The Art Of Catholic With Matthew Leonard

This is not a normal interview. While I typically dive into subjects like Catholic spirituality, Scripture, and such, today I'm diving into you. That sounds weird, I know. Allow me to explain. My guests on the Art of Catholic are two gentleman dedicated to helping Catholics find their personal vocation. And before you say, "I'm already married" or "I'm going to be a nun." or "I'm (fill in the blank)."...wait!! I'm talking about something far beyond your "state in life". Luke Burgis and Dr. Joshua Miller have written an amazing book titled "Unrepeatable: Cultivating the Unique Calling of Every Person". It's about you! Right now! Wherever you are! And you don't want to miss this episode. Amongst other things, we discuss: The disastrous consequence of to reducing "personal vocation" to categories of priest, nun, married or singleHow your personal vocation continues regardless of changes to your state in lifeHow every person is "hardwired" with a motivational design by GodThe proper role of empathy (and how the I

Featuring Curtis Mitch https://youtu.be/OeQGhdrb2VY Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought, "Yikes! That doesn't sound like a loving God!" There are a lot of difficult events (not to mention direct instructions from God) that cause 21st century Christians a lot of angst. Of particular note is the extreme violence ordered by God against seemingly innocent people. So what gives? How does this square with the love taught by Christ and His Church? To provide some answers, I brought in Curtis Mitch. He's one of the sharpest biblical minds in the Catholic Church. (For the last 20 years he's been writing the commentary in the best-selling Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.) He's got serious Scripture skills and I love having him on the show. Among other things, we'll discuss: Why the Israelites engaged in the violent conquest of Canaan (killing everyone and everything...Yeah, I told you this one wasn't easy)What is herem warfare and why did God order itThe whole point of the Promised LandThe extremely dir

Featuring Dr. John Bergsma https://youtu.be/pi1Qr6_Cko4 Discovered in 1946 by a guy throwing rocks into a cave, the Dead Sea Scrolls have been called "the greatest archeological find of the 20th century." And they're totally Catholic! Join Matthew Leonard and scrolls expert Dr. John Bergsma as they unlock some very illuminating secrets from these famous scrolls. It's a conversation that may help fill in some cracks you didn't even realize were there. Among other things they'll cover: What the Scrolls teach us about the EucharistThe mysterious Essenes and Christ's relationship to themWhy Matthew, Mark, and Luke say the Last Supper was on a different day than the Gospel of John...and how to reconcile that differenceWhy in the world John the Baptist lived in the wilderness eating weird stuff and wearing animal skinsHow the Scrolls shed light on what books make up the Bible (or don't) This is a jam-packed interview that will help you see the story of Scripture in a whole new way! God bless! Matthew Other Art of C

Featuring Dr. Jay Richards https://youtu.be/y9APG8CDzjM The confusion is pervasive. The consequences are catastrophic. What is a Catholic supposed to believe when it comes to evolution? Is it okay or not? Can Darwinism be reconciled with Church teaching as many argue (or even assume)? To answer these (and many other related questions), I brought in a man I consider to have one of the most remarkable minds in the Catholic Church. His name is Dr. Jay Richards, a New York Times best-selling author and convert to Catholicism (from Calvinism). Jay is an Assistant Research Professor in the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America, a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, and the Executive Editor of The Stream. He's smart. Very smart. And he's got a lot to say on the topic of evolution. In fact, he edited and contributed to a powerful book titled "God and Evolution" which I found very interesting. You will, too. Among other things, Jay and I discuss: The predominant views of how the world ca

Featuring Dr. Carrie Gress https://youtu.be/Za5oeIDXnrU Every now and then you come across someone who opens your eyes to the reality behind the curtain a little bit more. My guest just tore the whole curtain down. Dr. Carrie Gress has written an eye-popping exposé titled, The Anti-Mary Exposed: Rescuing Culture from Toxic Femininity. It’s a barn-burner. And before any of you men think, "Well, I guess I'll go find something a little more manly..." STOP! This is something you NEED to hear. There is a war going on for the hearts and minds of your wives, daughters, sons, friends...even yours! And you're about to hear the sounds of battle. In this episode, Dr. Gress and I discuss: The force behind the breathtaking rise of lesbianism and transgenderismThe insidious relationship between the Russian Revolution and the Women's Lib movementThe increasingly popular world of goddess worshipWho is Lilith and why you need to be aware of "her"What popular publications are dangerous and why (This will surprise you...)Why me

