Shows
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 18, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Lent is not the “Catholic Ramadan” This year, the Muslim observation of Ramadan falls during February and March, during the Catholic observation of Lent. To the untrained eye, these seasons are similar, containing times of fasting and reparation for sin. But Lent is much more than a “Catholic Ramadan.” Marcus has more.Segment 2: Why did Jesus Fast for 40 Days?Most people know that Lent lasts 40 days to unite with Jesus’ 40 days fasting in the desert. But why did Jesus fast for 40 days, instead of a different period of time? We’ll talk with Gary Michuta....
2026-02-1956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 17, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: A Contentious Couple’s Guide to Praying through Conflict Arguments are an inevitable part of any marriage. But when we invite God into our conflicts, He challenges us to approach them in a different way. Greg Popcak has more.Segment 2: Reclaiming the True Heart of Shrove TuesdayMardi Gras gets treated like a civic right to behave badly with a liturgical permission slip, and plenty of Catholics smile politely at the noise while quietly hoping Ash Wednesday will come along and disinfect the calendar. Marcus looks at the Catholic roots of Fat Tuesday and ho...
2026-02-1856 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 16, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: The Revolutionary idea of the PresidencyWhen George Washington was elected president, he started another revolution – the revolutionary idea that a leader’s power could be limited by the people. We talk more about it with Doug Keck.Segment 2: The Joy of Trials in your MarriageIn today’s First Reading, James tells us to consider it a joy when we encounter various trials, for the testing of our faith produces perseverance. This especially applies to our marriages, where we will inevitably encounter trials as a couple. Marcus has more.Segmen...
2026-02-1756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 16, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Setting a Precedent for Presidents’ DayPresidents’ Day is a perfect opportunity for us to reflect on the founding ideals of our nation. Our founders meticulously created a system of government that would attach accountability to the power that comes with government. As an immigrant, Marcus has seen both sides of this equation. He offers some thoughts.Segment 2: The Holy Land: The Fifth GospelFr. Jose Maria has just returned from the Holy Land. He explains the Biblical significance of the area and why so many people call it the “Fifth Gospel.”Seg...
2026-02-1756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 13, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: The Prophetic Faith of Frederick DouglassTomorrow is the birthday of Frederick Douglass. He grew up in the African American Methodist Church and his prophetic faith strongly influenced his work against slavery. Marcus discusses how.Segment 2: You’re Invited to a Father-Daughter RetreatCountless women in our society are suffering from strained relationships with their fathers. It is essential for men to show their daughters that they are here to love, protect, and lead them. Renewal Ministries’ BeLove Revolution is hosting a father-daughter retreat for middle and high school girls and their dads...
2026-02-1457 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 12, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Immanuel “Kant” ReasonToday marks the death day of philosopher Immanuel Kant. He had an enormous influence on the development of modern western thought, but what he proposed led to the re-definition of truth and reason. Marcus discusses.Segment 2: Assisted Suicide comes to Virginia?Virginia is considering a state bill to legalize assisted suicide. Andrew Kubick has the details.Segment 3: Civilization Depends on the Strength of Men (2 segments)It’s time to end the apology tour for traditional masculinity. A generation of young men and boys are bein...
2026-02-1356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 11, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: The Quiet Power of a Spontaneous RosaryAn unplanned moment of communal prayer after a recent Mass revealed to Andrea Picciotti-Bayer how the Rosary — prayed together — can quietly anchor a spiritual life amid ordinary busyness. She shares the story.Segment 2: “I am the Immaculate Conception”On this day in 1858, a young French peasant girl saw a vision of a beautiful lady, who would later identify herself as the Immaculate Conception. Marcus reflects on the story of Bernadette and the very special tie she has to his family.Segment 3: Resisting the Politica...
2026-02-1256 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 11, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: The Counterfeit Compassion of Embryo AdoptionThe question of what to do with frozen embryos left over from IVF procedures is deeply controversial. Many well-meaning Catholics want to adopt these embryos, lest they remain frozen indefinitely. But this is not the answer. Marcus explains why.Segment 2: Light from Darkness: The Church Rises from Turmoil (3 segments)Ask Catholics about the crisis in the Church today and you’ll often get one of two responses: The end is upon us! or Everything’s fine―the Holy Spirit is in charge! Neither of those attitudes makes...
2026-02-1256 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 10, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Helping your kids express their emotionsChildren often need help with the basic skill of expressing their emotions. Dr Greg Popcak frequently hears from parents, even parents of teenagers, whose children have anger issues that can explode out without warning. What can you do in this situation? Greg joins us.Segment 2: What does it mean to be a Man with Purpose? (2 segments)Many young men today long for direction and purpose. Fathers often feel the weight of responsibility but wonder how best to guide their sons. At the core of both concerns...
2026-02-1156 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 9, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: On the Death of ReadingRay Bradbury famously observed that if you want a society to stop reading, you don’t actually need to burn books – you just need to take away peoples’ interest in them. Multiple studies in recent years show that the majority of American high school and college students are reading at a level far below their grade level. Marcus discusses the importance of reading to a free and virtuous society.Segment 2: Join 40 Days for Life in Ann ArborThis Sunday, February 15, 40 Days for Life in Ann Arbor will host i...
2026-02-1056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 6, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: He was born premature with no heartbeat. Now he’s in the Super Bowl.Derick Hall was born four months premature without a heartbeat, a bleed in his brain and weighing only two pounds. Doctors told his mother he would never walk or talk, but she refused to sign a DNR form and fought for her son’s life. This weekend, Derick will take the field for the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Marcus takes a closer look at this remarkable story.Segment 2: Disorderly conduct charge dismissed against pro-lifers in Memphis rescueOn...
2026-02-0756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 4, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Vandalized Churches, Disrupted Services And Progressives’ Attack On Religious FreedomLast Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., worshippers opened their Bibles and began to pray. It was not part of the planned service. It was their response to an anti-ICE mob that had stormed into their sanctuary, disrupting their constitutional right to worship freely. This was not an isolated incident. It is part of a disturbing pattern that is emerging. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has more.Segment 2: “Influencer Priests” and the Risks of Celebrity EvangelizationA well-known Italian priest who has millions of vie...
