October 12, 2018
New Age thought and the New Age Movement is a very dangerous playground to dabble in. The entire focus of New Agers is to bring the attention towards oneself making YOU the God of your life. Moira Noonan understands this because she was heavily involved in the New Age Movement for years until the Blessed Mother rescued her. Listen in as Moira and I discuss her journey which she details in her book Ransomed from Darkness: The New Age, Christian Faith and the Battle for Souls.
October 5, 2018
In the current climate of the Church today many may be feeling a mix of emotions. Hurt, confusion, sorrow, and maybe even anger. In his recently re-released book The Angry Christian: A Bible-based Strategy to Care and Discipline a Valuable Emotion, Bert Ghezzi offers some solid advice on how to rein in this emotion and make it useful. Join us as Bert and I discuss anger and how we can effectively apply it to the current crisis in the Church and in our everyday lives as well.
September 28, 2018
Papa's got a brand new bag....or Bible in this case. Over the years I have had the opportunity to check out and review many Bibles. Recently I got the chance to get my hands on the new The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension Press. What I am about to say i don't say lightly. This has become my Bible of choice. Why? Listen in as Jeff Cavins and I discuss what makes this Bible so unique.
September 21, 2018
This week Father Augustine Wetta and I take a look at the often neglected virtue of humility. In his book Humility Rules: Saint Benedict's Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem Father Wetta breaks down Saint Benedict's method into twelve pithy steps for finding inner peace in a way that can be applied to anyone's life. In today's society humility is a rarity. Join us and learn how to make it a part of your virtue toolbox.
September 14, 2018
On the episode of Off the Shelf we take a look at God incidents. What are they? These are the little occurrences that God sends our way that. These are the things in life that happen to us that when we sit and think about them we have no other explanation for them then that they were the doing of Him. Join author Tom Lukes and I as we discuss his book God Incidents | True Stories of God Working in the Lives of Catholics.
September 7, 2018
In an engaging and timely interview I spend time this week with Father Thomas Berg author of Hurting in the Church: A Way Forward for Wounded Catholics. As we all come to grips with the crisis unfolding in the Church today I encourage everyone to listen to this episode as we discuss a path forward.
August 31, 2018
Conversion and reversion stories are fascinating to listen to and watch develop. Hering what people have stumbled upon that has brought back to the faith can be very fortifying in our own faith journeys. Kendra Von Esh, author of Am I Catholic?, walked away from a very successful life in the corporate world to give her all to Christ and His church. On this episode Kendra speaks about where she has been, how she realized she needed something more, and where her life and ministry goes from here.
August 24, 2018
Have you ever felt stuck on your faith? You seem to go through the motions but find Mass "boring" or that you simply don't get anything out of it? Don't worry you are not alone. We all encounter these dark nights of the soul. Teresa Tomeo has and she tackles the topic in her latest book Beyond Sunday: Becoming a 24/7 Catholic. Listen in as Teresa gives us some helpful tips on how to become an engaged Catholic not just on Sunday.....but everyday!
August 17, 2018
How can business and faith intertwine in a society that seems more focused om getting ahead then leaving a legacy of true meaning? John Abatte joins us this week to discuss just that. Learn how he built his own business while maintaining integrity and cultivating a deep Catholic faith. Business and faith can co-exist if we focus on what truly matters.
August 10, 2018
This week we wrap up our onsite interviews from the Catholic marketing Network Tradeshow in Lancaster, PA with authors Virginia Lieto, Kimberly Cook, Maureen Cummings, Tony Agnesi, and Virginia Pillars.
July 27, 2018
Every person has a purpose in life. Sometimes they get confused as to what that may be or mired down in what the secular tells them it SHOULD be. Join Josh Miller and I as we discuss how can help people found their God given talents, particularly youth today. Our future is the next generation and it is our profound duty to cultivate. Learn how on this week's episode.
July 20, 2018
Most people will say either they have a strong faith life or the have a strong fitness regimen, few say they have both. In his book Grit & Glory, Kaiser Johnson shows readers how to have BOTH. To assume we can separate the soul from the body and view them as two independent entities is a falsehood. Listen in as Kaiser and I discuss how both body and soul are intimately intertwined and how you can become more disciplined in virtue, prayer, and fitness.
July 13, 2018
On this episode of Off the Shelf Paul George and I dig into what is true happiness. In our consumeristic society many people seek happiness through material goods but come up empty every time. As Paul says in his book Rethink Happiness: Dare to Embrace God and Experience True Joy, “I spent the first twenty years of my life seeking things that didn’t satisfy me – things that were counterfeit.” Listen in and learn how to fill that God shaped hole we all have.
June 22, 2018
There's a crisis in youth ministry today and it not something that has happened overnight. It has been a slow creep over the last couple years. Everett Fritz joins me this week for a discussion on what we can do to right the ship when it comes to engaging youth and young adults in the faith. Listen in as we chat about what is is that teens need and Everett's two-fold solution to the problem with retaining youth that we have in the Church today.
June 15, 2018
Matt Nelson tackles the topic of spiritual indifference in his latest book Just Whatever: How to Help the Spiritually Indifferent Find Beliefs that Really Matter. Matt went through a stage of indifferent-ism himself in college and gives us some insight on the dilemma in this episode of Off the Shelf. Join us as Matt and I discuss the Why's and What's of the indifferentism running rampant today.
June 8, 2018
This week Joseph Pearce returns as a guest on Off the Shelf. We discuss why the beloved Narnia series by C.S. Lewis is a worthy read for adults as well as children. This episode serves as a Narnia primer of sorts as Joseph and I discuss each book in the seven book series.. Learn the Christian theology in the pages of Narnia which Joseph Pearce covers in his book Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia.
June 1, 2018
This week on Off The Shelf Trent Horn returns to talk about his latest book What the Saints Never Said: Pious Misquotes and the Subtle Heresies They Teach You. Think Saint Francis actually said "Preach the gospel always; if necessary, use words"? That never happened. Or how about Mother Teresa saying " The fruit of abortion is nuclear."? That one lacks credibility as well. Join Trent and I as we tackle these and many quotes and determine whether they are valid, misattributed or outright fakes.