Every now and then you meet a person whose life blows your mind. I recently met that guy while in Israel. His name is Msgr. Hilary Franco, a priest of 64 years and unlike anyone you’ve ever encountered. He’s a living treasure-trove of knowledge spanning the last six decades of Church history. But it’s his personal history that wows. (You can read all about it in his incredible memoir Bishop Sheen: Mentor and Friend.) What makes his life so special? Only the fact that he lived and worked very closely for years with two of the most incredible Catholics in the history of the modern Church – Pope St. John Paul II and soon-to-be Blessed Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. No joke. And boy, does he have stories. And you’re about to hear some of them. For example: How Sheen prepared for his Emmy Award winning television showThe secret identity of the Angel erasing the blackboard on the Life is Worth Living (Sheen’s program that had 40 million viewers...a week!)The beautiful encounter between Venerable Fulton Sheen and St. J

https://youtu.be/NkpOkZ842g4 The infection has gone deep. Case in point...Several years ago I was at a very orthodox Catholic conference on the West Coast. Great talks. Great people. Great event. Then the wheels came off. During the homily at Mass, the priest gave a completely anti-Catholic homily. He didn't do it on purpose, but it was anti-Catholic nonetheless. I was flabbergasted. I turned to a friend seated next to me, and asked, "Are you hearing what I'm hearing?" He nodded, just as frustrated as I was. Later, we proceeded to have a conversation about one of the most misunderstood topics in Christianity - salvation. That friend with whom I spoke so many years ago, Dr. Michael Barber, is my guest on this episode of the Art of Catholic. He wrote a book on this very topic (Salvation: What Every Catholic Needs to Know). And we're about to continue that discussion begun so many years ago. We're going to discuss: The major difference between Catholic and Protestant views on salvationHow exactly the Cross is a

I've met a lot of converts to Catholicism over the years. But John Michael Talbot is unique, to say the least. And it's not just because he's a multi-platinum selling, Grammy / Dove award winning Contemporary Christian Music pioneer. It's more. Lots of people convert, but John Michael has embarked on a full-fledged movement to transform the way Catholics live...which continues to this day. And the story of his life will both intrigue, inspire, and perhaps even provoke you to take a look at your own life. It did for me. Among other things we'll cover: How he became CatholicHow the Doobie Brothers saved his life (yup!)Why he believes St. Francis of Assisi is the key to renewal (Check out his brand new book "Francis of Assisi's Sermon on the Mount")His take on the direction of AmericaWhy he loves the Eastern Catholic ChurchHis emphasis upon the role of the Holy Spirit (& Our Lady) So sit back and enjoy a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation with John Michael Talbot, an icon for our times. God bless! Mat

There is one doctrine of the Church that changes everything...and I mean everything! And once you get it, your understanding of salvation is radically transformed. I'm talking about deification. Yup! You and I are were created to be divine! St. Peter declares very clearly that we are destined to become a "partakers" of the divine nature of God (2 Pt 1:4). But that's not the only place in Scripture this amazing doctrine is found. It's all over the place! So to unpack what it is and where it's found in the Bible, I invited Curtis Mitch on to the Art of Catholic podcast. (He's the guy who wrote the amazing commentary in the very popular Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.) There's nobody I'd rather have on the program to address this from a scriptural point of view. Here are just a few of the highlights of this episode: Christ's words about deificationWhere deification is found in the prayers of the MassWhy our deification was always God's goalHow prayer relates directly to the process of deificationHow deification s

Featuring Michael Matheson Miller Everything has gone haywire. At every corner our traditional way of life is being undermined by forces that seem to come from every direction. It's a constant assault. And it's extremely easy for a Catholic to get caught up in being a "child of the times" without even realizing it. It's a slippery slope. We've got to be able to identify and understand the danger and consequences of the ideological war that is attempting to re-define truth, freedom, and reality itself. So I turned to Michael Matheson Miller for help. He's a sought after public speaker, writer, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Acton Institute...and he knows what he's talking about. Join us for an expose of the underlying ideas and forces that are seeking to tear apart not just the Church, but the whole world. Among other things we'll discuss: What is a "Catholic mind?"Why Pope Benedict XVI said we live in a "Dictatorship of Relativism"Whether Catholicism provides an answer to every question. (The answer may su