2026-02-0556 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 4, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Lessons on the Spiritual Life from a Man who Climbs SkyscrapersFree climber Alex Honnold recently made worldwide headlines for climbing the Taipei 101 skyscraper without the use of any ropes, harnesses, or other safety equipment. Such a decision may be foolhardy, but it’s nothing compared to living our life without the safety harnesses God has provided us. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Midnight on the Potomac: The End of the Civil War and the Rebirth of America (3 segments)Next summer the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. We almost didn’t make it, as t...
2026-02-0556 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 3, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: A Hidden Mental Health Crisis in the Church?A new survey by CatholicTV suggests widespread emotional distress among US Catholics, raising questions about how mental health may shape parish life and Mass attendance. Dr. Greg Popcak joins us.Segment 2: Healing the Wounds of InfertilityInfertility and pregnancy loss plagues many Catholic marriages. And it’s a wound that continues to stay tender. Because the world keeps moving, the parish calendar, the liturgical life keeps turning, and many well-meaning people and conversations keep flowing. But for a lot of these parents the ache ju...
2026-02-0456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 3, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Wisdom is the Path to RedemptionThomas Aquinas writes that wisdom is where the revelation of God begins, because it is God who draws near to us in covenant love. Marcus has more.Segment 2: ‘Detransitioner’ Wins $2 Million Medical-Malpractice LawsuitThe first gender “detransitioner” medical-malpractice case to go to trial resulted in a $2 million dollar verdict against the medical professionals who approved a double mastectomy for the plaintiff when she was only 16 years old. Wes Smith tells us more.Segment 3: The Graphic Reality of Iran’s Theocracy (2 segments)In its response to the lat...
2026-02-0456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursFebruary 2, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: We’re Failing the Ultimate Lie Detector TestToday marks an odd historical anniversary. On February 2, 1935, an inventor named Leonarde Keeler strapped an accused man to a polygraph machine and asked him a series of questions. For the next few minutes, the machine declared what was true and what was false. The polygraph promised something humans have wanted since the Garden: a shortcut past the messiness of conscience, speech, and character. But the same culture that craves technological certainty has also spent the last few decades training itself to sneer at any stable account of truth. Ma...
2026-02-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 30, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: When Hitler met GandhiToday marks three historical anniversaries including three of the most significant figures of the last century. On this day, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated, and Winston Churchill was laid to rest. If these three very different men were to meet, what would they say to each other? Marcus imagines a dialogue. Segment 2: Crossing the River Sorrow: My Life as a NurseIn her long career as a nurse, Janet Richards has often found herself crossing the “River Sorrow.” She joins us with s...
2026-01-3156 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 29, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: The Meaning of the LightIn today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us not to hide our “light” under a bushel basket. The entire passage is deeply rooted in history, as God has long revealed Himself through the light. Marcus discusses more on the Covenants.Segment 2: Century, Bloody CenturyJanuary 30 marks the anniversary of the infamous Bloody Sunday, one of the darkest days in Northern Ireland’s tumultuous history. Friedrich Nietzsche famously declared that we had killed God, but he also feared the implications of a Godless world. Marcus discusses the violent results of takin...
2026-01-3056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 28, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: A classical education revival hits the capital regionIn the shadow of the nation’s capital, a growing number of Washington-area families are quietly rethinking where and how their children learn. From the economically struggling neighborhoods of Anacostia to the affluent suburbs of northern Virginia, families of faith are discovering an alternative to the region’s increasingly polarized debates over curriculum and school governance. Andrea Picciotti-Bayer has the details. Segment 2: What is Ignatian Discernment?The rules of Ignatian discernment provide a structure for people of all vocations, in all stages of life actually, to live the...
2026-01-2956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 28, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Careless Exaggeration Dishonors Holocaust VictimsSpeaking this week about continued immigration crackdowns, Tim Walz stated “Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank. Somebody’s gonna write that children’s story about Minnesota.” The comparison confuses genocide with governance, racial annihilation with civil law, and totalitarian extermination with constitutional enforcement, thereby trivializing one of the gravest crimes in human history while offering zero serious illumination of the present controversy. Marcus has more.Segment 2: God’s Faithfulness to David - and Us Today’s reading from the Second book of Samuel conta...
2026-01-2956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 27, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Holocaust Denial and the Abuse of HistoryOn January 27, 1945, Soviet troops entered the death camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau. What they saw defied description or imagination. This date now stands as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the decades since the liberation of Auschwitz, the horror has faced a new enemy - an enemy that seeks to deny it ever happened. Marcus discusses how Holocaust denial has persisted and how it abuses history.Segment 2: The Dangers of Surrogacy gone WildA report in the Wall Street Journal finds that Chinese billionaires are...
2026-01-2857 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 27, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Violence – the Sacrament of a Godless SocietyAfter Vladimir Lenin’s death, his body was placed in a mausoleum in Red Square – preserved as a saint of the new faith of Marxism. He envisioned a society without God – but this society created its own gods, with disastrous results. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Pope Leo Highlights Risks of AIPope Leo has made it clear that addressing the risks of AI is a key component of his papacy, and his message for the Vatican’s 2026 World Day of Social Communications highlights this. William Schmitt jo...
2026-01-2856 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 26, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Our Christian Obligation to Alex PrettiThe deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good are tragic and eminently avoidable. They emerged from volatile circumstances where passions ran high, when authority was challenged at close quarters, and prudential judgment failed on multiple levels. How can we as Catholics contribute to better civil discourse? Marcus has some thoughts.Segment 2: Society is built on lawful orderThere is another effect of the ICE shooting and protests in Minnesota – a potential government shutdown. Some Democratic senators have said they will not vote for a massive gov...
2026-01-2756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 23, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Pornography and the Culture of LifeNotorious serial killer Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989. Before his execution, he discussed his previous addiction to violent pornography. Marcus discusses how pornography devalues the human person and leads to a culture of death.Segment 2: Why I Traded News for Pro-Life WorkDenyse Shannon was working the assignment desk at a local TV station when she learned of a horrendous story – a two-year-old child kidnapped and feared dead. As she reflected on the tragedy, she began to hear a calling from God – it was time for...
2026-01-2456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 23, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: God Uses the Broken ManIt began on the shores of Galilee – Jesus called a man named Simon, later Peter, to follow him. Peter was far from perfect and he knew it, asking the Lord to depart from him for he was a sinful man. But throughout history God uses broken, sinful man for his plan for the world. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Do Women Have a Universal Vocation?What distinguishes men from women? Many of the discussions around what it means to be a woman, or conversations around the significance of ma...
