Today we have a conversation with Vince Michinock on the "Role of the Laity"

Since the Universal Call podcast is all about how to live the Universal Call to Holiness, we decided to interview a lay catholic of modest repute. While it has been very exciting and informative interviewing luminaries like Father Fessio and Scott Hahn, we wanted to interview a working stiff like the rest of us. How do you live the Call to Holiness when being a good Catholic is not part of your job description like it is for a parish priest, or a published theologian? Vince is very well educated in the faith and has a lot of insight for us. He lives in Orange County, California with his wife and 6 children.

• Matthew 5:33-37.
• What does the term "Lay" mean?
• Laity is specific call. It is nothing something less than being a Priest.
• We should be reading everything that comes out the Vatican.
• The role of laity has changed over time.
• The laity's main mission is to evangelize the world; the Priest's role is to run the Church.
• The lay have a broader opportunities (than clergy) to evangelize the world.
• Lay men and women have the same call, however, they may have different roles in Transforming the Temporal Order.
• Governing the Church is not part of the lay character.
• The wealth of knowledge regarding the laity from The Second Vatican Council.
• Lumen Gentium is one part of second Vatican council's documents that apply to the laity.
• The Priesthood of the Laity.
• How parents can live out the Domestic Church.
• The frequent reception of the Sacraments are critical to the proper fulfillment of our role as Laity.

Today we have a conversation with Dr. Joseph Nicolosi on Homosexuality and the Church.

He holds a Ph.D. From the California School of Professional Psychology and, as a clinical psychologist, is the founder and director of the Thomas Aquinas Clinic, in Encino, California, and the President of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). For the last 15 years, his professional focus has been reparative therapy, a controversial therapy that considers homosexuality a disorder that can be cured. He has written 3 books: Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality : A New Clinical Approach; Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy and most recently, A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, co-written with his wife Linda Ames Nicolosi. He and his wife have two sons.

• John 16:5-11
• The Church's position on homosexuality.
• Homosexual desires, however disordered, are not a sin. (Acting on them is.)
• The Catholic Church falls short on ministering to Homosexuals; evangelical churches are far ahead of the Catholics.
• The Catholic ministries of "Courage and Encourage".
• The unique needs that the homosexual condition require a specific ministry.
• In 1973, the Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association voted to delete homosexuality as a mental disorder.
• Can homosexuality be "Cured"?
• The causes of homosexuality.
• Psychologists who work with homosexuality generally agree on its causes.
• Our Acceptance of Homosexuality as "normal or natural" is a problem in terms of redefining human sexuality, relationships, gender, etc... and eventually deconstructing Christian anthropology.
• Gender Identity Disorder.
• The theory that "Everybody knows people are just born that way" is not true.
• The classic triadic relationship that encourages homosexuality.
• Dr. Nicolosi has never met a homosexual who had a loving relationship with their father.
• How addictions (alcoholism, gambling, etc..) differ from homosexual lifestyle.
• Homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice - people discover same-sex attraction in their youth.
• In spite of the insightful and compassionate doctrinal postion, The Catholic Church is "Failing Miserably" in the practical ways of addressing the issue.
• We should try to enourage our priests learn more about the right way to minister to homosexuals.
• The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is a great resource for people who want to learn more about this. Also Exodus International.
• EWTN also has done a good job responding to this.

Today we have a conversation with Father Steve Sallot on “All you wanted to know about being a pastor but were afraid to ask�.

Father Sallot is one of four children raised in the Santa Ana/Tustin area (north Orange county) where his family still resides. Ordained a diocesan priest in 1980, he has ministered in several great parishes in Orange County, including Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach, St. Angela Merici in Brea, and Santiago de Compostela in Lake Forest. In 1992, he returned to his high school alma mater, Mater Dei High School. (Which by the way is the only high school to have produced two Heisman trophy winners, Matt Leinhart 2004 and Jon Huerte in 1964) He spent ten years there as Rector.

In 2002, he became the pastor of St. Edward the Confessor in Dana Point, a parish of approximately 5000 families.

• John 15:18-21
• Background about Father Steve Sallot's Parish, St. Edward.
• How being a Pastor is different than what he expected.
• There is a secondary vocation to be "Pastor".
• As a Pastor, you cannot be a "solo" act, although their are some other priestly roles that could allow for that.
• Canon law dictates the role and responsibilities of a Pastor.
• The importance of reflection and thoughtfulness in a Pastor.
• How the management of a Parish differs from managing other secular enterprises.
• An example of a typical day for a Pastor.
• How to maintain one's interior spiritual life in the midst of the busy life of running a Parish.
• The social environment in the rectory.
• The level of interaction between the parish and the Bishop.
• How to evaluate the feedback that emanates from the congregation.
• A good parish priest tries to listen to people while also making sure that everything fits in the "norms of the Church".
• Commenting on another priests style requires care and sensitivity.
• The role of performance appraisals for priests.
• The role of the Parish Council.
• There is an old saying among priests, "I would rather do (10) funerals than (1) wedding".
• It's hard for a priest to perform a sacrament when there isn't faith in the community.
• How a Pastor looks out for the spiritual life of his fellow priests.

Today we have a conversation with Holly Pierlot on "Motherhood as a Vocation".

Holly Pierlot is a popular speaker at marriage and catechetics programs and home schooling conferences. She lives on Prince Edward Island, Canada, with her husband, Phillip and her five children.

She is the author of the popular book, A Mother's Rule of Life: How to Bring Order to Your Home and Peace to Your Soul, a pattern for living that combines the spiritual wisdom of the monastery with the practical wisdom of motherhood. She speaks with us today about the spiritual practices that transform the common tasks of motherhood into exercises for sanctification.

• John 15:9-17.
• What is a "Rule".
• How a rule can be followed by the Laity.
• About the genesis of the book, A Mother's Rule of Life.
• How sometimes Mothers can question their vocation.
• Isn't the call of Motherhood to lay down your life for another?
• The Mother's Rule is based the proper order of observance the Five "P's":
  1. Prayer
  2. Person
  3. Partner
  4. Parent
  5. Provider
• The Church has always taught the dignity of the vocation of Motherhood - The Blessed Mother elevated the role of motherhood; the Incarnation has elevated the role of motherhood.
• How to implement the Mother's Rule.
• The Mother's Rule is lot more than a scheduling tool.
• Disorder is far more burdensome than keeping a disciplined Rule.
• The Mother's Rule has to be implemented a little at a time.
• The Mother's Rule simply synthizeses many Catholic concepts that have been promoted by various means and at varoius times. It does not "re-invent the wheel".
• The Mothers Rule is not a movement, and it is not charism. People can find out how to live a Rule simply by being Christian and loving God.
• Writing the book was a call for Holly.
• The Mother's Rule should manages the household without managing the Husband.
• How home schooling relates to the Mother's Rule.
• What is the Mother's Sabbath?
• Holly's Current Favorite Spiritual Book, Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul II's "Gospel of the Body"

Helen Hull Hitchcock is the editor of the Adoremus Bulletin (1995-present), a monthly publication of Adoremus - Society for the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy, of which she is a co-founder and member of the executive committee.

She is also founding director of Women for Faith & Family and editor of Voices.

She has published many articles and essays in a wide range of Catholic journals. She is a contributing editor to the ecumenical journal, Touchstone, and was a columnist for the National Catholic Register and Crisis magazine, and staff artist for the New Oxford Review).

She is the author/editor of The Politics of Prayer: Feminist language and the worship of God, (Ignatius Press 1992), a collection of essays on issues involved in translation. She has contributed essays to several books, including Spiritual Journeys, a book of "conversion stories" (Daughters of St. Paul). She also edited the Women for Faith & Family Sourcebooks for Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas.

Mrs. Hitchcock serves on the Board of Directors of Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). She has served on the boards of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, Women Affirming Life, the Ecumenical Commission on Women in Society, and other advisory boards.

She has appeared frequently on radio and television programs, including: Catholic Answers Live, Nightline, Larry King Live, MacNeill Lehrer Report, Donahue, and Mother Angelica Live.

She lectures widely in the US and abroad, representing Catholic teaching on issues affecting Catholic women, families, and Catholic faith and worship.

Mrs Hitchcock discusses:

• John 10:22-30.
• The Adoremus Bulletin.
• What is Sacred Liturgy.
• The Missal and the Lectionary.
• The Liturgy is our Worship of God, and the Missal is our instruction for worship.
• Vatican II initiated a massive amount of changes.
• Pope John Paul II called for a renewal of Liturgy about 20 years ago.
• The Mass is the primary way to participate in Liturgy. And our participation is not only with our own parish, and not only with the world's Catholics, but with all believers past, present and future.
• How to participate in the Mass.
• In 1903 St. Pious X initiated a liturgical movement to encourage greater participation in the Mass.
• One of the chief aims of Vatican II was to get Catholics to participate more fully in the Mass.
• Unity of the Mass was not transmitted properly as a result of misinterpretation of the Second Vatican Council's intentions.
• Advice on handling disparities between your specific Bishop's instructions and the Missal's.
• The difference between a Liturgist and a Theologian.
• The Social Dimension of the Liturgy. (How active participation in the Mass informs all our other activities.)
• Ways to improve the quality of our interaction in the Liturgy.
• The importance of a "Holy Hour" in helping us prepare for Mass.
• The Principle of Ecclesia Supplet.
• How the American Catholic Church is one of the Strongest and most faithful in the whole world. (Yes, you read that correctly!)
• How the Bible forms the foundation for our Liturgy.

This is a short "mini-cast" to promote some of the things that we never seem to find time to talk about before our regular interviews:

• We have changed our schedule to semi-monthly postings on the 15th and the 30th of every month (vs. posting on the 10th, 20th, and 30th). (Some of our listeners are asking for more time between programs so that they can keep up easier!)
• We talk a little bit about our website features. (Item by item)
• "Overlooked" podcasts such as Paddy Jim Baggot and Father John Waiss.
• Some Itunes reviews (and please don't forget to leave yours!)
• and finally a word about donations.

Dr. Scott Hahn discusses what appears to be a simple admonition, but upon further examination, it is an extremely important and largely untaught concept - keeping the Lord's Day Holy.

An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith. Over 500 of these talks have been produced on audio and videotapes by St. Joseph Communications.

He is currently a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990, and is the founder and director of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology. In 2005, he was appointed as the inaugural Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Hahn Speaks on:

• John 20:11-18
• What it is that makes Sundays (The Lord's Day) so special.
• That having a "Lord's Day" is a reflection of our filial affiliation.
• There is a spiritual message encoded in the Sabbath.
• The Lord's day represents that we are entering into God's Family.
• The Old Covenant Sabbath occurs after our labors (the last day of the week); the New Covenant Sabbath occurs before our labors (the first day of the week).
• When we celebrate the Lord's Day, we enter into the work of God.
• Sunday's are great day to practice both the Spiritual Works of Mercy and the Corporal Works of Mercy, as well as engage in our own natural rest (e.g. a nap).
• The distinction between "servile works" (not appropriate on Sundays) and "works of necessity" (OK for Sundays).
• Dr. Hahn references Paragraph 2168 and following from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He calls it a "brilliant, practical and understandable passage".
• The Eucharist is a critical element of keeping the Lords Day holy.
• Going to Mass is like going to Heaven in that the angels and saints surround us and Christ is present (in the Holy Eucharist).
• The propriety of the Saturday night Vigil Mass.
• How one should prepare for Mass.
• Dr. Hahn's early experience with keeping the Lord's Day.
• Why Sunday? Why not Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc...
• Keeping our Sundays Holy should be one of our highest priorities.
• Why there is a dearth of resources about how to keep The Lord's Day.
• DIES DOMINI, "On Keeping the Lord's Day Holy" is a fabulous papal writing on this subject. We should all read it.
• The Lords Day is difficult to practice in our society; popular culture stands against the proper practice of the Lords Day

A short list of some of Scott Hahn's Books:

• Letter and Spirit : From Written Text to Living Word in the Liturgy
• The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth
• Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
• First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity
• Hail, Holy Queen
• Swear to God : The Promise and Power of the Sacraments
• Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession
• A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God's Covenant Love in Scripture
• Understanding "Our Father": Biblical Reflections on the Lord's Prayer
• Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God
• Why Stay Catholic?
• Scripture Matters: Essays on Reading the Bible from the Heart of the Church
• Amazon.com Search for "Scott Hahn" books

Today we have a conversation with Father John Wauck on the Da Vinci Code and Opus Dei.

I discovered his web site, Opus Dei and the Da Vinci Code, and immediately wanted to interview him on this subject.

Father John Wauck is an American priest of Opus Dei. A native of Chicago, he studied Renaissance history and literature at Harvard University and philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he has lived for the last ten years.

He teaches a course on literature and Christian faith at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (in 2005, this course was aired as a 13-part television series, called "A Mirror of the Soul," on EWTN) and organizes an international seminar entitled Poetics and Christianity.

He has written for many publications, including The American Scholar, The Christian Science Monitor, and The New Criterion, and appeared frequently as a television commentator on matters dealing with the Catholic Church. Before his priestly ordination, he worked as an editor of The Human Life Review and as a speechwriter for the Attorney General of the United States, William Barr, and for the Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert P. Casey.

Ironically, we never really got to speaking about Da Vinci's Mona Lisa! We did cover several of the more controversial aspects with a slight emphasis on Opus Dei, considering he is a priest of Opus Dei.

Father Wauck Comments on...

• the Annunciation (includes the Gospel Reading from 03/25/06, Luke 1:26-38).
• What is it that makes the Da Vinci code compelling and popular with millions of people around the world.
• A person who reads this novel and treats it as "Fact" is making a huge error.
• Where we should start when evaluating the inaccuracies contained in the Da Vinci Code.
• The Gnostic Gospels. (The best "cure" for thinking the Gnostic Gospels have validity is read them!)
• The Council of Nicea: Who called it, why it was called, what was its purpose.
• There is no coherent theological system contain among the Gnostic Gospels.
• Why it is important for Catholics to believe that Jesus wasn't married.
• The role of women in the Catholic tradition is greater than that of any other religion that we know of.
• The "missing Mary" of the Da Vinci Code is not Mary Magdalene, it is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• The definition of monk as a one who lives in a monastery
• The canonical status of Opus Dei as a personal prelature (not a sect or an order)
• The Priory of Sion was actually fabricated by a French fraud from the 1950's
• Dan Brown's gigantic exaggeration and narrow interpretation of the practice of corporal mortification
• Opus Dei is not a secretive organization
• The mission of Opus Dei is to promote holiness among lay Catholics, that every baptized person is called to be a saint and an apostle, to convert the "prose of everyday life into heroic verse"

Today we have a conversation with Bud Welch about the "Death Penalty".

On April 19, 1995, Bud Welch�s 23-year old daughter, Julie, and 167 others were killed in the bomb blast that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City.

Bud had always opposed the death penalty but Julie's death prompted bouts of anger, pain, hatred and revenge. He longed to see Timothy McVeigh (who was eventually tried and convicted of the bombing and executed) dead.

After months of agony Bud began to question his desire for revenge. He realized that nothing positive would arise from McVeigh's execution. "It was hatred and revenge that made me want to see him dead and those two things were the very reason that Julie and 167 others were dead," he says. He also remembered Julie's comments that executions were only teaching children to hate."

