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“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13 On this episode of the Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes Suzanne Bilodeau, host of Latte and Laundry and editor of She Loved: Resting in the Beauty of Motherhood. They discuss how motherhood can reveal our need for God, loosen the grip of perfectionism, and teach us to trust his providence. Suzanne also shares why she stepped away from social media, how 1 Corinthians 13 shaped her book, and what it means to find peace in your vocation without comparing your life to someone else’s. Whether you’re a parent, discerning your vocation, or longing to love more freely, this conversation offers encouragement to begin again in the knowledge that you are God’s beloved son or daughter. Resources: She Loved: Resting in the Beauty of Motherhood (Ascension Press) Suzzanne’s podcast, Latte and Laundry Related Episodes: The Philosophy of Motherhood w/ Dr. Janice Chik Breidenbach | Ep. 9 The Lost Virtue of Manliness w/ Fr. James Mason | Ep. 186 The Feminine Revival: Why the Future of Women Depends on Formation w/ January Donovan | Ep. 196

What can G.K. Chesterton teach us about classical education, the Catholic faith, and the work of C.S. Lewis? In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dale Ahlquist, president of the Society of G.K. Chesterton and the Chesterton Schools Network, to explore Chesterton’s enduring influence on Catholic thought, education, and literature. Ahlquist explains how classical education forms students in truth, goodness, and beauty, integrating the arts, philosophy, virtue, and the Catholic faith. He also discusses Chesterton’s ability to challenge modern assumptions through paradox, his conviction that existence itself is a gift, and why gratitude is essential to a joyful life. Resources: Knight of the Holy Ghost: A Short History of G.K. Chesterton by Dale Ahlquist Related Episodes: America’s 250th & What Chesterton Saw in America w/ Susan Hanssen An Introduction to Chestertonian Theology with Joseph Pearce | Ep. 21 G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy and God’s Creation w/ Fr. Joseph Fessio

How can recovering a sense of wonder at creation lead us closer to Jesus Christ? In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Professor Christopher Thompson, Dean of Saint Paul Seminary, to explore “Green Thomism” and the Catholic vision of creation through the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. They discuss our modern “nature deficit disorder,” the intelligibility and beauty of creation, the effects of original sin, the distinction between human and animal death, and the relationship between ecology and Catholic moral theology. Professor Thompson also explains how creation can serve as a “window” toward God, why Catholics should not separate care for creation from their relationship with Christ, and how all of this ultimately comes together in the Eucharist, where bread and wine—fruits of creation and human labor—are offered back to the Father in Christ. Resources: The Joyful Mystery: Field Notes Toward a Green Thomism Related Episodes: Finding God in Nature and in the Church w/ Fr. John Nepil | Ep. 191  The Summa for Beginners: God and Creation w/ Dr. Daniel Lendman | Ep. 163

What does the Catholic Church actually teach about justification? Why did it become such a major point of division during the Protestant Reformation? In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Michael Root, Emeritus Professor at The Catholic University of America and a former Lutheran, to explore the Council of Trent’s teaching on justification. They discuss faith, grace, baptism, the sacraments, good works, merit, and the Catholic understanding of how God’s grace transforms us from within. Dr. Root also shares his own journey from Lutheranism into the Catholic Church and explains how his study of Aquinas, grace, and human cooperation ultimately led him across the Tiber. Together, they explore how Catholics can recover the joy and confidence of justification, not by trusting in our own accomplishments, but by trusting in the grace of Christ, who continually works in us and brings His work to completion. Resources: Affirmations and Admonitions: Lutheran Decisions and Dialogue With Reformed, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic Churches  Justification by Faith: Do Sixteenth-Century Condemnations Still Apply?  Related Episodes: Aquinas and the Truth of Faith w/Fr. Michael Sherwin | Ep.141  The Summa for Beginners: The Sacraments w/ Dr. Roger Nutt | Ep. 166

What can the ancient Christian tradition of the Middle East teach us about living the Catholic faith today? In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes Bishop Francois Beyrouti, Eparchial Bishop of Newton, to explore the history, beauty, and mission of the Melkite Catholic Church. From the early Christians of Antioch to the challenges facing Christians in a post-secular world, Bishop Beyrouti shares how the Church’s ancient faith remains deeply relevant today. The conversation explores the relationship between theology and evangelization, the importance of knowing and living the faith, the meaning of suffering, the beauty of the liturgy, and practical ways to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Bishop Beyrouti also shares his personal journey to the priesthood and the lessons he has learned from studying Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the living Tradition of the Church. Resources:  Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton Related Episodes:  Chastity and Mercy in a Secular World w/ Bishop Erik Varden | Ep. 125