2026-01-2456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 22, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Protests during Worship should concern us allThe interruption of Sunday services at a church in Minnesota marks a watershed moment in the moral and religious imagination of the American Republic and the Western world. If even religious worship may be interrupted in service of political expression, then truly nothing is sacred. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Is the Church a Cruise ship, or a battleship?Do you ever find yourself “hopping” from parish to parish in search of the one that will best suit your needs? While it’s important to search for pa...
2026-01-2357 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 21, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: How the French Revolution FailedOn January 21, 1793, the guillotine fell upon the neck of French King Louis XVI. The execution of the French monarch was a symbolic moment then because the revolt ceased to be rhetorical. At that point, it became a public declaration of warfare. Unlike the American Revolution, which sought continuity with inherited law, custom, religious conviction, natural law, the French revolt pursued rupture, willfully so. Marcus has more.Segment 2: The Uniqueness of Catholic MourningThis week the Franciscan University community was rocked by the sudden death of two of...
2026-01-2257 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 20, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: The Christian Meaning of ConfidenceMany Christians struggle with confidence because we’ve absorbed the world’s definition of it. The culture tells us that confidence means believing we’re strong, capable, and talented enough to handle whatever comes our way. If we don’t feel competent or certain, we assume something is wrong with us. But the Theology of the Body offers a radically different—and deeply freeing—understanding of confidence. Greg Popcak gives us a Christian view of what it means to be confident.Segment 2: Taking Sundays SeriouslyIn today’s Gospel, the...
2026-01-2156 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 20, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Wikipedia and our Quest for Truth, Knowledge and WisdomJanuary 15 was the 25th anniversary of the first edits on Wikipedia and many consider the date to be the website’s “birthday.” Wikipedia has grown from the website your teachers warned you never to cite as a source, to one of the most widely-used resources on the web. But while it can provide us with knowledge about countless topics, it cannot give us wisdom. Knowledge is valuable, but wisdom is invaluable. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Join the Rose Mass to honor Victims of AbortionTomo...
2026-01-2156 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 19, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Anti-ICE Agitators Storm ChurchA group of anti-ICE agitators stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota yesterday during Sunday services. We look at the story with Doug Keck.Segment 2: Old Wine into New Wineskins: Understanding the CovenantsIn today’s Gospel, Jesus is asked why His disciples do not fast, while the followers of John and the Pharisees do. Jesus’ answer is key to understanding the covenantal relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Marcus has more.Segment 3: The History of Papal MosaicsPope Leo’s official papal mosaic...
2026-01-2056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 19, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Did the Civil Rights Movement go too Far?The Civil Rights Act of 1964 has a significant place in the American moral and legal imagination. It addressed grave injustices that had disfigured our nation’s legal and civic life for generations. At the same time though, history has called us to some level of discernment on the unintended consequences of the Act. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Jefferson’s Views on the Role of GovernmentWe often hear that Thomas Jefferson got his anthropology wrong, a fact best seen in his dismissal of original sin’...
2026-01-2056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 16, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Does Iran prove we should keep God out of Government?The Iranian government is brutally cracking down on protestors, and some critics say this is proof that religion should be kept out of politics. But every political order rests on religion - even when the altar has been replaced with things like screens or personal ideology or power. So the real question concerns not whether religion needs to be part of government, but which religion. Which god shapes the public conscience? Marcus has more.Segment 2: What the “Words of the Year” tell us about our...
2026-01-1756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 15, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Why Are Mosques Burning in Tehran?Protests continue across Iran, though they have been largely smothered today thanks to the regime cracking down on internet access in the country. During the protests, at least 34 mosques have been set on fire in Tehran. Why is this happening in a country where a reported 98% of the population is Muslim? The answer is complicated – Alberto Fernandez joins us.Segment 2: Renee Good, ICE, and the Demand of Christian VirtueLast week, the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis ignited the pr...
2026-01-1656 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 15, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Trump administration disappoints again on AbortionThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has restored Title X funding to Planned Parenthood, the latest disappointment by a president once dubbed the most pro-life in history. Is Trump-Vance administration the most anti-life GOP administration in history? Marcus discusses.Segment 2: Henry VIII Breaks from the ChurchOn January 15, 1535, Henry VIII proclaimed that he was now Supreme Head of the Church of England. We look at the historical context of this breakage with Joanna Bogle.Segment 3: Does God Make us Righteous? (2 segments)
2026-01-1656 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 14, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Iranian TV Threatens TrumpHuman Rights advocates estimate more than 2000 people have died in Iranian protests, and the government has threatened to begin executing political prisoners any day. This afternoon, Iranian state TV broadcasted a picture of Donald Trump after his near assassination in Butler, along with the caption “this time it will not miss the target.” Though it seems incredible to our society, the crackdown by the Iranian government is faithful to the Quran. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Lawsuit in Canada to Force Catholic Hospitals to Permit EuthanasiaThe family of a Ca...
2026-01-1556 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 13, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Can you follow Jesus without believing in God?Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams died this morning following a battle with prostate cancer. As we discussed yesterday, he had announced he planned to convert to Christianity because he had “nothing to lose.” In an open letter shared after his death, Adams wrote that he does not believe in God, but still accepts Jesus as his savior. What does this all mean? Marcus discusses.Segment 2: What’s in a (Holy) Name? (3 segments)The Church’s devotion for the month of January is the Holy Name of Jesus...
2026-01-1432 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 13, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus When Ambition goes too FarAmbition has always been a double-edged force in the history of civilization. It builds cities, constitutions, founds universities, organizes whole economies. At the same time though, ambition unmoored from moral hierarchy can corrode one’s character. It can fracture households, it can leave a trail of brilliance that’s shadowed by regret. Few lives in the American founding display that particular tension with greater clarity than that of Alexander Hamilton. Marcus has more. Segment 2: Join Fr John Riccardo at the Jesus ConferenceGod has a vision — not ju...
2026-01-1456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 12, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Dilbert takes Pascal’s WagerScott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert, recently announced he plans to convert to Christianity as he faces terminal prostate cancer. He has previously described himself as Agnostic, but says many of his Christian friends have reached out to him since his diagnosis last spring. Adams says he plans to convert because if he’s wrong, he loses nothing, but if he’s right, he “wakes up in heaven,” a classic example of Pascal’s Wager. We talk more about it with Doug Keck.Segment 2: Mike Reagan, Devout Catholic...
