The growing population and vibrant faith of African Catholics have engendered a long-expressed hope that the future of the Church is in Africa. Based on a model of solidarity and mutual enrichment between the Church in Africa and the Church in the United States, Church Life Africa (CLA), a strategic initiative at the University of Notre Dame, takes this hope seriously and calls for an intentional investment in its promise. Special Guests: Fr. Joachim Ozonze, Fr. Ken Amadi, and Fr. William...

Natalie MacMaster married Donnell Leahy in 2002, who came to prominence as the lead fiddle player for The Leahy Family. Together the pair have released two albums together. The first, One, was released in 2015. The pair released a traditional Christmas album, A Celtic Family Christmas, the year after. Natalie and Donnell have toured the world together and even feature their seven music-loving children in their performances. Special Guests: Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster. Links: Natalie...

Fr. Fred Jenga, C.S.C. is president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, originally established by Venerable Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. to promote family prayer for peace. Today, HCFM is an international organization of ministries including Family Rosary, the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, the Catholic Mom blog, and Family Theater Productions. Special Guest: Fr. Fred Jenga, C.S.C.. Links: Holy Cross Family Ministries — We are dedicated to inspiring, promoting and fostering the...

Randall B. Smith returns to the studio to discuss his book, "From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality, and the Resurrection of the Body." We chat about how the incarnation of Jesus instituted a radical new way of understanding the universal experience of death. Special Guest: Randall Smith. Links: Randall Smith's professional homepage — Randall Smith is a Full Professor with tenure at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. He holds a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies and...

Gary Anderson is interested in all dimensions of Biblical studies. His specialization is in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, but because of his interest in the history of interpretation, he also works in Second Temple Judaism and early Christian sources. Special Guest: Gary Anderson. Links: Gary Anderson: Faculty Page — Notre Dame Department of TheologyThat I May Dwell Among Them: Incarnation and Atonement in the Tabernacle Narrative — The Tabernacle Narrative comprises passages in Exodus and...

Michael J. New, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Social Research at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Dartmouth College, Dr. New received a master’s degree in statistics and a doctorate in political science from Stanford University in 2002. He researches and writes about the social science of pro-life issues, and gives presentations on both the positive impact of pro-life laws and the gains in public support for the pro-life...

Micheal Flaherty is a film and podcast producer who has been involved in bringing beloved books to the big screen including the Chronicles of Narnia, The Giver, Charlotte's Web, and Holes, as well as docudramas and documentaries like Amazing Grace and Waiting for Superman. Special Guest: Micheal Flaherty. Links: Micheal Flaherty on IMDb — Micheal Flaherty is known for The Giver (2014), Everest (2015) and Mother's Day (2016).Think Again Studios — We tell stories that CHALLENGE conventional...

In this episode, we chat with Archbishop Anthony Fisher, the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia. We chat about how he discerned his vocation as a Dominican friar, how his training as an ethicist helped him in his pastoral responsibilites in the face of the global pandemic, and where he sees signs of hope for the future of the Church in the modern world. Special Guest: Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP. Links: Lecture Video: Newman and the Religion of the Future and the Future of the...

In this episode, we chat with Aimee Murphy, founder of Rehumanize International, a human rights organization dedicated to creating a culture of peace and life. We discuss her new book, Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All, and explore the principles of the Consistent Life Ethic. Special Guest: Aimee Murphy. Links: Book: "Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All" — Who deserves human rights? The answer to this question is the crux of all moral and political action in...

Sofia Carozza is a graduate student in neuroscience currently residing in the United Kingdom. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2019. She co-hosts The Pilgrim Soul podcast. Special Guest: Sofia Carozza. Links: The Pilgrim Soul Podcast — A podcast about the journey of faith in the world of today.Sofia's writing at Church Life Journal2019 Notre Dame Valedictory Address by Sofia Carozza — Sofia Carozza, who earned a Bachelor of Science with a major in neuroscience and behavior...

Leonard J. DeLorenzo, Ph.D., is the director of undergraduate studies at the McGrath Institute for Church Life where he also serves as academic director for Notre Dame Vision, directs the Sullivan Family Saints Initiative, and hosts the popular radio show and podcast Church Life Today. He holds a concurrent teaching appointment in the Department of Theology. Special Guest: Leonard J. DeLorenzo. Links: Lenny's Homepage — I’m Leonard and I’m glad you’re here.The Chronicles of Transformation: A...

Bo Bonner, senior advisor of mission initiatives and director of the Center for Human Flourishing at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, joins us to chat about his journey to the Catholic faith, how St. John Henry Newman has hounded him throughout his career, and much more. Special Guest: Bo Bonner. Links: Bo's Homepage — Bo Bonner has been involved in the Catholic teaching ministry (primarily Philosophy and Theology) since he converted in the midst of Protestant Seminary at Duke...