How do we disconnect from distractions and discover intimacy with God?  In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Matt Fradd, host of Pints with Aquinas podcast and author of Jesus Our Refuge, for a wide-ranging conversation about encountering Christ, Thomas Aquinas, prayer, spiritual growth, technology, community, and the struggle to live an authentically Christian life in a distracted age. He describes the history of his hugely popular Pints with Aquinas podcast and what it was like to bring it to The Daily Wire.  Matt shares the story of his conversion, why St. Thomas Aquinas remains so relevant today, they discuss one of the great spiritual challenges of our age: distraction. From smartphones and social media to endless news and digital entertainment, modern technology can fragment our attention and weaken our experience of genuine community. Matt shares his experience of taking an extended break from his phone and computer and offers practical advice for recovering silence, presence, prayer, and attention and more on podcasting, and finding unity with God.  Resources: Be Healed by Matt FraddShift My PhonePints with Aquinas on the Daily Wire Related Episodes: Faith, Politics, and Freedom of Speech w/ Michael Knowles | Ep. 138 The Summa for Beginners Episodes on The Catholic Theology Show

What can the Gospel of Matthew reveal about Jesus, His Kingdom, and the Church He established? Dr. Edward Sri, author, theologian, Vice President of Formation at FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), and visiting Professor at Ave Maria University, joins Dr. Michael Dauphinais to explore the deeper structure of Matthew's Gospel and the connections it makes between Jesus, David's kingdom, Peter, and the authority Christ gives to His Church. This conversation also explores what Matthew reveals about the Christian life, including the Father's loving gaze, forgiveness, evangelization, the Sacraments, and Christ's promise to remain with His Church. Resources: The Gospel of Matthew by Curtis Mitch & Edward Sri Dr. Edward Sri’s Website God With Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew by Edward Sri Related Episodes: Understanding the Gospel in a Digital World w/ Dr. Edward Sri | Ep. 105 How to Be Overwhelmed by the Gospel w/ Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P. | Ep. 199

How does the Shroud of Turin show the risen Christ? Hair falling to the shoulders, facial shadows from overhead light, and an unflattened back all point to a man lifted up, just as Jesus promised in the Gospel of John. This episode’s guest, Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, is a physician specializing in internal medicine, occupational medicine and public health. For more than forty years he has conducted a forensic study of the Shroud of Turin, focusing on the blood marks, anatomical details of the image, and their alignment with the Crucifixion and the Gospel of John. He is the author of several works on the Shroud, most recently, The Shroud of Jesus and the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed, and has contributed to the Ave Maria University Shroud of Turin exhibit. From the off-image blood mark that first convinced a skeptical physician to microscopic fibers, first-century dating evidence, and the three-dimensional sculpture now at Ave Maria University, this conversation weaves science, Scripture, and the mystery of the Resurrection.  Related episodes: The Life of Christ (Aquinas) w/ Fr. Legge | Ep. 198 I am the Bread of Life w/ Fr. Thomas Weinandy | Ep. 32

In this powerful episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with author and scholar Joseph Pearce to uncover the astonishing courage and heroic fidelity to Christ and his Catholic Church of the English martyrs. Drawing from Pearce’s book Faith of Our Fathers: A History of True England, they bring to life the stories of saints such as Thomas More, John Fisher, Edmund Campion, Margaret Clitherow, Robert Southwell, and Nicholas Owen, ordinary men and women who chose Christ over comfort, freedom and even life itself. From persecution under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, to the hidden priest holes and secret Masses that kept the faith alive for three centuries, Pearce shows why these heroes represent the “true England.” You’ll also hear how their witness paved the way for the great Catholic revival led by figures such as St. John Henry Newman, and the timeless lessons of humility, fidelity, and the Cross that still speak to us today. May all the English Catholic Martyrs, pray for us!  Related Episodes: Who Was St. Thomas More? W/ Dr. Travis Curtright | Ep. 19  That Hideous Strength w/ Joseph Pearce | Ep. 88

Catholic teachings can be misunderstood as just a set of rules, but in this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Dr. Dauphinais dive into how what looks like rules are paths to freedom and grace.  Drawing from more than fifty years of priestly ministry and over two decades as a bishop, Bishop Paprocki reflects his vocation, discuss the future of young Catholics in the Church, marriage, discipleship, the role of faith, and a future filled with hope. Bishop Paprocki offers practical wisdom on courage, trust and hope, encouraging Catholics to live their faith confidently in a world that challenges Christian beliefs.  Encountering Christ in Secular Society w/ Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone | Ep. 52 Resources: From Christendom to Apostolic Mission by Monsignor James SheaAdditional resources mentioned include the SEEK Conference hosted by FOCUS Ave Maria University School of Law

