The Art Of Catholic With Matthew Leonard

A lot of passages in Scripture make me uncomfortable. But this one scares the dickens out of me. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus declares "I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter." Uhhh..."every careless word"? (Insert teeth chattering.) Now I don't know about you, but I've said some pretty ridiculous things in my life...things for which I would love to take the eternal Etch A Sketch, turn it upside down, and shake. (By the way, did I ever tell you I was in a 1970s Etch A Sketch commercial with my brothers and sisters? Story for another time...) And I'm betting there are plenty of people reading this that are just as terrified of that verse as I am. Well, fear not! In this special episode of the Art of Catholic, I'm actually the one being interviewed by none other than Marcus Grodi about this very difficult verse. Perhaps you've seen Marcus on his EWTN show The Journey Home. (I was on that show once, too...a long time after the Etch A Sketch commercial.) Marcus is

They're the most talked about "secrets" in the world. But they're often misunderstood. In July, 1917, Our Lady appeared to three children and revealed to them several amazing visions and prophecies that all came true. They've become known as the 3 Secrets of Fatima. And while we know what they are, they're not just part of the past. They're relevant now...more than ever. There's no doubt that truly understanding and applying the message of Mary at Fatima can change the world! So in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Oct 7th) and the fact that the 100th anniversary is on October 13, 2017, this episode of the Art of Catholic will dive into these secrets including: How Mary foretold World War II What Mary showed the children and how it affects us today How Our Lady can change the course of history Why Mary showed the children a terrifying vision of hell The role of Russia in world events and conversion of the world How the assassination attempt on St. John Paul II in 1981 relates to the 3rd Secr

It's not a pretty topic. But it has to be addressed. The extreme violence in Sacred Scripture (particularly the Old Testament) understandably causes a lot of people problems. After all, how are we supposed to reconcile this kind of bloodshed with a loving, merciful God? Why did He command it? How could He command it? Didn't Jesus say to love your neighbor and pray for your enemies? Sometimes what we read just doesn't seem to square with who we know Him to be. And you can't, as some do, simply gloss over or ignore this material. We're not. In fact, we're going to tackle it head on with my guest, Curtis Mitch. Among his other illustrious achievements, Curtis is the main guy behind the commentary in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. He's been living, eating, and breathing Scripture for the last 18 years on that project. It's his full-time job. In other words, he knows the Bible like few others. So in this episode of the Art of Catholic, Curtis and I will discuss: The historical context of perhaps the darkest pa

It's no surprise. Mother Teresa is the newest saint of the Catholic Church. I became Catholic the year after she died. I hadn't paid her much attention. And yet along with the rest of the world, I knew she was holy. Sure, there were detractors. There always are. They're nuts. While most people loved and respected Mother Teresa, she also made them uneasy. Let's be honest, she made a lot of Catholics uneasy! Hers might have been the "little way" of her namesake St. Therese of Lisieux, but it wasn't an easy way. Sainthood never is. In this episode I brought in phenomenal author David Scott. He's been a powerhouse in the Catholic universe for more than 30 years, publishing all over world and holding top editorial positions at the largest Catholic newspaper (Our Sunday Visitor) and Catholic News Service. He's currently the Vice Chancellor of Communications in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He's hands down one of the best Catholic writers around. And he's written a gorgeous little book about Mother Teresa that's u

We've all got questions. None more important then those dealing with our faith. Not long ago, I invited listeners to send me questions or issues with which they're dealing. I got some great responses from all over the world. So in this special episode of The Art of Catholic, we're going to deal with a few of them. (Some of these I deal with in my first book Louder Than Words: The Art of Living as a Catholic...the book which inspired the podcast!) Some of the important issues we'll discuss include: What to do when you really don't feel a relationship with Mary. How Mary makes sense in God's family The underlying reason for contraception in our culture Why contraception isn't even on the radar of most Protestants The insane end result of a contraceptive culture A response to a Protestant's inquiry regarding redemptive suffering including why and how it works The problem with "penal substitution" (a Protestant teaching about the Cross) and its relation to redemptive suffering This is an episode for Catholic and

