Ash Wednesday from 1910

Ash Wednesday: the Necessity and Salutary Effects of Penance

“For what is your life? It is a vapor which appeareth for a little while, and afterwards shall vanish away.” – St. James, iv, 10.

"In the first centuries of Christianity, my dear children, great sinners, at least those whose sins, having been committed publicly, had given bad example, were condemned by the Church to perform a public penance more or less long and severe, according to the importance of their sins. 

At the beginning of Lent, penitent went barefoot to the cathedral; there the Bishop exhorted them to repent, after which, taking some dust and marking them on the forehead, he said at the same time these words: “Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.” Then the Bishop turned the penitents out of church, and they were not allowed to return thither until the time of the penance was ended.

My children, if we are now treated less severely, you must not conclude that our sins have become more excusable, or that we are less obliged to atone for them; though the Church now spares us the shame of public penance, we are none the less obliged to do sincere and real penance in the depths of our hearts, and we shall not cease to hear the necessity of penance preached during this holy time. 

In remembrance of this ancient custom, the Church, considering that all her children are sinners as of old, has adopted this ceremony of the giving of ashes on the first day of Lent, named accordingly Ash-Wednesday. The words uttered by the Priest whilst he marks our foreheads with the ashes, remind us that we must die some day, that it is good for us to think of our latter end, so as to atone for the sins already committed and to avoid committing others.

These serious thoughts can be of all the greater use to us at a time of the year, which gives to many the opportunity of acting foolishly and of grievously offending God in his goodness. 

As for you, my dear children, during these day of folly, I know that you amuse yourselves under your parent’s guidance and by their leave; however, it may be needful to remind some of you, who too deeply lament over the shortness of these days of pleasure, as, for instance little girls, who perhaps at a party, have been rather vain of their beauty or of their dress;  I say merely to amuse ourselves, and that our poor bodies, being made of dust and destined to fall once more into dust, it is folly to be so very proud of them. 

On Ash-Wednesday, let us then ask God, my children, to cure us of our vanity."

[Source: The Catholic Instructor: An Educational Library of Ready Reference, Published by The Office of Catholic Publications, New York, 1910.]

Wishing all my readers a happy and blessed Ash-Wednesday and Lent! God bless you all! 

In Christ,

Julie 

EWTN Political Polling

Tracking Where Catholics Stand Ahead of 2020 Election

Second Poll from EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research Finds Devout Catholics’ Approval of President Trump has Increased,
Even After Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON, DC – EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research have partnered to conduct multiple deep-dive polls on Catholic voters’ attitudes and trends ahead of the 2020 election. This is the second in a series of four opinion research polls being conducted between November 2019 and November 2020 to chart an understanding of where Catholics stand on issues surrounding the Church, politics, and American culture. 

Overall, the new poll finds that President Donald Trump is in a stronger position among devout Catholics, especially devout Latino Catholics, than he was at the end of 2019. Though there are some agreements on social issues between “devout” Catholics and the more general Catholic population, stark political differences appear to exist between these two Catholic communities.

Some key highlights from the poll: 

• 54% of Catholic voters said they are open to voting for Pres. Trump in 2020.
       ○   Including 34% indicating that they will definitely vote for Pres. Trump in 2020.
       ○   He is lifted by the 67% of devout Catholics who are sure to or open to voting for him, 3% points from the December 2019 poll.
• 52% of devout Hispanics said they are sure to vote for Pres. Trump in 2020.
       ○    58% of devout Hispanics think the nation is headed in the right direction.
       ○    58% of devout Hispanics think the country is better off financially than 4 years ago.
       ○   77% of devout Hispanics think they are personally better off financially than 4 years ago.
• A majority of all Catholics (55%) believe that the use of bathrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms should be based on biological sex at birth and not gender identity.
• 57% of all Catholics believe there should be more faith-friendly programming coming out of the entertainment industry.
• By nearly a two-to-one margin (57%-29%), Catholic voters support the death penalty, even while 63% are aware of the Church’s position that it is inadmissible
• Pres. Trump’s overall job approval among all Catholics is at 47%, +3% points from the December 2019 poll, and at 63% among devout Catholics, yet he still trails every major Democrat contender in head-to-head matchups less than a year out from the election.