Topics that Bud Welch speaks on:

• Matthew 18:21-35
• His personal experience with the Death Penalty--losing his daughter at the Oklahoma City Bombing.
• His meeting with Bill McViegh (Timothy McVeiegh's Father)
• There is no peace for him, and for many of the other victim's families, as a result of Timothy McVeigh's execution.
• The Death Penalty seems to only apply to the poor. You never see rich people on Death Row
• Catholic Teaching on the Death Penalty, Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph's 2266-7
• The Death Penalty is not a deterrent. (Comparison between the US and other countries that do not have the Death Penalty).
• In 10 years, there will no longer a "death penalty".
• The comparison between the civil rights movement and the current death penalty abolition debate.
• The difference between "Restorative Justice" and "Retributive Justice".
• The relationship between Abortion and the Death Penalty
• Why the Abolition of the Death Penalty should be a priority for this country

Today we have a conversation with Father John Waiss about Vocations and Dating.

Father Waiss is a priest of Opus Dei and an author. He has written "Couples in Love : Straight Talk on Dating, Respect, Commitment, Marriage, and Sexuality" and "Letters Between a Catholic and an Evangelical" published by the Crossroads publishing company.

Topics that Father John Waiss speaks on:

• Luke 9:22-25
• How we should consider dating in the context of Marriage.
• How "Casual Dating" (that is, "a pseudo-commitment") can be very dangerous.
• How to discern which qualities to look for in a spouse.
• What to consider, in regard to vocations, while dating.
• How God wants us to be Holy, even if we follow a vocation that isn't God's "first choice".
• One should be materially prepared to be married before entering dating relationships.
• One should keep their relationship from becoming overly physical.
• That a wedding will be more meaningful and the commitment stronger if a couple consummates the marriage after their wedding ceremony.
• The inherent attractiveness of not being self-absorbed (manifested by modesty in dress and behavior).
• How to tell if a partner has the qualities that one is looking for.
• The metaphysics behind physical purity in a dating relationship.
• The attitude one should have toward any "baggage" a boyfriend/girlfriend can bring to a relationship.
• The best things parents can do for their children to provide good formation for a future dating/marriage relationship...

You can purchase the book that provides the basis for our interview at the following link:

Today we have a conversation with Fr Fessio.

Father Fessio is the Founder and Editor of Ignatius Press, founder of the St. Ignatius Institute of the University of San Francisco and Campion College before coming to Ave Maria University as Provost and Professor of Theology.

He wrote his dissertation on the ecclesiology of Hans Urs von Balthasar under the direction of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XIV.

Topics that Father Fessio speaks on:

• The "Camel through a needle's eye" Gospel passage.
• How much more generous God is than us (ref. Mark:28-31).
• The family structure as a reflection of God and the Trinity.
• St Paul's letter to the Ephesians is Father Fessio's favorite apostalic writing.
• God the Son is eternally newborn.
• God is always simultaneously a Father and a Son.
• What Wives and Husbands should do to imitate the relationship between the Church and Christ.
• The Complex Greek of Ephesians 5:22 (it doesn't say explicitly "wives submit to your husbands") and that it is not a misogynist text, instead it is a women enobling text: Women are called to "symbolize and live forth and represent what they are, that is creatures in the face of God and therefore brides for the Bridegroom" and Men are called to represent what we aren't, to image forth and symbolize God's authority as husbands and Priests.
• The Church environment is a reflection of marriage and family and the Trinity.
• We should view the Eucharist is a "nuptial celebration".
• The role of the laity in the larger family relationship in the Parish.
• The current Pope's awareness of the issues surrounding the American Catholic Church.
• The continued existence of "Western Civilization" depends largely on the American Catholic Church.
• The importance of "Vanilla Spirituality" in the traditions of the Church.
• How the laity should handle issues when Priests don't follow the Rubrics of the Mass. Father Fessio mentioned Adoremus as a resource for information on the liturgy.

Today we have a conversation with Dr Paddy Jim Baggot, MD. He is a Catholic Physician board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Geneticist specializing in preconception health and NaProTechnology, which is a new reproductive science for assisting couples to conceive naturally without the use of artificial reproductive techniques.

