (no bass player in their live shows) sets them apart from contemporary rock bands. In this 10-year career retrospective they discuss their musical output so far, the importance of their friendship and faith to their survival and continual artistic growth as a band, the loss of melody and retro clones in modern pop music, and more. You’ll hear clips from their eclectic discography, including their new EP, Take It Back. The Duskwhales are Seth Flynn (vocals, guitar), Brian Majewski (keyboards, vocals), and Chris Baker (drums, vocals). All music used with permission. Links Buy The Duskwhales’ music https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com Follow them https://www.facebook.com/TheDuskwhales/ Episode 5 on The Duskwhales' EP Hospital Dreams https://www.catholicculture.org/podcast/index.cfm?id=5 Interview with The Duskwhales' Sorrowful Mysteries https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otc.cfm?id=1473 Dr. Kurt Poterack on melody https://www.getprinciples.com/a-people-without-melody/ and rhythm in popular music https://www.getprinciples.com/the-rhythm-of-popular-music/ and McCartney’s “Yesterday” https://kpoterackblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/yesterday/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

One of England’s greatest composers, William Byrd is a fascinating and complicated figure of Catholic musical history. A musician in the Royal Chapel of Queen Elizabeth, he associated with the highest ranks of the Anglican establishment while writing music on the side for secret Catholic masses. In part two of this interview, singer and scholar Kerry McCarthy discusses the high level of amateur musicianship in Byrd's England, his attitude towards music as revealed in his writings, his approach to text-setting and relationship with contemporary poets, and Renaissance rhythm. An overview is given of more of the genres Byrd worked in, from keyboard and consort music to motets and Mass propers. In this episode you will hear the following pieces by Byrd (all used with kind permission from the groups named): Fantasia in A minor for keyboard, performed by Olga Pashchenko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DiebzF-UJ4 In nomine #5 for consort, performed by The Rose Consort of Viols on Byrd: Consort and Keyboard Music, Songs and Anthems https://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Consort-Keyboard-Music-Anthems/dp/B0000013UP Tristitia et anxietas, performed by Gallicantus on The Word Unspoken https://music.apple.com/us/album/word-unspoken-sacred-music/533746884?app=itunes&ls=1 Ave verum corpus, performed by Ensemble ZENE on Via Dolorosa https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/pd88hj/ensemble-zene-bruno-kele-baujard-purcell-byrd-scarlatti-lotti-allegri-via-dolorosa  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioBgfmzRLUE Links Part I of this interview https://www.catholicculture.org/podcast/index.cfm?id=49 Kerry McCarthy, Byrd https://global.oup.com/academic/product/byrd-9780195388756?cc=us&lang=en& Olga Pashchenko https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfXOSSr0MB_fvePKrSfCQug The Rose Consort of Viols https://www.alisoncrum.myzen.co.uk/roseconsortweb/index.htm Gallicantus http://www.gallicantus.com/ Ensemble ZENE https://www.ensemblezene.com/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