https://youtu.be/jmii0zRKP5A I've got ten bucks that says you've never heard a lot of this stuff. When I was coming into the Church 20 years ago, I struggled mightily with the Virgin Mary. Partly, it was because I couldn't find Marian doctrine and devotion in Sacred Scripture. I was blind. Eventually, I came to realize how deeply Mary is woven into the fabric of the sacred text once you know how to really read the Bible. But Brant Pitre just blew my mind on a few things I'd never heard. (That's saying something given the fact that I've produced an entire series on Our Lady.) You're going to love this. So sit back and enjoy a wide-ranging, but pinpoint discussion on some incredible truths about Mary that will make you marvel at the handiwork of God. Among other things we discuss: The deep connection between Israel's Ark of the Covenant and MaryHow the Book of Numbers provides evidence of Mary's Perpetual Virginity and why Joseph was abstinent...so cool!Scriptural proof that Mary could've easily made a vow of v

Decisions, decisions... Life holds a lot of options and it's often hard to know which way to go, especially when it comes to serious, life-changing matters. Thankfully, we've got help. St. Ignatius of Loyola penned his famous Spiritual Exercises to enable people to discern the spirits - discern God's will for their lives. And the great thing is that's it's not pie-in-the-sky. It's super practical and down-to-earth. In fact, understanding his Exercises can save you a lot of headache and heartache. So join me and one of the most intelligent and holy priests I know, Fr. Aaron Pidel, SJ, for an in-depth discussion of St. Ignatius and his guide for our lives. We're covering: A bit of the (wild and wooly) background of St. IgnatiusHis massive conversionAn overview of the famous Spiritual ExercisesHow Ignatius allows feelings to come into play without them taking overThe massive role of consolations and desolationsPractical discernment of God's will Given my love of spiritual theology, this is an episode that is ext

"'Slaves of Mary?' Are you kidding me?" That was my first (second, third...tenth) reaction to the words of St. Louis de Montfort in True Devotion to Mary, the classic text on our topic.  The whole idea of consecrating yourself to anyone other than Jesus Christ made zero sense to me. Not anymore. I now understand and completely embrace the whole idea of consecration to Our Lady. And I can tell you from experience that it's life-changing. It can change yours, too. So join me for a conversation on the deep power and beauty of Marian consecration with Joshua Mazrin, Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Venice. Among other things, we're going to discuss: Why Protestants automatically reject Marian consecration as hereticalThe deep theology underlying Marian consecrationHow Scripture lays the foundation for Marian consecrationOur Lady's intimate relationship with the Holy SpiritThe connection between the Immaculate Conception and Marian consecrationHow Marian consecration is related to Baptism Have a bless

Not sure if you caught it, but Archbishop Vigano recently told the American bishops they'd better be afraid...very afraid. Why? Because if you want to become a saint, the first thing you need is fear. Fear isn’t typically the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about growth in sanctity, but it's a must. Not any old fear, of course...we're talking fear of the Lord - one of the most powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Isaiah 11). And Archbishop Vigano's recent letter nails it. So in this episode of the Art of Catholic podcast, I'm going briefly unpack why I think the one paragraph letter he wrote is, in a way, the most powerful letter he's written so far...at least on the spiritual level. Among other things, I'm going to get into: Why fear of the Lord doesn't equal terror How fear is directly linked to the virtue of temperance (and why that's so important) Why spiritual fear leads to hatred of sin The beauty of filial fear How the gift of fear moves us to reverence This is a super powerful po

Yes, some look like Jedi hippies. Yes, their giant rosaries look like medieval weapons. Yes, many haven't worn socks in a very long time. But they're the real deal. About whom am I talking? Catholics with a religious vocation. You know...monks, nuns, and such. And while most of us aren't called to their life, we should pay very close attention to them. Why? Because they can show laity the pursuit of holiness in its essential contours. In other words, they can show us the way to heaven. So in order to get inside the life and mind of the "religious" and see what we can learn, I brought Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. onto the program. As you'll see, he's an extremely sharp guy and explains the deeper things very clearly. Among other things, we discuss: What are the "evangelical counsels" and how we can live them A fascinating (and brief) history of religious life (perfect for converts and those who need to brush up on their history a little:) What it means to have a truly intentional life How the religious model of life