• Of the Catholics likely to vote in the Democratic primary, 29% would vote for Joe Biden, 24% for Bernie Sanders, 17% for Michael Bloomberg; all other candidates in single digits.

“Our second poll confirms even more starkly what we learned in the first—that the Catholic vote is certainly not a monolith, and one of the most important predictors of a Catholics’ vote is the degree to which they accept Church teachings,” said John Della Volpe, Director of Polling at RealClear Opinion Research. “In turn, this can help us gauge where they fall on both political and social issues, although there were definitely some unexpected results that we plan to explore further in the next poll.”

Matthew Bunson, Executive Editor of EWTN News, adds, “In a year in which every vote will likely count, no campaign can ignore Catholics, most so President Trump. Devout Catholics, along with Evangelicals, represent one of his most steadfast bases of support. This means they remain vital to his re-election hopes, and he cannot win in 2020 without them.”

METHODOLOGY 

From January 28 to February 4, 2020, RealClear Opinion Research conducted a poll of registered Catholics in the United States. Respondents were contacted online, and the survey was offered in both English and Spanish. The sample size was N=1,521 with a credibility interval of +/-2.77 at the 95% confidence level.

Link to poll results: EWTNNews/Poll

About EWTN:

EWTN News is a service of EWTN Global Catholic Network. In its 38th year, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.

About RealClear Opinion Research:

RealClear Opinion Research is a service from RealClearPolitics that conducts original research on social trends shaping America and the world. For more information, visit http://www.realclearmediagroup.com/realclearopinionresearch

There is a danger in the ignorance of voters

         From the Catholic Church in 1910, I give you...

Dangers to a Government by the People 

"The safety of the Republic lies in the vigilant and active patriotism of the American people. 

There is a danger in the ignorance of voters. As a rule, the man who does not read and write intelligently cannot vote intelligently. Americans understand the necessity of popular instruction, and spare no expense spreading it. They cannot be too zealous in the matter. They need to have laws in every State which will punish, as guilty the crime against the country, the parent who neglects to send his children to school. 

There is a danger-and a most serious one- in corrupt morals. A people without good morals is incapable of self-government. At the basis of the proper exercise of the suffrage lie unselfishness and the spirit of sacrifice. A corrupt man is selfish; an appeal to duty finds no response in his conscience; he is incapable of the high-mindedness and generous acts which are the elements of patriotism; he is ready to sell the country for pelf or pleasure. Patriotism takes alarm at the spread of intemperance, lasciviousness, dishonesty, perjury; for country’s sake it should arm against those dire evils all the country’s forces, its legislatures, its courts, and above all else, public opinion. Materialism and the denial of a living, supreme God annihilate conscience, and break down the barriers to sensuality; they sow broadcast the seeds of moral death; they are fatal to liberty and the social order. A people without a belief in God and a future life of the soul will not remain a free people. The age of the democracy must, for its own protection, be an age of religion." 

Source: The Catholic Instructor, Published by The Office of Catholic Publications NY-1910– page 122 



In Christ,

Julie 

The Pope - The Chair of Peter the Apostle

The following is from "The Pope" [pages 73-76]– Source: “The Fountain of Catholic Knowledge: A Comprehensive Statement of All the Truths of Holy Religion” copyright by Office of Catholic Publications, 1900. 

As I stated yesterday, one of the things I am doing for Lent is re-reading from my collection of 100+ year old Catholic books and my plan to share these writings on my blog. Today being "The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle" I thought this was appropriate. 