We've all heard it before - "The Catholic Church is all about violence and power. Just look at the Crusades! They're a perfect example!" The problem (for critics of the Church) is that idea is horse-hockey. That said, most of us have little-to-no understanding of the true heart of the Crusades...which is a complete shame. Because the fact is, the reason and rationale for what Pope Urban II began a thousand years ago is way deeper and more spiritual than what most people ever imagine. So to enlighten us all, I brought in Dr. Andrew Jones, an expert on the High Middle Ages. We're going to dive into the incredible history and backstory of the Crusades that no one ever talks about. We're going to uncover what the Crusades were really about. Among other things, in this episode we'll explore: Why the crusaders actually did it (when it cost most their fortunes, not to mention their lives) The deep connection between monasticism and the Crusades The little understood connection between Islam and the development of th

We say (or drone through) it every week – “I believe…” Do we really? Does the amazing truth of the Creed penetrate the fibers of our being the same way it did early Christians who were willing to die for it? If you aren’t quite there yet, you might soon be. Especially after hearing my latest guest. To help us understand this amazing statement of faith I brought in the Catholic supernova - Dr. Scott Hahn. He has just released an exciting new book from Emmaus Road Publishing titled The Creed: Professing the Faith Through the Ages. And in this barnburner episode he unleashes incredible insights into what we profess to believe. Among other things, Dr. Hahn dives into: Where the Creed comes from Why its placement in the Mass is extremely significant The "rule of faith" The difference between the Apostle’s Creed & Nicene Creed The "Discipline of the Secret" The revolutionary notion we profess each time we say the Creed How the Creed actually encourages and fosters science…(what?)! All this and a ton more in thi

They are the most infamous of sins. Why? Because they will knock you down, beat you up, and kick you to the curb. To put it bluntly, they can send you to hell. Thankfully, there are remedies for fighting these 7 Deadly Sins (aka the 7 Capital sins...perhaps due to their abundance in Washington D.C.) And in today’s program, we’re going to discuss the problems and solutions both. My guest is Dr. Kevin Vost who has written on this very topic. His book titled The Seven Deadly Sins: A Thomistic Guide to Vanquishing Vice and Sin is a perfect introduction to this vital topic. In this episode we’ll: Learn the history of the development of the list of the 7 Deadly Sins Identify what moral theologians call the “daughters” of these deadly sins Discover how there’s an actual pattern of relationship between sins…how one almost necessarily leads to another Learn the difference between sin and vice (they’re not the same) Identify the virtues that overcome vice and help us move toward God This is a topic that is absolutely n

Fasting? Powerful. Prayer? Absolutely necessary. Almsgiving? Can save you from death! In our last episode, we discovered the revolution that occurred in the Old Testament with regard to handling the consequences of sin. We saw how it evolved from something we had to wait and endure, to something akin to a debt we could "pay down" proactively. In other words, we discovered you can actually shave time off of purgatory through almsgiving. It was pretty huge. Now we're going to take it one step further. In today's program we're going to unpack the incredible meaning behind a simple little verse in Proverbs: “The treasuries of wickedness provide no benefit, but almsgiving delivers from death" (10:2).  That’s a pretty amazing sentence. And it’s not hyperbole. It’s not exaggeration. It's the truth...and we'll see it in Scripture. In this powerful episode we'll: Discover the little discussed details in the story of the raising of Tabitha from the dead and how they're all related to almsgiving Understand why almsgivin

If I was to ask you the quickest way out of purgatory, or even perhaps the quickest way into heaven, what would you say? "Be a saint." Good. But what should we do when we fall short? What about when we sin? The book I mention in the podcast. "Get to confession," you reply. Excellent. But then what? Is there a way to make up for what we've done? A way to remedy the damage that we've caused the Body of Christ now, so that we don't suffer later? Absolutely. It's almsgiving. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to start giving alms. I'm going to tell you why you're nuts if you don't. Trust me. You want to hear this. Because we're going to: Discuss why you want to spend as little time in purgatory as possible (hint: it hurts...a lot!) Show how Scripture describes sin in terms of a debt to be paid Demonstrate the incredible revolution with regard to payment for sin that occurred in the Old Testament between the time of King David and Daniel Examine Scripture passages that demonstrate the concept of purgatory and