2026-01-1356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 12, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Beyond “Common Sense”This week is the 250th anniversary of the publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. It became an instant bestseller and helped fan the flames of America’s revolutionary movement. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Awaken your Contemplative Heart with St. ThérèseIn a letter to her spiritual brother Maurice Belliere, St. Therese wrote how she was profoundly affected by Joan of Arc and felt that she, too, was called to great things. Is the Lord calling you in the same way? Sean Breeden joins us to invite you to an...
2026-01-1356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 9, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (2 segments)This Sunday’s Gospel recounts the story of John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan. The heavens open, and God declares Jesus to be His beloved son. Marcus unpacks the readings.Segment 2: The Source of Nature and Grace (2 segments)When St. Peter answered Jesus’ challenge to step out of the boat and walk on water, he briefly seemed to defy the very laws of nature. Standing upon the waves without support, Peter manifested the ultimate source of man’s support, both metaphysic...
2026-01-1056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 9, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Why did Jesus need to be Baptized?On Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism. But why did a perfect man need baptism at all? The answer begins with an understanding of the immense significance of the Jordan River. Marcus discusses Jesus’ baptism and how we should respond in our own hearts.Segment 2: Discerning Religious Life? Try a Day in the Life of a Sister!Do you know a young woman who is discerning religious life? The Servants of God Love are hosting a Day in the Life of a Sister retr...
2026-01-1056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 8, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Minnesota Bishops Plea for PrayerArchbishop Bernard Hebda is pleading for prayers and calm following the shooting of a US citizen by an ICE agent. Matthew Bunson has more on this and other Church news.Segment 2: Join a Pilgrimage to EnglandWhat if you could walk the very halls where priests once hid, stand at the sites where martyrs gave their lives, and trace the conversion of Newman and the faith journeys of Lewis and Tolkien? Join Marcus Peter and Billy Kangas this fall for an amazing pilgrimage! Billy has more details...
2026-01-0956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 8, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: The Covenant Oath of OfficeWhy do our politicians usually swear in on the Bible? And how do so many of them miss the point? The answer lies in the meaning of covenant. Marcus has more.Segment 2: How a Trip to Poland Convinced Me That Socialism WorksThe victory of socialist candidates in recent elections has highlighted the renewed appeal of the Marxist system. Some now see socialism as the wave of the future. Conservatives reply by saying that this system must be rejected because “socialism does not work.” John Horvat shares what...
2026-01-0956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 7, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: Once Baptized, Always ConvertingBaptism imprints a spiritual mark upon the soul, and that mark remains even when the baptized person drifts from God. God addresses post-baptismal sin through repentance, reconciliation, transformation, and sacramental reconciliation. Marcus has more on conversion and baptism.Segment 2: Remembering Russell ShawCatholic writer and journalist Russell Shaw has died at the age of 90. Over his long career, Shaw served in several capacities with the US Bishops, wrote dozens of books, and was a frequent guest on Catholic Radio. Mike Aquilina joins us to honor him....
2026-01-0856 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 7, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Calvin and Hobbes, New Year’s Resolutions, and VirtueBill Watterson’s Calvin of comic strip fame once declared that he refused to make New Year’s resolutions, because improving oneself implied that certain values were better than others, but because values are relative they are all equl – virtue is no better than vice. Marcus looks at how this strip serves as a commentary on our culture.Segment 2: Hope and Healing Conference for WidowsOur friends at WidowsMight.net are excited to host another conference, open to all widows who are navigating the next...
2026-01-0857 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 6, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: FDR’s Four FreedomsOn this day in 1941, President Roosevelt delivered a speech in which he outlined four fundamental freedoms to which all people of the world were entitled. He was speaking at a time of existential crisis, when the future of ordered liberty was very much in doubt. Marcus takes a look at his speech.Segment 2: Collectivism isn’t so warmAt his inauguration, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared he wants to “replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.” But a look at history shows the prob...
2026-01-0756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 5, 2026 - Hour 2Segment 1: With Great Power comes Divine AccountabilityThe downfall of Nicolas Maduro reminds us of the consequences of abuse of power. Ultimately, world leader are not just accountable to themselves or their citizens – they are accountable to God. Doug Keck joins Marcus.Segment 2: It’s Still a Wonderful LifeFrank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life is a beloved Christmas tradition for countless families. But an abridged version available on Amazon Prime has left many shaking their heads. This version eliminates the scenes where George learns what the world would be like if...
2026-01-0656 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 5, 2026 - Hour 1Segment 1: Remembering God in an Age of UnrestThe year now behind us carried the weight of an entire era rather than the simple turning of a calendar page. Anyone paying attention felt the sensation of standing beneath converging fault lines where politics, culture, technology, and faith pressed upon one another with accelerating force. Marcus has more as we kick off a new year.Segment 2: US Captures Maduro: A View from VenezuelaThe shocking news of the weekend was the United States’ arrest of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. EWTN correspondent Andrés Henríquez...
2026-01-0656 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 2, 2026 - Hour 2Ave Maria in the Afternoon Year in Review Segment 1: Let the Leo RoarFrom the minute Pope Leo was introduced, some people tried to frame him in the context of former popes. But we can only judge him based on what he actually says and does – and there was a lot to like about his first homily as pope. We look back on Marcus’ first commentary after his election as our year in review continues.Segment 2: Why we had confessions at my father’s wake (3 segments)Shannon Salter’s father recently died fol...
2026-01-0352 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursJanuary 2, 2026 - Hour 1Ave Maria in the Afternoon Year in Review Segment 1: Pope Francis’ Funeral: A View from RomeThe biggest Church news story of the year was, by far, the death of Pope Francis and election of Pope Leo. We look back on our conversation with Matthew Bunson, who was reporting from Rome as thousands of pilgrims prepared for Pope Francis’ funeral.Segment 2: Marcus’ Monologue: Even Death Bows before a Christian FamilyIn July, the Ann Arbor community suffered the loss of Xavier Randolph, a remarkably faithful young man who lost his life in a d...
2026-01-0353 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 31, 2025 - Hour 22025 Ave Maria in the Afternoon Year in Review Segment 1: Facebook Employees Compare Themselves to Drug PushersRecently unsealed court documents show employees at Facebook’s parent company Meta were aware of the adverse effects social media has on kids’ mental health, calling Instagram a “drug” and referring to themselves as “pushers.” Marcus has some thoughts.Segment 2: Matthew’s Gospel – the Key to Jesus (3 segments)The Gospel of Matthew is more than the first book of the New Testament – it is the key that unlocks everything that Jesus would fulfill. We take a deep dive into t...