I really love this writing, and in particular the part about Peter answering Our Lord three times that he loves Him (this is one of my favorite Bible verses). So reading this and reflecting on it in light of our current situation with Pope Francis, a few things really stood out to me, I have underlined them in the text below. 

I'd really like to hear what your thoughts are on this book passage about the pope and our current situation. 

"The first Pope, the first Vicar of Jesus Christ, was the Apostle St. Peter.

   Who cannot recall the memorable passages of the Gospel in which Jesus Christ first promised and afterward conferred upon him the sovereignty of the universe? Our Lord was in Judea, in the country bordering upon the town of Cesarea. To try the faith of His disciples, He asked what men thought concerning Him. They answered, “Some believe that Thou art John the Baptist, other Elias, and other Jeremias, or one of the prophets risen from the dead.” Jesus said to them, “But whom do you say that I am?” And immediately St. Peter, falling on his knees, exclaimed, “Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then it was that the Saviour allowed too fall from His lips the words which have travelled down the centuries with such marvellous fertility, and which still shine resplendently at Rome, graven in gigantic characters above the tomb of the Apostle-“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee, That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.”

   You have doubtless often heard this passage of the Gospel read, but have you ever fully fathomed the depth and the strength of its meaning?

First of all, we see that it was God Himself who had inspired St. Peter, and had made known to him the truth of the faith.

“Flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father who is in heaven.” St. Peter was already the elect of God the Father, and for this reason he became the elect of God the Son. “And I”- the Son of God made man, the Christ, the Messiah, to whom thou hast just rendered witness-“I say to thee.” Jesus Christ to St. Pete! the Master to His disciple! God to His Pontiff! the Head of the Church, who has reigned in heaven since His ascension, to him whom He had chosen to be, in His name, and by His authority, the visible head of the Church upon earth. I say to thee, “That thou art Peter.” I change they natural name of Simon into a new and symbolic name. “Upon this rock,” this living rock, as upon an immovable foundation. “I will build My Church,” and the very strength and firmness of the foundation shall give to it so perfect a stability, and so mighty a power, that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Thou shalt teach the truth to My Church, and for this reason it shall be infallible in faith: thou shalt guide it in the path which leads to a glorious eternity, and for this reason it shall be holy. I intrust My Church to thee; I have but one true Church, as a husband has but one lawful wife. And by what clear and evident sigh shall men recognize this one true Church, among the innumerable religious societies which lay claim to her glorious title? By one certain and distinctive mark; if she rest on and centre of unity-her father, pastor, doctor, and pontiff. “Upon this rock I will build My Church.” My kingdom shall be that in which thou shalt reign. My law shall be that which thou shalt teach. Whoever shall be with thee, shall be, for that reason alone, with Me, and whoever shall separate himself from thee, shall separate himself from Me, and from life eternal.

The powers of hell shall not be able to prevail against the Church, since they shall be powerless against thee. Persecutions shall come, heresies, and revolutions. Fear not, I am with thee, and upon thee ever rests My Church, which shall endure unto the end of the world. Those who desire to break thee shall be broken against thee, since thou art the corner of attraction to the whole moral world.

And the power that I will give thee shall be proportioned to the glory conferred upon thee, and to the vast requirements of thy ministry: “Whatsoever thou shalt bind or loose upon earth, shall be found or loosed in heaven;” and thus thy voice shall be as the voice of heaven, and thy infallible dictums shall precede the dictums of the eternal truth. That which though shalt bless, I will bless; that which thou shalt curse, I will curse… Blessed is the man who is obedient to the voice of Peter!

Such is the true meaning of those scriptural words which have ever confounded, and shall eternally confound, the irrational rebellion of Protestants against the Catholic Apostolic Roman Church, which is governed by the Pope, the legitimate successor of St. Peter.