Fr. Harrison returns to the podcast to discuss his book, Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview. Special Guest: Fr. Harrison Ayre. Links: Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview — Mysterion unveils the underlying vision at the heart of Christianity and invites us to enter into a deeper understanding of the mystery and saving work of Christ. We discover the fulfillment of our deepest desires in the sacramental worldview—a powerful way of seeing all...

Paul Blaschko is an assistant teaching professor in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He heads up curriculum design and digital pedagogy for the God and the Good Life Program, and has recently been working to develop similar curricula at universities across the nation as part of an initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Blaschko completed an MA in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, a PhD at the University of Notre Dame, and held the Andrew W. Mellon...

Dr. Collier is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and she completed her internal medicine residency and chief medical resident year at the University of Michigan Health System. She is the director of Michigan Medicine's program on Health, Spirituality & Religion. Her special clinical interests include preventative medicine, primary care, depression and heart disease. Special Guest: Kristin Collier, MD. Links: In the Shadow of Success: COVID, Newman, & the Dignity...

The de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame presented the 11th annual Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal to Dr. John T. Bruchalski, MD, founder of Tepeyac OB/GYN, one of the largest pro-life clinics in the nation, at a celebration on April 23, 2022. "Dr. Bruchalski is a shining example of the Church's untiring commitment to directly serving mothers, children, and families," said O. Carter Snead, director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. "His...

Writer, editor, publisher, and teacher, Gregory Wolfe has been called “one of the most incisive and persuasive voices of our generation” (Ron Hansen). Both as a thinker and institution-builder, Wolfe has been a pioneer in the resurgence of interest in the relationship between art and religion—a resurgence that has had widespread impact both on religious communities and the public square. As an advocate for the tradition of Christian Humanism, Wolfe has established a reputation as an...

Dan Lipinski is the former US Representative for the 3rd Congressional District in Illinois from 2005 to 2021, a member of the Democratic Party. He was co-chair of the Bi-partisan Congressional Pro-life Caucus. Special Guest: Daniel Lipinski. Links: New York Encounter 2022: "Politics: A Zero-Sum Game?" — Précis: Overcoming ideological divides in the political battlefield, with William Haslam, former Governor of Tennessee, and Dan Lipinski, former U.S. Congressman, moderated by Kimberly...

Abigail Favale, Ph.D., is a writer, professor, and speaker. She is Dean of the College of Humanities at George Fox University. Raised an evangelical Christian, she converted to the Catholic faith in 2014. Her newest book, The Genesis of Gender, is due to be released by Ignatius Press in May 2022. Special Guest: Abigail Favale. Links: Abigail Favale's HomepageDr. Favale at dCEC Fall Conference 2021Dr. Favale at New York Encounter 2022 - Body and Identity — A presentation on gender theory and...

Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, LC is a priest with the Legionaries of Christ ordained in 2013. He is currently writing a doctoral thesis in moral theology through Regina Apostolorum in Rome while living in the diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Since leaving his hometown of Calgary, Canada, he has ministered in various locations throughout the USA and Canada. He is also known for his online writing and social media, @FrMatthewLC across social media. Special Guest: Fr. Matthew Schneider,...

Christopher Beha is the author of a memoir, The Whole Five Feet, and the novels Arts & Entertainments and What Happened to Sophie Wilder. His latest novel, The Index of Self-Destructive Acts, was nominated for the 2020 National Book Award. He is the editor of Harper’s Magazine. Special Guest: Christopher Beha. Links: Author's Homepage: Christopher BehaThe Index of Self Destructive Acts — Longlisted for the National Book Award A New York Times Editors’ Choice Finalist for the Gotham Book...

A chat with Alex Jones, co-founder and CEO of Hallow, the #1 Catholic app for prayer, meditation, music, and sleep. From the introduction to Hallow: "This is the idea behind Hallow: provide a simple, easy-to-use mobile app that helps us foster a relationship with God and the peace of prayer through guided prayer and meditation. Hallow is a simple way to create a daily, personal retreat each morning for you in your home. The idea isn’t to invent new ways to pray, but rather to bring to the...

Petra Farrell joined the de Nicola Center in October 2017 as the Culture of Life Programs Manager, overseeing the Vita Institute, the Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal, and serving as the advisor to the Right to Life student club. Having previously served for several years as a volunteer with St. Joseph County (now Michiana) Right to Life, she performed sidewalk counseling as well as organized and emceed the organization's annual fundraising dinners. Special Guest: Petra Farrell. Links: March...

Kirk Doran is the Henkels Family Collegiate Chair and Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Notre Dame. Doran received his B.A. in Physics from Harvard University in 2002, his S.M. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University in 2002, and his Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University in 2008, where his dissertation won Princeton's labor economics dissertation award. Doran's research focuses on issues in labor economics, innovation economics, and international migration,...