Pope St. John Paul II is one of the most beloved popes of all time. He touched the lives of millions. But his impact is far from over. JPII was a world-class philosopher. He taught us truths about ourselves, and humanity in general, in a way that made sense. He understood our deepest longings and turmoil. He could explain the inner workings of our heart in relation to God.  In a nutshell, he taught us how to be fully human through Jesus Christ. But while most of us learned this from his speeches, encyclicals, and books, Andreas Widmer, former Swiss Guard and now Director of Entrepreneurship Programs at Catholic University of Americas’ Busch School of Business & Economics, received his instruction in person. This giant of a man swore to protect and serve the Holy Father with his life. And in return, he learned what it means to truly live. In fact, he wrote a book about it called The Pope & the CEO: John Paul II's Leadership Lessons to a Young Swiss Guard. In this special episode of the Art of Catholic,

God didn't just create you...He thirsts for you! His heart is bursting with love for you! Yes, you! That is the underlying message of the mystics. It's also the underlying message of one of the best spiritual theologians in the United States. Dr. Anthony Lilles, Academic Dean at St. John's Seminary in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles can illuminate and discuss the interior life unlike anyone else I've heard or met. (You might remember him from episode 3.) His new book is Fire From Above: Christian Contemplation and Mystical Wisdom...and it's awesome. He is so steeped in the rich mystical tradition of spiritual giants like John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, that the power of their message almost bursts out of him. To be perfectly honest, I had something totally different in mind when I contacted Anthony to come on show. But then the Holy Spirit took over. Here's where He led the conversation: The mystical relationship between martyrdom and contemplation (inspired by the 21

Ever met someone who can trace their lineage back to some famous people? My dad's family had an ancestor on the Mayflower. My in-laws brag they're related to Stonewall Jackson. I recently discovered one of my relatives actually translated the spiritual masterpiece The Imitation of Christ a few hundred years ago. Family lines are very important and interesting. While not tied through bloodlines, there's a Catholic family that can trace it's lineage for 800 years...the Dominicans. And the offspring of the great St. Dominic has had an unbelievable impact on the Catholic faith. Just think of all the towering Dominican figures in our history: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Rose of Lima, among others. In this episode of the Art of Catholic I'm joined by Br. Tim Danaher O.P., to talk a little about the history and impact of this amazing order. Among other things we'll discuss: The heresy that led to the founding of the Dominicans Why Dominicans are called "Hounds of the Lord" and "Black Friars"

There are 27 books in the New Testament...19 of them came from just two guys. Sts. Paul and John are two of the most influential men in the history of the world. 14 of the books of the most popular book in the history of the world (the Bible...just in case you were scratching your head) are traditionally ascribed to Paul. Not to be outdone, St. John wrote the "greatest piece of world literature, period" says John Bergsma. (Plus four other New Testament books.) These guys are Bible rock stars. Even so, they need some explication. Paul is sometimes clear as mud. (Have you read Romans?) John sometimes soars so high into the celestial mist that he needs to brought back down to earth.  Theologians spend years trying to unpack what both have to say. We don't have that kind of time. But we do have Dr. John Bergsma. Bergsma's famous art! In this rollicking conclusion to my two part interview on New Testament Basics for Catholics, we'll finish off what we started in episode 42. First, we'll conclude our discussion of

If you totally understand the New Testament of Sacred Scripture, then you can ignore this podcast. For the rest of us mortals, this show is a gem. Best-selling author and professor Dr. John Bergsma explains the Bible like nobody else. His Bible Basics for Catholics is a masterpiece. While it focused on the overall story of salvation history, particularly the Old Testament, his sequel, New Testament Basics for Catholics illuminates the second half of the Bible. And it's even better than the first one (which sold a gazillion copies). John breaks the New Testament down by focusing on its four major authors. In part 1 of this interview, we'll discuss the first two - Matthew and Luke - and what's happening in their books. Among other things we'll learn: What is the unifying theme of the major New Testament authors? Why does Matthew kick off the New Testament with a genealogy? (John actually calls it biblical Tae Kwon Do) What's so shocking about the women mentioned by Matthew? What is Luke's theme and how is his a