One of England's greatest composers, William Byrd is a fascinating and complicated figure of Catholic musical history. A musician in the Royal Chapel of Queen Elizabeth, he associated with the highest ranks of the Anglican establishment while writing music on the side for secret Catholic masses. In this first of two episodes on Byrd, singer and scholar Kerry McCarthy sets Byrd in the context of the musical and religious upheavals of post-Reformation England. She discusses how he navigated English court circles as well as his secret Catholic activities, including his three masses. In this episode you will hear the following pieces by Byrd (all used with kind permission from the groups named): Fantasia #2 for consort, performed by The Rose Consort of Viols on Byrd: Consort and Keyboard Music, Songs and Anthems https://www.amazon.com/Voces8-Tapestry-BRUCKNER-BYRD-MONTEVERDI/dp/B006UTDFE8 Rejoice Unto the Lord, performed by The Rose Consort of Viols with Tessa Bonner on the same album Agnus Dei from the Mass for four voices, performed by VOCES8 on A Choral Tapestry https://www.amazon.com/Voces8-Tapestry-BRUCKNER-BYRD-MONTEVERDI/dp/B006UTDFE8 Agnus Dei from the Mass for five voices (Gesualdo Six) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWFjvqNHgEY Links Kerry McCarthy, Byrd https://global.oup.com/academic/product/byrd-9780195388756?cc=us&lang=en& Interview with Barnaby Smith of VOCES8 https://www.catholicculture.org/podcast/index.cfm?id=24 VOCES8 http://www.voces8.com/ The Gesualdo Six https://www.thegesualdosix.co.uk/ The Rose Consort of Viols https://www.alisoncrum.myzen.co.uk/roseconsortweb/index.htm This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.” These words of St. Paul in Ephesians 5 have been a continual source of discomfort to modern Catholics, and most priests would rather explain this teaching away or avoid discussing it altogether. For the faithful Catholic, however, treating Scripture and Church teaching as something embarrassing is not an option, nor is relativizing and redefining it into oblivion. Ephesians 5 is the crucial source for how marriage, so badly damaged by the Fall, has been redeemed and supernaturalized in the Cross of Christ. In this episode, Mary Stanford explains how we can understand and even come to love this teaching which so repels our egalitarian age. She brings to the table her study of Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and the thought of Edith Stein, as well as decades of experience as a wife and mother.   Links Mary Stanford’s article “The Dynamic of the Gift: Authority and Submission in Christian Marriage” https://www.hprweb.com/2013/01/the-dynamic-of-the-gift-authority-and-submission-in-christian-marriage/   Some of the teaching sources mentioned in this episode: 1 Cor 11:3, Ephesians 5, Colossians 3:18-19, Timothy 2 and 3, Titus 2:5, 1 Peter 3:1-7 Pope Leo XIII, Arcanum divinae sapientiae, 1880 https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=4858&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=1947264 Pope Pius XI, Casti connubii, 1930 https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=3370&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=1947266 Pope St. John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=3381&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=1947268 This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Many Catholics have worn the Brown Scapular at some point in their lives. Some of those people stopped wearing it for one reason or another. Others have continued to wear it but perhaps don’t appreciate its true depth as a sign of consecration to Mary. Even less known is the fact that the Scapular is a miniature version of the Carmelite habit (which is itself Our Lady’s habit); those who wear it are part of the Carmelite family, right back to the Prophet Elijah! In this show Fr. Justin Cinnante, a Carmelite friar, explains the Marian and Carmelite origins and dimensions of the Scapular as well as the promises associated with it. Whether you wear the Scapular, used to but don’t anymore, or have never been enrolled in it, this episode will give you many reasons to love the Garment of Grace. Links Buy a Brown Scapular https://www.sistersofcarmel.com/brown-scapulars-brown-scapular-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel/ Fr. Justin on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fatherjustinocarm/

Emma and Cecilia Black grew up in a large family that sang together constantly. Now these two sisters from Grand Rapids, Michigan, have made an album of folk songs for children. They want people to know that any family can start singing together, without special training or equipment. Here Emma and Cecilia, who record under the name Roundabout, discuss the ethos of folk music, which is about participation rather than consumption. They amusingly disabuse us of the notion that folk music is always squeaky-clean and wholesome. Finally, they touch on the problems with commercial children’s music, in contrast to their album, Singsong Pennywhistle, which is engaging and accessible without being musically and lyrically dumbed-down. All songs used with permission from Roundabout. Links https://www.roundaboutfolk.com Buy Singsong Pennywhistle https://www.roundaboutfolk.com/music Folk music resources https://www.roundaboutfolk.com/why-folk

Thomas discusses his libertarian past, explains why he abandoned that political philosophy, and summarizes an article on the topic by the Catholic philosopher Edward Feser. Feser, himself an ex-libertarian who has written books on Hayek, Nozick and Locke, argues that the libertarian view of self-ownership and private property rights cannot be reconciled with classical natural law theory, and lays out a proper natural law theory of private property rights and taxation. Links The article https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/social-philosophy-and-policy/article/classical-natural-law-theory-property-rights-and-taxation/E5AF0E3F9E3B29FDFF940E4CAA728721 Feser’s collected writings on why he stopped being a libertarian http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-road-from-libertarianism.html Feser on Hayek https://www.claremont.org/crb/article/hayeks-tragic-capitalism/ Episode 7: Inflation Is a Sin—Guido Hülsmann https://www.catholicculture.org/podcast/index.cfm?id=7 This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio