Episodes

  • St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 2. The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively

    St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 2. The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively
    Feb 20 2025

    "The philosopher aspires towards a divine principle; the Christian, towards a Divine Agent."

    St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were isntrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England and ultimately led to many conversions to Catholicism.

    In addition to the profound influence these sermons had on both Anglican and Catholic theology, they also bore a personal significance for Newman’s own conversion to Catholicism years later.

    These fifteen sermons, though deeply interconnected in theme and insight, are not sequential in nature; rather, each stands on its own as a distinct and self-contained reflection on faith and reason. Newman lays the groundwork for themes developed in later works, such as Grammar of Assent and Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.

    In this second sermon, Newman illustrates how the foundational awareness of God's existence ascertained by natural religion (human reason and observation of the world) is perfected and deepened by the personal knowledge of God offered by revealed religion (divine revelation, especially in the person of Christ).

    Links

    The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon2.html

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    37 mins
  • St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 1. The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospels

    St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 1. The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospels
    Feb 7 2025

    "The philosopher might speculate, but the theologian must submit to learn."

    St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were instrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England.

    In this collection of fifteen sermons, Newman especially explores the relationship between faith and reason, and lays the groundwork for themes he would later develop in works like his Grammar of Assent and Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. In addition to the profound influence these sermons had on both Anglican and Catholic theology, they also bore a personal significance for Newman’s own conversion to Catholicism years later.

    In this first sermon, Newman argues that it was Christianity which first promoted a properly philosophical disposition, by encouraging a mindset and instilling the virtues essential for a truly scientific approach to the pursuit of truth.

    Links

    The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospel full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon1.html

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    23 mins
  • St. Vincent Ferrer - On the Purification of Mary

    St. Vincent Ferrer - On the Purification of Mary
    Feb 1 2025

    “This present feast is one of the greater of the whole year... Because there are three grades of sanctity which we celebrate in this feast.”

    St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) was a Spanish Dominican friar, theologian, and renowned preacher known for his fiery sermons and missionary work across Europe. He was deeply devoted to calling people to repentance, emphasizing the urgency of salvation and often preaching about the Last Judgment. This earned him the moniker "Angel of the Judgment."

    In this Candlemas sermon, St. Vincent reflects on the three significant events which this great feast commemorates: the Meeting with Simeon, the Presentation of Christ, and the Purification of Mary.

    Links:

    Full text: https://www.svfsermons.org/C117_Purification%20of%20the%20BVM.htm

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    38 mins
  • St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Full

    St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Full
    Jan 24 2025
    "Be sure that wherever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life." Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results. Themes include: Pursuing a devout life whole-heartedlyIncorporating prayer and sacraments into a busy scheduleGrowing in virtueBattling wisely against temptationMaking spiritual progress through daily, monthly, and yearly exercises Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or are more advanced in the spiritual life, you’ll be able to apply this timeless wisdom immediately. Let St. Francis de Sales illumine the path to holiness and strengthen your desire to walk that road with the Lord. St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was the Bishop of Geneva and a renowned spiritual director. Preaching during the Counter-Reformation, he is estimated to have converted 70,000 Calvinists in his lifetime. He was a fervent proponent of the universal call to holiness and spent much of his time guiding lay people on the road to sanctity. Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877, St. Francis is still helping to form saints through his many writings, of which Introduction to the Devout Life is the most famous. —description from the publisher Introduction to the Devout Life full text: https://watch.formed.org/introduction-to-the-devout-life-by-st-francis-de-sales SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved. Timestamps 00:38 Preface 12:26 Part 1 – Counsels and Exercises for the Guidance of the Soul from Its First Desire After a Devout Life unto a Full Resolution of Pursuing the Same 12:38 True Devotion Explained 18:19 The Nature and Excellence of Devotion 23:17 Devotion is Suitable to Every Vocation and Profession 27:26 The Need of a Guide for those who would Enter Upon and Advance in the Devout Life 33:35 The First Step: Purifying the Soul 38:22 The First Purification: From Mortal Sin 40:56 The Second Purification: From All Sinful Affections 44:17 How to Affect This Second Purification 46:56 First Meditation, On Creation 53:26 Second Meditation, On the End for Which We Were Created 59:26 Third Meditation, On the Gifts of God 1:05:20 Fourth Meditation, On Sin 1:11:39 Fifth Meditation, On Death 1:19:00 Sixth Meditation, On Judgment 1:24:59 Seventh Meditation, On Hell 1:29:02 Eighth Meditation, On Paradise 1:34:05 Ninth Meditation, On the Choice Open to You Between Heaven and Hell 1:39:26 Tenth Meditation, On How the Soul Chooses the Devout Life 1:46:40How to Make a General Confession 1:49:23 A Sincere Protest Made with the Object of Confirming the Soul’s Resolution to Serve God as a Cojnclusion to its Acts of Penitence 1:53:58 Conclusion of This First Purification 1:55:53 The Necessity of Purging Away All Tendency to Venial Sins 2:00:35 It Is Necessary to Put Away All Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things 2:03:14 All Evil Inclinations Must Be Purged Away 02:05:29 Part 2 – Counsels as to Uplifting the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments 2:05:38 The Necessity of Prayer 2:11:30 A Short Method of Meditation in the Presence of God: The First Point of Preparation 2:17:05 Invocation: The Second Point of Preparation 2:18:38 Representing the Mystery to Be Meditated to Your Imagination: The Third Point of Preparation 2:20:49 Considerations: The Second Part of Meditation 2:22:16 Affections and Resolutions: The Third Part of Meditation 2:24:01 The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet 2:25:44 Some Useful Hints on Meditation 2:30:40 Concerning Dryness in Meditation 2:33:15 Morning Prayer 2:36:05 Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience 2:38:03 Spiritual Refreshment 2:42:42 Aspirations, Brief Prayer, and Holy Thoughts 2:53:34 Holy Communion, and How to Receive It 2:58:17 The Other Public Offices of the Church 3:00:13 How the Saints Are United to Us 3:02:58 How to Hear and Read God’s Word 3:05:05 How to Receive Inspirations 3:10:31 Confession 3:17:35 Frequent Communion 3:23:09 How to Communicate 03:28:01 Part 3 – Counsels Concerning the Practice of Virtue 03:28:08 How to Select That Which We Should Chiefly Practice 03:36:56 The Same Subject Continued 03:43:55 Patience 03:53:08 Greater Humility 03:59:02 Interior Humility 04:08:28 Humility Makes Us Rejoice in Our Own Abjection 04:15:11 How to Combine Due Care for a Good Reputation with Humility 04:22:40 Gentleness Towards Others and Remedies Against Anger 04:31:05 Gentleness Towards Ourselves 04:35:35 We Must Attend to the ...
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    9 hrs and 29 mins
  • Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 2

    Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 2
    Jan 17 2025

    “Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world—this is the invitation I would like to extend with the present Encyclical.”

    Deus Caritas Est, or “God is Love,” was the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, released on December 25, 2005. This letter focuses on the nature of Christian love, particularly examining the relationship between God’s love for humanity and the love Christians are called to show others. Benedict grounds his reflections in Scripture and tradition, aiming to clarify misunderstandings about Christian love in a contemporary world marked by both cynicism and sentimentality.

    This episode comprises the second part, titled “Caritas: The Practice of Love by the Church as a Community of Love,” and the encyclical's conclusion.

    Links:

    Full text: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    56 mins
  • St. John Henry Newman - Reverence, a Belief in God's Presence

    St. John Henry Newman - Reverence, a Belief in God's Presence
    Dec 18 2024

    "They are the class of feelings we should have—yes, have in an intense degree—if we literally had the sight of Almighty God; therefore they are the class of feelings which we shall have, if we realize His presence."

    This sermon appears among a collection of sermons originally written and preached by St. John Henry Newman before his conversion to Catholicism. In it, Newman emphasizes that true reverence arises from a deep, abiding awareness of God's presence.

    Links

    Reverence, a Belief in God's Presence full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume5/sermon2.html

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    31 mins
  • St. Henry Walpole - Upon the Death of M. Edmund Campion

    St. Henry Walpole - Upon the Death of M. Edmund Campion
    Nov 30 2024

    "You thought perhaps when learned Campion dies,
    His pen must cease, his sugared tongue be still;
    But you forgot how loud his death it cries
    How far beyond the sound of tongue and quill."

    In 1581, a young Englishman named Henry Walpole attended the execution of the Jesuit Edmund Campion. As Campion was hung, drawn and quartered, Walpole stood close enough to be spattered with his holy blood. Though Campion’s fame in England was already great, Walpole would amplify it further with a splendid, lengthy poem, which became enormously popular among English Catholics—so popular that the man who printed the book had his ears cut off as punishment.

    In his poem Walpole wrote:
    We cannot fear a mortal torment, we,
    This martyr’s blood hath moistened all our hearts,
    Whose parted quarters when we chance to see
    We learn to play the constant Christian’s parts.

    This was more than wordplay: Two years after Campion’s death, Walpole became a priest, and was himself hung for the faith in 1595.

    Links

    Lyra Martyrum: The Poetry of the English Martyrs: https://www.clunymedia.com/product/lyra-martyrum/

    Catholic Culture Podcast #69—The Poetry of the English Martyrs—Benedict Whalen https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-69-poetry-english-martyrs-benedict-whalen/

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    12 mins
  • Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 1

    Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 1
    Nov 12 2024

    “This is love in its most radical form. By contemplating the pierced side of Christ, we can understand the starting-point of this Encyclical Letter: “God is love”. It is there that this truth can be contemplated. It is from there that our definition of love must begin. In this contemplation the Christian discovers the path along which his life and love must move.”

    Deus Caritas Est, or “God is Love,” was the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, released on December 25, 2005. This letter focuses on the nature of Christian love, particularly examining the relationship between God’s love for humanity and the love Christians are called to show others. Benedict grounds his reflections in Scripture and tradition, aiming to clarify misunderstandings about Christian love in a contemporary world marked by both cynicism and sentimentality.

    In this first part, titled “The Unity of Love in Creation and in Salvation History,” Benedict explores two distinct yet intertwined dimensions of love, eros and agape, arriving at the newness which biblical faith brings to man's understanding of love—a new understanding that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the incarnate love of God.

    Links:

    Full text: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html

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    Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
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    48 mins