Join Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Scott Hahn, founder of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology, for a rich, eye-opening journey through 1–2 Chronicles. These books pulse with God’s relentless love, revealing how He weaves covenant, kingship, temple, and liturgy into one sweeping story of salvation.Hahn and Dauphinais pull back the curtain on the history, and theological depth that make Chronicles the vital bridge between the Old and New Testaments. You’ll discover why these pages matter more than most people realize, and how they prepare the way for Christ. This conversation also marks the release of Dr. Hahn’s new book: Kingdom Come: Unveiling the Mystery of Salvation History, A Study of 1–2 Chronicles (co-authored with Celeste Fortenberry, Emmaus Road Publishing, mid-2026). Come ready to see Scripture with fresh eyes, and a fuller heart. Resources: Holy People, Holy Land' by Dr. Dauphinais and Michael Levering Related episodes: Catholics In Exile w/ Dr. Scott Hahn | Ep. 106 ▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

What if the Bible isn’t just a collection of laws and stories, but the original romantic comedy with the happiest ending of all time?  Discover how marriage reveals the very heart of God’s Trinitarian love and why recovering this vision is urgent for our culture today. In this rich conversation on The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes Dr. John Bergsma, author of ⁠The Bible and Marriage: The Two Shall Become One Flesh by John Bergsma⁠ to explore how marriage stands at the very center of God’s plan for humanity, from Adam and Eve’s original communion, through the covenants and prophetic love stories like Hosea, to Jesus as the Bridegroom who prepares a place for His Church. Together they recover the beautiful biblical vision of companionate, indissoluble, self-giving love, address common misunderstandings about the Old Testament, polygamy, headship, and Ephesians 5, and show how the entire scriptural narrative is ultimately a divine romance culminating in the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Resources: St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology Related Episodes: The Biblical Roots of the Jubilee Year w/ Dr. John Bergsma | Ep. 144

In this powerful episode of the Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes His Excellency Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco. They discuss the heart of Christian courage, the beauty and truth of the Church’s timeless teachings on marriage and human flourishing, and the urgent need to recover reverence in the celebration of the Holy Mass. Archbishop Cordileone shares insights on the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship, the new Reverent Liturgy Project, the power of sacred music (including the Mass of the Americas), Ad Orientem worship, kneeling for Communion, silence in church, active participation, and how beauty draws souls to Christ. They also explore personal encounter with Jesus, evangelization through genuine friendship, the integration of faith and reason (logica latria), and why the Church’s tradition remains a source of joy and communion in a secular age. A rich conversation filled with wisdom, hope, and practical encouragement for priests, seminarians, and lay faithful seeking deeper union with Christ in the liturgy and in daily life. Resources: Benedict XVI Institute Reverent Liturgy Project Related Episodes: Benedict XVI and the Liturgy w/ Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ | Ep. 193

Drawing on Scripture the Church Fathers, the parable of the Good Samaritan, personal stories, and rich analogies including black holes, heart transplants and the Sistine Chapel, Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P., shows how the Gospel moves from background noise to a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. In this powerful episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P., Dominican Friary and National Chaplain for FOCUS to explore how we can move from mere knowledge of the faith to being truly overwhelmed by the Gospel. Fr. Gillen unpacks the Five R’s that form a clear, compelling presentation of the kerygma, the proclamation of the Gospel , the Five R’s are revealed in the episode! Whether you’re a longtime Catholic or someone rediscovering the faith, this conversation will deepen your wonder at God’s plan of salvation and inspire you to live it more fully. Understanding the Gospel in a Digital World w/ Dr. Edward Sri | Ep. 105The Gospel in the Cosmos: Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis w/ Joseph Pearce

Every moment of Jesus’ life is for our transformation and an invitation to be united with Him. In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, host Michael Dauphinais welcomes back Father Dominic Legge, O.P., President of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and former Director of the Thomistic Institute.  Aquinas devotes an entire section to what Jesus did and suffered, from His conception and baptism, through His transfiguration, passion, and death, to His resurrection and ascension. Fr. Legge unpacks the importance of these mysteries and how they reveal God’s plan for humanity, and what it means to be united to Christ through His grace and the Sacraments.  Resources: Thomistic Institute Aquinas 101 video series and Aquinas' treatment of the mysteries of Christ's life in the Summa Theologiae.A lecture by Karen Oberg on the theology and science of water, and the book They Flew by Carlos Eire.Explore the work of the Dominican House of Studies and the broader Thomistic tradition. Related Episodes: The Trinitarian Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas w/ Fr. Dominic Legge | Ep. 87The Summa for Beginners: Understanding Christ w/ Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 165