What should we do? That's the question that keeps coming up in my conversations and email exchanges. What is the appropriate response of faithful Catholics to this ongoing crisis? While some are leaving and others are all-out attacking, most of us are caught somewhere in the middle. We’ve always thought of ourselves as faithful Catholics. We’ve always honored our priests and bishops. We’ve always been a bit awed by the papacy. So we’re torn. We want this all to be fixed, but don’t know what tools are really at our disposal. We're not totally sure what attitude and posture should we take. That's what I want to address in this episode. And I'm going to do it with Sacred Scripture. I think it gives us some pretty clear direction. So in this podcast we'll discuss: The Scriptural origins of the Catholic priesthood Why it can never be "us" vs "them" The role of the Holy Spirit in choosing a pope Extremely important takeaways from the story of King Saul and David The powerful tool used by the prophet Daniel The end

These are not easy times for Catholics. I've received a lot of emails from people, and had a lot of conversations over the last several weeks with Catholics on the brink of despair. How could this happen? What is going on? What are we going to do? I share your pain and confusion...deeply. And while I'm horrified by daily revelations about the cancer that is eating our Church alive, I also know that Christ is King and His Church will endure. In this episode of the Art of Catholic I'm going to weigh in on where I find myself coming down in all of this. And I want to provide some food for thought and prayer as we continue to watch all of this unfold. It's my desire to give you some hope and a plan of action. The crisis isn't going away. It shouldn't go away. It needs to be dealt with immediately. But I also want to remind you why the Catholic Church is, and will always be, holy...in spite of humanity's best attempts to muck it up. Blessings, Matthew P.S. Join me for a time of spiritual renewal in March 2019: Rom

There's a lot of confusion about love these days. That needs to change. On this episode of the Art of Catholic, we'll peel back some of the deeper layers of love. In fact, we'll get to the heart of Christian love. My guest wears spectacles and dark socks with his tennis shoes, but can still drain 3's in a pickup game. His name is Dr. Michael Healy and he's the former Academic Dean at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He's smart. And this is his specialty. His "Nature of Love" course at Franciscan literally changed my life. It opened me up to deeper understanding of the reality and demands of love. (And it helped me convince his daughter to marry me:). Now I want to share him with you on this episode of the Art of Catholic. He's an expert in the texts of St. John Paul II, among others, and is going to enlighten us all with some of the philosophy of love that every one of us needs to understand in order to fulfill the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is obviously a huge topic and there's a lot more to say. Tha

Parts of it should actually scare you. All of it should inspire you. The Our Father is the most famous of all prayers, taught to us by God himself. And while you've probably droned through it a few thousand times, have you ever really dug into what you're saying? For a long time, I hadn't. And my guess is it's the same for many of you. So in celebration of the upcoming (at least in many countries) Father's Day holiday, I thought I'd pay homage to the Our Father on the Art of Catholic podcast, by unveiling the inner logic of Christ's own prayer. Because this isn't just a prayer, it's a deep, rich teaching that provides a window into the very identities of both God and man, and our incredible relationship. I have a chapter devoted to this deep and beautiful prayer in my book, "Prayer Works: Getting a  Grip on Catholic Spirituality." So I thought I'd just do a kind of audio book reading of that chapter for you. In it, we'll cover things like: The incredible power of words The scariest petition ever All the forms

You may think you've heard it all when it comes to Mary. Think again. I'm betting that my buddy Curtis Mitch is going to lay some new thoughts on you about Our Lady as we continue to celebrate May, the month of Mary, on this episode of the Art of Catholic. Curtis, as many of you know, has been writing the commentary on the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible for about 20 years. I've never met anyone with his depth and breadth of scriptural knowledge. He's the perfect guy to turn to when it comes to going next level about Mary. The truth is, the Virgin Mary is a mystery we've yet to fully unpack. Her God-given power and vital role go so far beyond what we can imagine. But we're going to start to change that. In this special episode of the Art of Catholic, Curtis and I will dive into several different texts to discuss: Why "Queen of Heaven" is totally a scriptural title (and not a medieval invention) How the Annunciation in Luke 1 identifies the Queenship of Mary The multiple levels of meaning of the woman "clothed w