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Get ready for something brand new on the Considering Catholicism Podcast! On Sunday, February 15 at 7:00 PM Eastern, we’re launching our first-ever live livestream webinar — and you’re invited. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/ConsideringCatholicism/events/150105481 In this exclusive Patron-only event, we’ll follow Egeria, the incredible 4th-century Spanish woman who crossed empires to pray at Mount Sinai, the burning bush site, and Holy Week in Jerusalem. Her diary reveals a hierarchical, sacramental, fully Catholic Church — long before anyone claims it “changed.” 45 minutes of maps, photos, history, and apologetic fire + 15 minutes of live Q&A with your questions. This livestream is exclusive to Partner and Provider tier patrons. Join now and secure your spot: 👉 patreon.com/ConsideringCatholicism Mark your calendar: Feb 15, 7 PM EST — see you live!

This “OCIA: The Bridge to Rome episode,” explains the Lenten practices of scrutinies and dismissals for those preparing for Catholic initiation. Drawing from the OCIA ritual and early Church tradition, he explores how dismissals restore ancient discipline for reflecting on God's Word, and scrutinies (with their minor exorcism prayers) offer healing deliverance from sin's influence for the unbaptized elect, tied to transformative Gospels. Reassuring and reflective, this monologue addresses common misconceptions while highlighting communal grace in the Period of Purification and Enlightenment. Ideal for OCIA participants, investigators, or anyone rediscovering how these rites unite believers across twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres in one Church. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this installment of our "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" series, we look at Lent—the Catholic Church's 40-day season of preparation for Easter. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and early Church history (from pre-Nicene fasts to Nicaea's formalization), Greg explores its biblical foundations in Christ's desert temptation, distinctive practices like Ash Wednesday, Stations of the Cross, liturgical shifts to penance, Friday fish fries, and Mardi Gras origins. He addresses "giving things up" as detachment for grace, varied Protestant perspectives, and Lent's timeless role in spiritual renewal. Perfect for curious non-Catholics, investigators, or cradle Catholics rediscovering the faith—this episode reveals how Lent unites the one Church across twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

The Hundred Years’ War split Catholic Europe, with popes and bishops backing different sides in a brutal conflict between England and France. A teenage peasant girl named Joan followed voices she believed were from God telling her to fight for her occupied homeland — even when that put her at odds with churchmen allied with the English. Tried and burned by an ecclesiastical court, she appealed to the pope and died clutching a crucifix. Twenty-five years later the Church declared the trial invalid; five hundred years later she was canonized. Part 3 of our series on Catholic conscience when love of Church and love of country seem to collide. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In 1302 a devout lay Catholic was sentenced to death by a papal legate for refusing to surrender his city’s freedom to foreign control. He spent his life in exile, wrote the Divine Comedy, placed popes in Hell for political corruption — and died in full communion, now praised by recent popes as a gift to the Church. Part 2 shows how Dante distinguished the divine office of Peter from fallible political decisions, defended patriotism as a Christian virtue, and gives today’s Catholics clear permission — straight from Aquinas, Bellarmine, and the Catechism — to love the Church deeply while protecting their homeland when the two loyalties seem to collide. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