Before ascending into heaven the Son of God solemnly confirmed His promise, of which some might have imagined that St. Peter by his sin had forfeited the fulfillment. “Simon, lovest thou Me?” Jesus asked three times of his Apostle. “Yea, Lord,” St. Peter three times answered; “yea, Thou knowest that I love Thee!” thus effacing by a triple protestation of love and devotion the triple denial of which he had been guilty. Then said Our Lord to him, “Feed My lambs-feed My sheep!” The lambs of Jesus Christ are Christians who are obedient to the voice of this good Shepherd; His sheep are the bishops and priests by whose God-given power and spiritual fatherhood all Christians must be born again-born to the life eternal, by means of baptism, the sacraments, and the teaching of the one true faith.

And thus St. Peter was solemnly appointed pastor of the universal Church by Jesus Christ before His ascension into heaven.

The Pope, Bishop of the city of Rome, of which St. Peter was the first bishop, is the successor of this great and holy Apostle.

Leo XIII., the present Bishop of Rome, descends by an uninterrupted line of pontiffs from the prince of the Apostles. St. Peter commands, teaches, and governs the Christian world by means of Leo XIII., or rather it is Jesus Christ; it is Jesus Christ Himself who dwells within him, in order to be in Him and by Him,  the divine Head of his own Church. It is not the man whom Catholics revere in Leo XIII.; it is the Vicar of Jesus Christ; it is Jesus Christ Himself who covers him with His shadow, and endows him with a royal supremacy over His disciples.

The man in the Pope should be, and generally is, by the providence of God, worthy of esteem, by reason of his virtues; but even were he an utterly bad man, the divine majesty of his authority would remain uninjured; just as a father, who has a claim upon the honor and obedience of his children because he is their father, although they may know that, as a man, he has been guilty of many blamable actions. There are two persons in the Pope: the Pope and the man-as a man, he is more or less estimable, according to the virtues that he possesses; as a Pope, he is always worthy of all our reverence, and has a right to our entire and unquestioning obedience. It is not the man, it is the Pope who is always guided by the Holy Ghost.

There have been two hundred and fifty-nine popes, from St. Peter to the time of our Holy Father Leo XIII. now reigning. Of this number more than eighty have either borne the palm of martyrdom, or have led lives of such eminent holiness that they are numbered among the saints. Scarcely two or three have soiled the chair of St. Peter by notorious vice. The greater part have been men eminent either for their capacity, their piety, or their benevolence. But it may safely be affirmed that not one among them has possessed more charm of virtue than our present Pontiff, Leo XIII.

The peace of God shines from his face. The well known characteristics of his calm and equable nature are goodness and benevolence-a clear intellect, and a constant cheerfulness. His regular features, his eyes of an undefinable expression, and the calm dignity of his manner, are in him the visible signs and outward revelations of the beauty of holiness. He is at once the sovereign Pontiff and the good Father. It is a great happiness to receive the blessing of the Pope, and especially of such a Pope. It is a great happiness to be able to make a pilgrimage to Rome, and to see the successor of St. Peter celebrating the Holy Sacrifice upon the very tomb of the Apostle, and offering to the adoration of the faithful the hidden God of whom he is the Pontiff and the Vicar." 

Thoughts? 

In Christ, 

Julie

Source: The Fountain of Catholic Knowledge, A Comprehensive Statement of All the Truths of the Holy Religion Together With Notable Presentations of the Glorious Truth Triumphant – Office of Catholic Publications, 1900.  

Spending Lent looking back at what the Church used to teach

Greetings in Christ to all my readers! 

I've mentioned before on this blog that I am a collector of old Catholic books - I'm a bit obsessed with them to be honest. If they are over 100 years old I want them. 

They played an enormous part in my conversion. I don't think just visiting any Novus Ordo Mass around me would have done it on its own because the parishes around here hardly reflect the Faith found in these old Catholic books. It was the combination of prayers, Mother Angelica's EWTN (side note here-if you're not watching Fr. Mitch's Scripture&Tradition you are missing out on some great teachings!), my need for the Truth, good Catholic family & friends and these wonderful old books that eventually led me and my children to become Catholic. 

Yesterday I decided to pull them out and read them for Lent. I've done this before and enjoyed it very much. This year I am going to share them on my blog for anyone interested in reading what our beloved Catholic Church used to teach us. 

There is one book I am likely to focus on the most, its "The Catholic Church Alone The One True Church of Christ" published by Catholic Educational Company, New York, Philadelphia in 1899. It's a personal favorite of mine.

Ebay offers this book: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1899-The-Catholic-Church-Alone-The-One-True-Church-of-Christ/264598032939

One of my plans for Lent is to not complain on this blog about the Pope or the goings on at the Vatican. Rather I want to go back to the teachings our previous Shepherds gave to help save our souls. With all the horrible news coming from the Church: corruption, scandals, abuse, homosexual clergy, heresies, etc., I really need to submerge myself in the good stuff- the stuff that helped me fall in love with the Church and want to be a part of it.

So for Lent, I will be sharing what I find in these old books on my blog. I hope you will check in and share your thoughts on these writings and maybe share some quotes from some of your own favorite books. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on Lent and what books you have decided to read or prayers you're doing. 

God bless you all! 

Julie 

Was Jesus confused about who he was?

So I see this Tweet...

Asking "Who did Jesus think he was?" 😒

My first thought is: Where do you begin with 'Catholics' like this? As if God didn't know He was God!

I clicked the link to this retreat... 

"This is a series of 3 study days.
The first part of the course will examine how Jesus fits into the Jewish and political world of Roman Palestine and how he understood himself and his mission in that context.  (He seems to have directed his mission only to Jews and not to Gentiles: why?  How did he view his death?)  These questions have been extensively studied in recent ‘Life of Jesus Research’, sometimes in a very sceptical way.  What can we say about his self-understanding?  
The second part will consider how his self-interpretation was elaborated and amplified in the Church’s teaching that this particular man should be understood as the incarnation of God’s Word.  Is the idea of someone who is ‘divine’ and human’ credible?  When you focus on Jesus the Galilean Jew, does this undermine belief in him as the divine Son of God?  Or does it ‘flesh out’ what Incarnation really might mean?" 

At first I was just disgusted and angry reading this. Then I felt fear. I've been reading a lot of end times things, Bible, Saints, prophecies etc, lately and all I am left with is fear for the flock. Our shepherds aren't protecting us or educating most of us to give us the tools against modernists and those hell bent on destroying the Faith and leading people into confusion and doubt. And then I took a moment and thought maybe its not what I thought, cause I don't think very highly of the Jesuits these days (minus Father Mitch over at EWTN). 

So perhaps this retreat is truly about answering people who have these questions. I'm going to hope for the best here, and believe this isn't a modernist retreat meant to cause confusion and sew protestant theology into the minds of the Catholic Faithful.

That said, anyone considering this "retreat" save yourself the cash and confusion. Just open your Bible, all the answers are right there.

1) Who did Jesus think he was? 

John 10:30 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition30 "I and the Father are one."

2) He seems to have directed his mission only to Jews and not to Gentiles: why?  

Because he was the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for. The pagans were not waiting for a Messiah, they had their idols. That said, Jesus wanted all to come to Him for salvation, but he came first to preach to the Jews and show them He was their Messiah. 

Mark 7:25-30 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 25 For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.
26 For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.
28 But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.
29 And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30 And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.

3) How did he view his death?

Jesus viewed his death as a sacrifice. God was Incarnate for the purpose of being our Sacrifice so we might have eternity in Heaven with Him. 

John 10:16-18  Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 16 And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth the Father love me: because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
18 No man taketh it away from me: but I lay it down of myself, and I have power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

4) What can we say about his self-understanding?

We can say Jesus had a perfect self understanding about himself because he says so. There is no confused bewildered Jesus wandering around in the Scriptures trying to find his inner God.

John 10 24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.
26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me.
28 And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.
29 That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.
30 I and the Father are one.

