Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2018

082: Historical Holiness: How Religious Orders Illumine the Path to Perfection

by Matthew Leonard

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 can restore sanity during our current crisis
Why religious life is a kind of second baptism
The shocking answer to the question, “Does God love some people more than others?”

All that and a whole lot more in this episode of the Art of Catholic podcast.

God bless!

Matthew

P.S. I’m leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Jim Caviezel, star of The Passion of the Christ!

We’ll also be joined by Fr. Don Calloway and John Michael Talbot! It’s going to be epic!

CLICK HERE for details!

P.P.S. If you’d rather go to Italy, I’m heading there on pilgrimage, too!

Join me in March 2019 for a time of deep spiritual renewal and amazing adventure in Rome, Assisi, Orvieto, LaVerna, and much, much more! CLICK HERE for details!

Grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life!

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Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2018

073: Part 2 Rediscovering the Power of JPII’s Theology of the Body

by Matthew Leonard

There are several questions every Christian needs to ask themselves on a regular basis.

The problem is that the world has warped most of our minds to the point that even if we answer them, we’re not answering correctly.

And there are consequences. (More on the questions themselves later…)

In our last episode, Number 72, we began our rediscovery of St. John Paul II’s theological time bomb known as the Theology of the Body. It’s something many have forgotten, but is desperately needed by a culture in steep decline.

The Holy Father knew the human condition. He understood it deeply. And he provides not just answers, but a roadmap for recovery.

So in this the second (and final) part of our discussion on Theology of the Body, I’ll lay out:

The questions every Christian needs to ask themselves on a regular basis
The Catholic response to the world’s twisted notion of freedom
How the sense of shame can be both good and bad
Why we now have the “battle of the sexes”…in which we all lose
How both prudishness and promiscuity are related to the heresy of Manicheanism…and why it matters
John Paul II’s key ingredient for overcoming humanity’s use and abuse of each other
The secret weapon that crushes lust of the flesh (which might totally surprise you)

This is another power-packed episode that will help you both understand the problem faced by our culture today, and provide a guide to recovery.

You don’t want to miss it.

Of course, all of the above is just the first part of the show! I’m also joined once again by my trusty companion, the great biblical brain, Curtis Mitch. (He’s the genius who writes the commentary for the best-selling Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.)

Curtis will continue to lay down some of the biblical background for the issues we’re discussing from Romans 12. This guy’s amazing and explains scripture beautifully.

God bless!

Matthew

“All who have been lost were lost because they did not pray.” St. Alphonsus Liguori.

Don’t be lost! Grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life!

It’s an easy step-by-step summary of the spiritual giants of the Church designed to help you rocket to God!

Don’t miss a show! Subscribe to The Art of Catholic by clicking this link and then clicking “View in iTunes” under the picture and then “Subscribe”! (I listen to my podcasts on using Overcast. It’s free and works better than the Apple Podcast player. Get it here.)

Walk in the footsteps of Jesus! Check out the new video about my Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March 2018! It’s the trip of a lifetime!

Click here for trip details.

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Posted on Monday, September 5, 2016

053: The Love That Made Mother Teresa

by Matthew Leonard

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 unlike any other.

His is beyond biography.

David’s book The Love That Made Mother Teresa is a spiritual exegesis of a life well-lived that will challenge and inspire you to ascend the spiritual ladder.

In this amazing interview we’ll discuss:

What made a little Albanian nun so special
How she practiced something called the “The Law of the Conservation of Charity”
The response of Mother Teresa to those who derided her work and accused her of ignoring the “causes” of poverty
The deep connection between the apparitions at Fatima and those of Mother Teresa
The providential placement of her first home for the dying next to the temple of a terrifying Hindu goddess
The intense spiritual struggle that tortured her for fifty years

Prepare to be transformed by St. Teresa of Kolkata. God bless!

Matthew

P.S. Don’t just listen to us talk about it. Do it! Grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life! It’s an easy step-by-step guide to help you rocket to God!

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Want to tour Catholic Europe’s most beautiful holy sites? Join Matthew on a St. Paul Center pilgrimage to Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, and other amazing holy sites this October 23rd to November 1st. Click here for details.

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