2026-01-0147 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 31, 2025 - Hour 12025 Ave Maria in the Afternoon Year in ReviewSegment 1: The Blood of a Fallen PatriotCharlie Kirk’s murder did not happen in a vacuum. He died because he stood for truths that our culture increasingly rejects. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Making Sense of Sirach (3 segments)In the grand scheme of Scripture, the Book of Sirach is often overlooked. But it is a treasure trove of enduring wisdom that continues to speak to every age. Andre Villeneuve helps us unpack it. This is a public episode. If you wo...
2025-12-3149 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 30, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Israel’s Right to ExistThe Jews are history’s most unlikely survivors. For centuries, different empires have tried to eradicate the Jewish people – but to no avail. Marcus looks at the story through the lens of accusations of Genocide in Gaza.Segment 2: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald (3 segments)This year marks the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a landmark event in Midwestern heritage that Gordon Lightfoot famously memorialized in his classic ballad. John U Bacon takes us deep inside the story of that fateful night and th...
2025-12-3154 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 23, 2025 - Hour 2Segment 1: The Christmas that Changed America: Washington’s Surprise AttackOn a freezing Christmas night in 1776, General George Washington led a bedraggled group of soldiers across the Delaware River before a surprise attack on a garrison of Hessians at Trenton. This pivotal victory saved the fledgling Revolution and changed the course of American Independence. Marcus has more.Segment 2: A Culture Warrior Goes Home for ChristmasCS Lewis scholar and cultural commentator James Como died last month at the age of 79. As an indomitable culture warrior and soldier of Christ, he died with his bo...
2025-12-2456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 22, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Dostoyevsky and the Human PersonIn 1849, Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood before a firing squad fully prepared for death, only to have his sentence revoked at the last moment. But this near brush with death gave him unique credibility for writing about life. Marcus has more.Segment 2: How the Christmas Truce Defied Assumptions of Warfare On Christmas Eve of 1914, the guns of the Great War’s Western Front fell silent. Enemy soldiers left the trenches, crossed the battle lines, and gathered to exchange food and gifts and sing carols. The ceasefire was not planned or sanctioned – it a...
2025-12-2356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 19, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Narcissus Marries HimselfA young woman in Japan recently made headlines for “marrying” her AI-generated boyfriend. Wearing a wedding dress and virtual-reality goggles, she walked down the aisle and exchanged vows with a virtual image powered by Chat GPT. It’s an example of a culture craving for frictionless affirmation – relationships completely free of challenge or conflict. But if such relationships exist, they are hollow. Marcus has more.Segment 2: “Prepare the Way, Prepare the Path” - Music for Advent (3 segments)The Church has given us a rich tradition of music for Advent. So...
2025-12-2057 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 18, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: The Modern Misinterpretations of the Christmas Story“Mary was an unwed mother.”“Joseph was merely Jesus’ foster father.”“The Holy Family were illegal immigrants in Egypt”You’ve probably already heard these claims in the days leading up to Christmas, as people attempt to fit the story of Christmas into a modern mold. But it doesn’t work that way. Marcus has more.Segment 2: A new approach to education Catholic menSt. Joseph the Worker Academy is an all-boys school in the Ann Arbor area based upon the education...
2025-12-1956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 17, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Beauty of O Antiphons (2 segments)In the final days of Advent, the Church entreats us to the O Antiphons – short chants used during Vespers that are deeply set in Scripture and tradition. Marcus plays them and examines their deeper meaning.Segment 2: What’s happening with the German and American bishops? (2 segments)In his travels, George Weigel has found that the perspective of American bishops in other countries is often far from reality. Friends will ask him why the bishops are so deeply divided, or why they disliked Pope Francis so much. With P...
2025-12-1856 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 16, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Trump’s Missed Opportunity for Unification In a post reacting to the death of director Rob Reiner, President Trump seemingly linked the murder to Reiner’s political leanings. Reiner was a vocal progressive and frequent critic of Trump, and Trump wrote his death was due to the anger Reiner caused others with his “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Marcus discusses how this was a missed opportunity to make a unifying statement about the value of life.Segment 2: Lessons from a Disgraced Football CoachFor the last week, the University of Michigan football program has been rocked by the n...
2025-12-1756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 12, 2025 - Hour 2Segment 1: Advent and Our Lady of Guadalupe Bishop Daniel Thomas from the Diocese of Toledo joins us to discuss growing closer to Christ during Advent as well as Our Lady of Guadalupe and the pro-life mission.Segment 2: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (2 segments)In this Sunday’s Gospel, the imprisoned John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus to inquire if he is the Messiah. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.Segment 3: Guadalupe Sanctifies the World The Protestant Reformation did not arise on a w...
2025-12-1356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 12, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: A Cloned Dog and Our Attempt to Master LifeA vineyard owner in California has paid tens of thousands of dollars to clone his dog. The cloned animal shares completely identical genetics with the original dog, and it displays an almost eerie physical resemblance. However, it behaves in distinct ways, unique to itself. The story is an example of how we are limited in our ability to control the entire world around us. Marcus has more.Segment 2: EWTN Poll finds Continued Catholic Support for Pope Leo and President TrumpA new EWTN...
2025-12-1356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 11, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Society Cries Out for Virtuous MenThe scandal involving University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore is the latest example of a successful, prominent man allowing his life to be ruined by sexual infidelity. Marcus discusses how society has been hurt by a lack of virtuous men.Segment 2: America’s Conflicts are Fundamentally ReligiousAmerica is supposedly a secular country, with separation of church and state, free exercise of religion, and so on. Yet we find ourselves in the middle of what amounts to a religious war. How could this be...
2025-12-1256 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 10, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Source of All Human RightsToday is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The world had staggered out of a period in history in which industrialized nations used their technology to achieve a brutality many would have thought unthinkable. From this, the world reached for a moral vocabulary that would clarify human dignity in a way that no legal system could challenge. Marcus has more.Segment 2: International Forum examines Human Rights abuses in ChinaThe Genocide Convention, signed on December 9, 1948, was the fi...