What do faithful Catholics do when the Vatican’s diplomatic choices seem to conflict with love of country or local sovereignty? It’s not a new question. For 150 years the popes formed a strategic alliance with the rising superpower France, invited French armies into Italy, and branded resisting Catholic cities as disobedient. Even the young St. Francis rode out on the pro-papal side. Part 1 of a calm, historical look at one of the longest tensions in Catholic life. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Greg and Ed the Protestant explore a tension many feel today—does belonging to the truly universal ("catholic") Church mean we have to downplay or even apologize for loving our particular homeland, culture, and people? Drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas's teaching about patria (fatherland) and the virtue of piety, the Incarnation of Christ in a specific time and place, and their own experiences traveling the world, they argue that authentic Catholicism doesn't erase our rootedness in a particular place and people—it actually embraces and elevates it. Far from being in conflict, healthy patriotism and Catholic universality belong together: we bring the gifts of our homeland into the one Church that spans twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres. A thoughtful episode for anyone wrestling with identity, culture, and faith in a polarized age. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Greg and Cory dive into "the Filioque clause"—those three controversial words ("and the Son") added to the Nicene Creed in the West—and explores why it became a flashpoint for the Great Schism of 1054. Triggered by Pope Leo XIV's recent visit to Nicaea (ancient Nicea) for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, they break down the famous triangle diagrams illustrating Eastern and Western views of the Trinity, the "monarchy of the Father," papal authority, and whether this ancient divide is truly bridgeable today. With historical context, scriptural insights, and honest discussion from a faithfully Catholic perspective, this episode sheds light on the challenges and hopes for East-West reunification. A must-listen for anyone curious about what still separates Catholics and Orthodox after a millennium. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this installment of the "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" series, Greg explores Catholic moral teaching, starting with the shared love of the Ten Commandments across Christian traditions. He then unpacks what sets Catholicism apart: natural law as God's design knowable by reason, rejecting total depravity for a wounded-yet-redeemable human nature, distinctions in sin (mortal vs. venial, temptation vs. consent), the telos of acts, absolute moral norms, and virtue empowered by grace. Perfect for OCIA participants supplementing classes, curious non-Catholics previewing the faith, or Catholics equipping for evangelization. Discover why this vision often becomes the "aha" for Protestants investigating the Church. Listen to Greg's series on the Seven Deadly Sins: The Seven Deadly Sins SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this episode of the OCIA: The Bridge to Rome series, we dive into the Catholic liturgical calendar—what it is, how it works, and why it matters for anyone exploring the faith. Discover how the Church sanctifies time through seasons like Advent, Lent, and Easter, unfolding the mysteries of Christ's life year after year. Perfect for OCIA participants as a supplement, curious non-Catholics previewing the rhythm of Catholic life, or cradle Catholics seeking a refresher to share with others. We'll walk through the structure, colors, and feasts that make the calendar a living portal into the Paschal Mystery. Join us to see how this ancient cycle can transform your everyday into something eternal. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In Part 2 of our conversation, Jacob opens up about the final stretch of his road to Rome—approaching the Tiber with an 80% conviction, navigating the challenges of a supportive but non-converting spouse, and raising young children in a spiritually divided household. He reflects candidly on the RCIA (now OCIA) experience: the intellectual satisfaction of answered questions, the paradoxical beauty of surrendering the intellect in trust, and the initial spiritual unease that gave way to profound peace at Mass. Jacob shares how disciplined Catholic prayer—especially the Rosary—transformed his spiritual life, why he chose St. Teresa of Ávila as his confirmation saint, and what the Easter Vigil felt like when he finally received Confirmation and First Eucharist. Wrapping up, he talks about life as a new Catholic running mostly in Protestant circles while resting in the “panoptic” bigness of the one Church. A hopeful, honest look at the real joys and tensions of entering full communion. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Greg introduces Jacob, a 34-year-old software engineer (working in AI), husband, and father of soon-to-be-four who's recently come into the Catholic Church after a rich intellectual and spiritual journey from evangelical Protestantism. Jacob shares how reading the early Church Fathers, St. John Henry Newman, and even deep mystical works like St. Teresa of Ávila's Interior Castle gradually broke down his skepticism and drew him forward through beauty, truth, and the living tradition of the Church. Rather than tackling a laundry list of objections, Jacob describes how encountering the fullness of historic Christianity felt like discovering a vast, living civilization he'd only glimpsed from afar. This conversational two-part series begins here, with Jacob explaining the early steps that led him to cold-call a Catholic parish and start asking questions. Part 2 coming soon! SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.  

As New Year's Eve approaches and many of us think about resolutions, we're pulling a classic episode from the vault: "Our Duty to Improve." In this candid conversation recorded a few years ago, Greg and Ed the Protestant reflect on a question that's both practical and deeply doctrinal: Does God expect us to become better versions of ourselves? Drawing from Scripture (like the Parable of the Talents), the idea of stewardship, and their own experiences in evangelical and Catholic circles, they challenge the popular notion that "God loves you just as you are" means there's no call to grow, mature, or change. They talk about sanctification not as optional self-help, but as a real responsibility to steward well the time, body, relationships, and opportunities God has entrusted to us. It's a timely reminder that salvation by grace is the starting line—not the finish—and that authentic Christian life should produce visible fruit over time. Perfect for anyone making (or rethinking) New Year's resolutions through the lens of faith. For a deeper dive into this topic, check out "Faith and Works, Part 4: A Call to Growth": https://www.patreon.com/posts/faith-or-works-4-139944861?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Most of us flip to January 1 without a second thought, but that date only works because Pope Gregory XIII fixed a 1,600-year drift in the old Roman calendar. The problem wasn’t just inconvenience—it threw Easter off by ten days, threatening the Church’s ability to celebrate Christ’s resurrection on the right Sunday. Gregory convened Jesuit astronomers, skipped ten days in 1582, and gave the world a calendar accurate to within a day every 3,300 years. Far from opposing science, the Church led it, proving faith and reason walk the same calendar page. A perfect New Year reminder that Catholicism still orders the time we live in. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.  

They weren’t kings, there weren’t necessarily three, and they brought a funeral spice—Greg unpacks the Magi like you’ve never heard. Matthew 2 meets the Church Fathers as pagan astrologers from Rome’s rival empire trek west, hijacked by a divine star, and end up worshiping a Jewish child. Explore the prophetic gifts, the reversal of Babel, and why Epiphany reveals Christ to the nations. Perfect for anyone rethinking the Christmas story from an evangelical angle. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.