5) Is the idea of someone who is ‘divine’ and human’ credible?  

Yes, if you're a Christian.

John 1:14 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

and... 

Romans 1:1-4 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 Which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures,
3 Concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the flesh,
4 Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead;

6) When you focus on Jesus the Galilean Jew, does this undermine belief in him as the divine Son of God?  

No. Never. 

Philippians 2:5-11 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 5 "For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
9 For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:
10 That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:
11 And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father."

7) Or does it ‘flesh out’ what Incarnation really might mean?

1 Timothy 3:16 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 16 "And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory."

I love being Catholic, but right now I am heartbroken for my Church and souls being lost. I truly hope this retreat is sound and faithful to the Faith and not more modernist poison. 

Jesuit quote: "These questions have been extensively studied in recent ‘Life of Jesus Research’, sometimes in a very sceptical way." 

The answers to all these questions are right in the Bible. There is no reason to be skeptical or debate what is clearly stated in Sacred Scripture and has been taught by the Church for more than two thousand years.


God help us all in these troubled times.


In Christ, 

Julie 



Link: https://www.pathwaystogod.org/courses-events-retreats/jewish-jesus-and-divine-christ 

EWTN Press Release: Conversations with Consequences

EWTN Radio Launches ‘Conversations with Consequences’

A Weekly Radio Show From the Network’s D.C. Studios

“Conversations with Consequences,” a co-production of EWTN & Guadalupe Radio Network, features the powerhouse staff of The Catholic Association. The show, hosted by Dr. Grazie Christie, a practicing physician & mother of five (third from left), premieres 5 p.m. ET, Saturdays, beginning Feb. 1 on EWTN Radio

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – The EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network will launch a weekly radio show Feb. 1 from the Network’s Washington, D.C. studios. “Conversations with Consequences,” a co-production of EWTN and Guadalupe Radio Network, features the powerhouse staff of The Catholic Association. The show premieres 5 p.m. ET, Saturdays, beginning Feb. 1 on EWTN Radio. (Find EWTN radio at https://www.ewtn.com/everywhere/radio).

“Whether discussing issues of Life, Religious Liberty, the Church, or Human Dignity, listeners can expect an intelligent and thoughtful conversation from a faithful Catholic perspective with the leading thinkers of our time. EWTN is proud to bring this new program to our audience,” said EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw.

February is jam-packed. Upcoming guests include George Weigel, who will discuss Cardinal George Pell, who many believe is imprisoned in Australia for a crime he didn’t commit, the abuse crisis and religious liberty; Mary Rice Hasson, who will discuss transgenderism and gender ideology; U.S. Congressman Chris Smith, who will discuss pro-life issues from a federal perspective; and U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, who will discuss religious liberty issues.

“Our idea is to have a conversation, most of the time with guests but sometimes with each other, that is intellectual enough to spark consequences of thought – different ways of looking at difficult subjects – in our listeners,” said Dr. Grazie Christie, the show’s host, who will be familiar to many EWTN viewers from her appearances on “Morning Glory,” “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” and “EWTN News Nightly.” “We thought there was room for a show where we could take the time to tackle issues in a deeper way than normally can be done on radio. I also think it’s important that we are well-informed professional women and well as mothers and wives. The culture is always telling us what’s good for women. It’s important for women themselves to be in that conversation, to say this is the real world as we’re experiencing it.”

Dr. Christie, a practicing physician, embodies this concept as she is also the mother of five. Her team includes Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, CA’s Legal Advisor and mother of 10, whose extensive legal career includes work as an appellate attorney; Maureen Malloy Ferguson, CA Senior Fellow, mother of five and a former National Right to Life Committee spokeswoman and Congressional liaison; and Ashley McGuire, CA Senior Fellow, author (“Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female”), editor of the Institute for Family Studies blog, a policy fellow with the American Conservative Union Foundation, and a mother of three.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 38th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 global TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.