2025-12-1156 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 9, 2025 - Hour 2Segment 1: Thanksgiving Draws us to ChristmasDid you find yourself simply “surviving” the stress, chaos, and family tensions of Thanksgiving? Are you already dreading going through it at Christmas? Or did you have a great time and want to make Christmas even better? Dr. Greg Popcak has some tips.Segment 2: Archbishop Sheen: The Convert-Maker (2 segments)Venerable Fulton J. Sheen was one of America’s great spiritual leaders of the last century. His Emmy-winning television shows reached millions and he was a household name throughout the 1950s and 60s. But his greatest gift was in fin...
2025-12-1057 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 9, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: FIFA Pride Match to Feature Iran, EgyptThe United States is collaborating with Mexico and Canada to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Seattle has been planning an “LGBT Pride” theme for the game it will host in late June, to coincide with the city’s Pride Weekend observances. When FIFA officials revealed the tournament groups yesterday, observers quickly realized that the two teams playing in the pride game are Egypt and Iran. Iranian state media has already announced plans to appeal the event, with some reports suggesting Egypt has done the same. Marcus has more...
2025-12-1056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 8, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Western Civilization’s Debt to the Immaculate Conception (2 segments)Many contemporary scholars assume the Marian doctrines are mere “ornaments” within greater Catholic theology. This worldview collapses when we look at how the Marian vision helped give birth to an entirely new worldview. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Does the Development of Doctrine Change Church Teaching? (2 segments)The concept of the Development of Doctrine is frequently misunderstood today. Activists often claim it means that Church teaching can change over time to suit their interpretation of morality. Soon-to-be Doctor of the Church St. John Hen...
2025-12-0947 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 5, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Mozart’s LacrimosaWolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on this day in 1791. Raised a Catholic, he remained a devout member of the Church throughout his life and his faith influenced his works. Marcus shares some clips of Mozart’s music and comments on their significance.Segment 2: Suicide Prevention Group Breaks Silence on Assisted SuicideOne of the great ethical ironies of the age has been that so many advocacy groups for suicidal people have been hesitant to speak out against assisted suicide. Thankfully, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has now issued a posi...
2025-12-0656 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 4, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: “Drip-Feed, Conspiracy Para-Journalism”There’s a conundrum facing our society - reporting that presents itself as investigative journalism, but actually reveals very little of substance. It’s not a new phenomenon, but the internet has allowed it to spread in new forms. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Stop trying to change the Church’s teachingsIn its second interim report issued last month, a Synodal study group continued to talk about a “paradigm shift … in continuity with Vatican II” and labeled homosexuality as an “emerging issue.” Catholic teaching on issues of morality cannot change – so why do s...
2025-12-0556 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 3, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Ideas have Consequences: Lessons from the Cold WarToday is the anniversary of the 1989 declaration by Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush that the Cold War had ended. The nearly 50-year conflict grew from ideological roots that ran deeper than troop movements or diplomatic cables. Marcus looks at these intellectual and ideological foundations of the Cold War.Segment 2: Meet the Sister Confronting the Mental Health CrisisWhen Sister Theres Hong Phuoc Tran teaches mental health workshops at Catholic parishes, schools and religious congregations, she uses a simple verse from Scripture – Mark 12:30 – to i...
2025-12-0456 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 2, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Facebook Employees Compare Themselves to Drug PushersRecently unsealed court documents show employees at Facebook’s parent company Meta were aware of the adverse effects social media has on kids’ mental health, calling Instagram a “drug” and referring to themselves as “pushers.” Marcus has some thoughts.Segment 2: Instead of the 1619 Project, what about the 1531 Project?In 2019, the New York Times partnered with a team of historians to produce the “1619 Project,” which claimed that the arrival of slaves in Virginia was the defining moment in American history. In response, conservative historians launched a “1776 R...
2025-12-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursDecember 1, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Rosa Parks Refuses to Give up her seatOn this day in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat. Marcus looks back on what this heroic event means for today’s race relations.Segment 2: Marcus’ Monologue: “Lord, I am not worthy…”In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of a Roman centurion who said he was not worthy to have Jesus enter his home, and that all He had to do was say the word to heal the centurion’s servant. Marcus breaks down the readings.Segment 3: The...
2025-12-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 28, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Monogamy of MarriageThe Vatican doctrinal note Una Caro explains why the Church has always defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Marcus traces the meaning of marriage back to Genesis.Segment 2: Making Sense of our Childless AgeAround the world, some of the most developed and advanced nations are reporting low birth rates and aging populations. Many are discussing why no one wants to have children. Experts debate the causes, but few present convincing conclusions. We discuss the cultural shifts that have happened with John Horvat....
2025-12-0347 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 27, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Thankful on ThanksgivingBlessed Thanksgiving to you! Marcus reflects on the importance of being thankful to God for all he has given us.Segment 2: The Spirituality of GratefulnessIn a consumer-drive culture, it’s easy to forget about the importance of gratefulness. Sure, we’re encouraged to take a few minutes at Thanksgiving to “count our blessings,” but it doesn’t go much further. Secular writers may explore the benefits of gratitude, but they fail to explore the much deeper spiritual meaning of gratitude. We’ll talk with Susan Muto about the deve...
2025-12-0347 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 26, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: How Thanksgiving Shapes the American ImaginationThanksgiving remains one of the few days on the American calendar when we can gather to share a meal. It remains a symbol of simplicity and hope against today’s cynicism. Marcus shares some thoughts.Segment 2: Threat to donor privacy unites Right and Left at Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next week in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin. It’s a case that strikes at the heart of freedom, including donor privacy protections that allow Americans to give freely and acco...
2025-12-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 25, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: Thanksgiving Heals the Wounded HeartWe all experience times in life where we seem to be walking through unending shadow. But if we keep a spirit of thanksgiving to God, we can be healed of these wounds. Marcus has more.Segment 2: Ten Battles Every Catholic should Know: The Real Vlad the ImpalerWe continue our look at the most important battles in history with Michael Greaney, who introduces us to the man history now calls Vlad the Impaler.Segment 3: The surprising sanity of Bill Gates on climate change (2 se...
2025-12-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 24, 2025 - Hour 1Segment 1: Marcus’ Monologue: The Impact of Saying “Jesus Loves You”Over the weekend, Marcus had a chance encounter with a young man who was clearly going through some hard times. Marcus offered to pray for him and said “Jesus loves you,” something the young man hadn’t heard before. We must never forget the impact that such a simple phrase can have. Marcus shares more.Segment 2: Why the Gnostic Gospels don’t make the cut (2 segments)We talked briefly last week about a new Nicholas Cage film that illustrates the early years of Jesus’ life. I...