The Holy Spirit didn't just fall out of the sky at Pentecost. Well, I mean, he did, but all those tongues of fire, heavy winds and such weren't a random occurrence. Nothing God does ever is. There's a backstory. And once you know it, everything makes more sense. In this episode of The Art of Catholic, we dive into the events of the Old Testament that set up the birth of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Earth(quakes), Wind & Fire wasn't just a nominally successful 70s band. These elements often accompany theophanies, appearances of God. We're going to see why the crazy events at Pentecost unfolded as they did, looking at parallels to another very similar, very important event in the book of Exodus. Among other things we'll discuss: The ancient origin of Pentecost as a Jewish feast Why the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire in Acts 2 Why the Disciples started speaking in other languages What the voice of God actually sounds like (gulp!) Why the number of converts at Pentecost (i.e. 3,000

If you've ever scratched your head after hearing or reading Hebrews (or even if you just scratch your head), this episode is for you. Unless you're Catholic, it's pretty difficult to make heads or tails of the book of Hebrews. And even if you are Catholic it can seem a bit odd at times. But once you view it through the right lens, the teachings of Catholicism jump off the page like a 3D IMAX movie. In fact, it's a mini Catechism. This is the conclusion of my great conversation with author Shane Kapler who beautifully lays out the Seven Core Beliefs of Catholics in the Epistle to the Hebrews. (His book is great!) Among other things we'll discuss: How Hebrews lays out the Catholic "plan of salvation" in 7 verses (how appropriate) The grittiness of Jesus' humanity and how he learned obedience through suffering What the famous faith "Hall of Fame" in Hebrews 11 teaches us about heaven and the communion of saints Why critics of Catholicism who say there's no mention of the Eucharist in Hebrews ("so it can't be a C

Every book in the Bible is Catholic...but this one's really Catholic. When I was a Protestant missionary in Latin America, one of my fellow missionaries told me that he was trying to read the book of Hebrews, but he found it "just plain weird." He didn't know what to make of it. And it's no wonder. It's totally Catholic! (Uhhh...maybe that's why Martin Luther wanted to unload it from the canon of Scripture.) In this episode of the Art of Catholic we're going to begin our focus on the 7 core Catholic beliefs that underlie this amazing book of the Bible. My guest is a convert and gifted author named Shane Kapler, who wrote a book on this very topic titled The Epistle to Hebrews and the Seven Core Beliefs of Catholics. This is a great episode to start expanding your knowledge of Scripture. Among other things we'll discuss: Who wrote Hebrews and why it's one of the most argued topics in Scripture study Why Hebrews has special relevance today given the current condition of the world How Hebrews bridges the gap bet

Every so often I get the point where I just can't take it anymore. The Art of Catholic community knows I'm totally into spiritual theology. But every now and then I hit the wall. I just can't read another book on prayer, the 3 stages of the spiritual life, or the virtues. I need something a bit lighter. Enter Fr. Richard Infante, wonderful priest and talented author of Catholic fiction. He's got a new book called “Last Priest Standing” from Lambing Press, which is a collection of short stories and novellas. It's a fascinating peek into the private lives of priests which satisfies questions a lot of us have like: What do priests do in their free time? Do they want to talk about Church stuff with lay people? Do priests hang out together? (In casinos)? It's quite interesting and will certainly humanize priests for a lot of people. But the conversation goes deeper. With four master's degrees, including one in Fine Arts, he knows what he's talking about when it comes to Catholic fiction and its role in culture. It

Hands down one of my favorite books of all time. Dr. Ralph Martin's The Fulfillment of All Desire played a huge role in my desire to learn about, and grow in, the spiritual life. It's a classic. (I've got hand-written notes all over the margins in my copy.) 2016 is the tenth anniversary of it's publication and it still sells like crazy. Why? Because it presents the path of spiritual growth from the masters of the spiritual life: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis de Sales, Augustine, and more. This book blew my mind and helped ignite the fire of love in my life for Christ. If you don't know Ralph, he's the Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization and an associate professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit, president of Renewal Ministries, and host of the tv and radio show “The Choices We Face”. In case you didn’t think him cool enough already, Ralph was appointed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a Consultor to the P