2025-12-0356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 21, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’ Monologue: Christ, the King of American CatholicsThe Feast of Christ the King can sound awkward to a nation that was founded on the rejection of earthly kingships. But accepting Christ’s kingship over our lives can actually make us better citizens. Marcus has more.Marcus’ Monologue: The Failures of Modern “Kings”On social media yesterday, President Trump posted that a group of Democratic lawyers had committed a traitorous act in their message to the military, and should be put to death. While he later walked back on that sentiment, his actions are the la...
2025-11-2356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 18, 2025 – Hour 2Confronting the False God of AddictionAddiction is much more than a psychological or physical problem – it is a spiritual problem, because in our addictions we create an altar for a false god. Dr Greg Popcak joins us with advice for confronting this problem.Studio Spotlight: Hope and Healing for AddictionWe all know people who are bearing the cross of addiction, but there is hope. Keaton Douglas joins Marcus to take your stories and questions.Resources mentioned in this InterviewiThirst InitiativeThe Road to Hope: Re...
2025-11-2356 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 18, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: America First? America Only?The slogan “America First” has a long and tangled history. It’s been revived in recent years, and is being taken as far as “America Only” as voters feel their country’s policies have served everyone except themselves. What does Catholic Social Teaching have to say about this approach? The answer may surprise you – Marcus discusses.I Chased Everything – Except the CrossIn today’s spiritual marketplace, many are chasing fire like Prometheus—stealing symbols, rituals, and experiences—while refusing the Cross. Rob Sexton experienced this himself, spending nearly...
2025-11-2357 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 17, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: Jesus Christ, Lord of HistorySomewhere along the way, our culture lost sight of the most basic truth – that Jesus Christ is the lord over history. Thinkers like Christopher Dawson have been champions of this truth. Marcus has more.Catholic university faculty must uphold Catholic valuesThe University of Notre Dame has updated its staff values, which no longer include “acceptance and support for the University’s Catholic mission.” The school says the change is “an expression of how we seek to advance Notre Dame’s mission as a global, Catholic resea...
2025-11-2257 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 14, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: Restoring WonderOn November 14, 1889, a young journalist named Nellie Bly set off on a voyage to circumnavigate the world in less than 80 days, following in the footsteps of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg. At the time, limitations in technology made the world feel much bigger than it does today. And today we’ve lost much of our sense of wonder for the world around us. Marcus has more.Farewell to the Penny – is the Nickel Next?For the first time since its founding, the US Mint has ceased production of the penn...
2025-11-2257 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 13, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: The Certainty of Death and TaxesBenjamin Franklin famously declared that nothing in life is certain except for death and taxes. It’s an appropriate quote for our modern day, when our overabundance of choice makes it feel like nothing is certain at all. Marcus has more.10 Battles Every Catholic should Know – The Dreadful Day at ManzikertThroughout history, battles have been fought that changed the course of Civilization. Michael Greaney has compiled a list battles that most affected Church history. He joins us today with a look at the Battle...
2025-11-2257 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 12, 2025 – Hour 2Nigerian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu still captive 7 years laterLeah Sharibu is a young Nigerian girl who was kidnapped by Boko Haram militants in February 2018. Nearly eight years later, she is still in captivity, because she has refused to renounce her Christian faith. Andrea Picciott-Bayer has more on her story.Links for this SegmentNigerian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu still captive 7 years later: When will the horrors end?Rugged Wisdom for Faithful DadsAs a young man, Tyler Blanski lived by the bold American proverb “If you’re going to be a be...
2025-11-2256 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 12, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: Nick Fuentes and the rise of the Woke RightThe continued popularity of figures such as Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens and the growing faction known as the “Woke Right” is one of the strangest spectacles in contemporary public discourse. What began as a resistance to identity politics has curdled into its own version of extremism. Marcus has more.Links for this SegmentHow Critical Theory Paved the Way for Nick FuentesFrom Frankfurt to Fox: The Strange Career of Critical TheoryLife in Afghan...
2025-11-2256 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 20, 2025 – Hour 2Belarus pardons 2 Catholic priests after talks with VaticanTwo Catholic priests in Belarus will be released from prison in an act of “goodwill” after national leaders engaged in talks with the Vatican. Matthew Bunson has the details on this and other Church news.Links for this SegmentBelarus pardons 2 Catholic priests after talks with VaticanWorld’s tallest Our Lady of Fátima monument inaugurated in BrazilPope Leo appoints Nigerian priest assessor for general affairs of the Secretariat of StatePro-life groups condemn ‘glorification’ of Kessler twins’ assi...
2025-11-2157 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 20, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’ Monologue: Nuremberg and the Meaning of the LawThe Nuremberg trials began on this day in 1945. After years of devastation at the hands of the Axis powers, something more than vengeance was required. No civil code at the time was sufficient – so the Allies relied on something greater. Marcus discusses.The Church as an Antidote to DespairBishop Robert Barron and Cardinal Gerhard Muller recently posted a video podcast in which they discussed a variety of theological topics, including how the Church presents a worldview that can counter today’s despai...
2025-11-2157 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 19, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’ Monologue: A Loving, Truth-Centered approach to LGBT MinistrySt. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor will reportedly host an “LGBT Yoga” retreat soon. What is a loving, faithful response when Church officials misrepresent what the Church teaches? Marcus discusses.German Identical Twins Receive Death on DemandAlice and Ellen Kessler, German twin sisters and dancers who were famous across Europe in the 1950s, died this week by joint assisted suicide. Predictably, many are hailing their suicide as a “heroic” or “empowering” act. Wes Smith joins us with more.Links for this...
2025-11-2056 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 11, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: The Mayflower Compact’s Catholic WorldviewAs the Mayflower lay at anchor in Cape Cod, Pilgrim leaders signed the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. This short document is laden with profound truths about the role of religion in the world. Marcus has more.Sing a ‘News’ Song unto the LordSecular newscasts continue to overlook or ignore the spiritual context of their stories. From a Catholic perspective, covering news should actually evoke prayer and reflection on the things that really matter. We talk more about it...
2025-11-1957 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 10, 2025 – Hour 2Pope Leo Warns of Online AddictionsIn a special video message on Friday, Pope Leo warned about how excessive internet use is fueling the continued rise of addictions such as pornography and gambling. Doug Keck joins us with more.Marcus’s Monologue: Vatican Conference Explores the Benefits and Dangers of AILast week Marcus attended a conference at the Vatican where scholars and theologians gathered to construct a Catholic viewpoint of the AI movement. He gives us a report.St. Leo the Great: The pope who clarified th...
2025-11-1956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 10, 2025 – Hour 1Marcus’s Monologue: ``Remember, Remember the Fifth of November``Every year, British citizens celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, in commemoration of the failed Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament. For generations after Fawkes’ execution, English identity was centered on opposition to Rome – with disastrous results. Marcus has more.The Emergence of the Post-Liberal Catholic PriestA major recent survey suggests that a new generation of Catholic priests is breaking free of the restrictive political labels of “conservative” and “liberal,” recognizing that the claims of our Faith transcend such increasingly anachronistic branding. We look at the nu...
2025-11-1956 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 6, 2025 – Hour 2Marcus’ Monologue: The Catholic Answer to the Jewish QuestionThe Vatican II document Nostra Aetate is the hinge of Catholic reflection on Judaism and clarifies what Scripture has always said about the Church’s relationship with the Jewish people. Marcus reflects more on what it says.Listen to this SegmentThe Roman Empire and the Rise of the WestThe classic saying “all roads lead to Rome” still rings true today – for the influence of the Roman Empire lingers on centuries after the empire’s demise. Matthew Bunson joins us.Listen to...
2025-11-0756 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 5, 2025 - Hour 1Marcus’ Monologue: The Decline of ChivalryThere was a time when the idea of chivalry was written into the conscience of a society. But those days are gone. Marcus discusses the decline of chivalry.Listen to this SegmentPurgatory: The Front Porch of HeavenThe word “Purgatory” doesn’t appear in the Bible – but that doesn’t mean Purgatory isn’t real! During the month of November, the Church calls on us to pray for the living and the dead – for the dead need our prayers as well. Steve Ray joins us to present a...
2025-11-0556 min
Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full HoursNovember 4, 2025 - Hour 1Marcus’ Monologue: How we Lowered the Bar for our YouthThe modern West has perfected the practice of infantilization. For decades, each successive generation has been held to a lower standard than the one before it. Marcus discusses how we got here and what we can do about it.Listen to this SegmentThe Detroit Model of EvangelizationIn his pastoral letter Unleash the Gospel, former Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron wrote how works of charity overflow from our work of evangelization. Deacon Fred Billotto has more.Listen to this Se...
2025-11-0556 min
The FermentPregnant with an Evil - Chapter 2 of Marcus’ AudiobookWelcome to chapter 2 of Life at the End of Us Versus Them. This is where I give an introduction to the thought of Ivan Illich's sense of the way Christianity was perverted when it sought to impose the Gospel of Christ through state power and institutional administration. I could think of no clearer case example than the Indian Residential Schools project.
2023-10-2944 minThe FermentThe Religion of the End of Religion - Part 1 of Marcus’ audiobookFiring up the old podcast again! This is the first in a series of audiobook chapter releases. I never did figure out how to package and sell my book as an audiobook per se, but it feels like the right time to put this out into the world. The "expectant - and apocalyptic time" that was named on the back cover seems more vividly at hand now than in 2017 when I first published the thing. Illich and Girard helped me find my bearings in this strange time that is the end of something big--Dougald Hine names it modernity, Paul...
2023-10-171h 07The Ferment11 - Alana Levandoski - IntegralAlana Levandoski has been called a “right-brain theologian,” but she wasn’t always open about her faith. Today her website introduces her as “a song and chant writer and recording artist, in the Christian tradition, who lives with her family on an aspiring permaculture farm on the Canadian prairies.” She is really on her second music career. Her integration of faith and art, her grounding in a life of family and a life on the land arises from a moment of rebirth at what seemed like the end of the road for an up-and-coming darling of the alt-folk scene, a starlet wh...
2019-07-031h 32The Ferment6 - Kathy Kelly - Granarchist for PeaceKathy Kelly learned not long ago that her last name is Gaelic for “strife.” Kelly has spent a career coaxing communities into the struggle for justice, always nonviolently, always in the face of formidable violence. So successful has she been in recruiting young people to this dangerous, disciplined activism that there is a joke going around about the formation of a “Mothers Against Kathy Kelly” group among families wanting to save their children from the influence of this peace-waging “granarchist.”
In a wide-ranging conversation, Kathy Kelly shares stories about her family’s history with the IRA, the racist uproar...
2019-01-211h 10The Ferment4 - David Cayley - Christian Thought and Public RadioOne of the strange wonders of Marcus’ life is that the core of his after-degree theological training came to him through the medium of publicly funded radio programming, almost all of it curated by David Cayley. For over 20 years, Cayley was a producer for a program entitled simply, “Ideas” at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Always clear, always careful, always genuinely seeking after the Good, David Cayley has deepened and enriched the public conversation in this country and well beyond it. “What is worth understanding is worth being understood well by everyone,” said Northrop Frye, one of Cayley’s many interviewees. C...
2019-01-081h 01The Ferment3 - Alana Levandoski - Beausejour Concert (Where it All Began)In the late winter of 2016, Alana Levandoski and her family traveled to Beausejour, Manitoba to give a concert in a small country church, one of the oldest buildings in the rural town. Alana was promoting her album, Behold, I Make All Things New.The acoustics were gorgeous, and attendees were hungry for an authentic, living voice to sing songs of praise and longing in the century-old, near-defunct sanctuary. A little group called Saint Julian’s Table was trying to keep alive the embers of a worship life in the building of Saint James Anglican, a local parish that had cease...
2019-01-081h 49The Ferment1 - Ring in the New - The Ferment LaunchesIn this episode, Alana and Marcus introduce the vision of The Ferment and introduce ourselves from opposite shores of a prehistoric lake. Then we ring in the coming New Year with Alana’s musical take on Tennyson’s achingly beautiful Ring Out Wild Bells. We couldn’t think of a better way to name our tender hopes and fierce longings to “Ring in…the larger heart, the kindlier hand; / Ring out the darkness of the land, / Ring in the Christ that is to be.”
We made some references in our conversation that you may want to follow up on. Here are s...
2018-12-2938 min