He has studied at the Pope Paul VI Institute, a health science research institution dedicated to following Catholic teaching in all aspects of Human reproduction.

Our Guest today is Father Jim Costigan who talks with us about Eucharisitic Adoration. He is priest with the Fathers of Mercy whose primary Apostolate is to preach parish missions and retreats, with an emphasis on the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Confession.

He discusses John 6; what is Eucharistic Adoration; the origins of Adoration; the essense of the Eucharist; the value of Adoration outside of Mass; proper attitudes about Adoration; the place of Adoration in a Catholic's spiritual exercises; how the Eucharist helps us relate to God; the essence of Adoration is not so much about proximity to the Holy Eucharist as much as it is about attitude; how Adoration is complementary to other spiritual exercises, not neccesarily more important; etc...

This is the conclusion of our previous interview with Renee Bondi.

At age 29, Renee Bondi suffered a bizarre accident that shattered her spine and left her quadriplegic. She was engaged to be married and was a succesful musician at the time. She lost not only all use of her hands and legs, but also her singing voice.

Renee miraculously recovered her singing voice and today she is one of the top-selling independent Contemporary Christian Artists selling over 150,000 copies of songs as well as being played on radio stations and networks across the country.

She discusses the blessings that come with suffering (you find out who you are in Christ); how to come to thanksgiving for calamity; how she learned to look at her wheelchair as a companion and ally; how all suffering is relative; how we aquire our holiness; how is she trying to teach her son how to listen for God's voice; how God wants her to know him as a Father; that following the simple and profound guidelines from scripture would protect our society; etc...

Visit www.reneebondi.com for her concert and speaking schedule, to order any of her Cd's, and to learn more about her ministry. (Renee's home page plays music when you visit, so be ready.)

The song included in this podcast is "Be Still and Hear My Voice", the ninth song on Renee's album, Let it Rain

At age 29, Renee Bondi was engaged to be married and had a beautiful singing voice, a thriving career as a music teacher, and a loving family. But then one night a bizarre accident shattered her spine and left her quadriplegic. She lost not only all use of her hands and legs, but also her singing voice -- she could barely speak above a whisper. Unwilling to accept that her life was over, she searched her heart and sought God for direction.

Renee miraculously recovered her singing voice and today she is one of the top-selling independent Contemporary Christian Artists selling over 150,000 copies of songs as well as being played on radio stations and networks across the country.

She discusses her struggles in the days immediately following her accident; her husband and child; the spiritual exercises that help her cope with daily frustrations; etc... more to come in part 2.

Visit www.reneebondi.com for her concert and speaking schedule, to order any of her Cd's, and to learn more about her ministry.

The song included in this podcast is "Surrender", the third song on Renee's album, Surrender to Your Love

Part 2 will be posted on 2/20/06.

Mike Sullivan was a married protestant missionary, serving the poor in Mexico, until he read about Mother Teresa. Then he and his family traveled to Calcutta and ultimately to Rome -- both spiritually and geographically. Mike speaks to us about his conversion to the Catholic church and his experience serving the poor.

He discusses the spiritual poverty of the heart; the Preferential Option for the Poor; Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity; his family�s trip to Rome; his call to establish a full time mission organization for families; The Imitation of Christ by Thomas � Kempis; etc....

And, yes...I do know that I talked a little too fast at the beginning of the podcast...

Interview with Tim Hayes, Father of 11. Tim discusses the spiritual dynamics of raising a large family. He discusses Church teaching in regards to openness to Life, Evangelium Vitae (the Gospel of Life) Encyclical by John Paul II, how a large family in today's world requires faith, how he connects with/teaches/listens to his Children, how to listen for God's voice in in the midst of a busy household, time management, etc...

I decided to NOT make this a 2-parter like I mentioned in a previous post. (I just couldn't find a good breakpoint.) If you want more of Tim later, drop me a line and we'll see if there is anything else he might want to talk about.

Terry speaks about how he started St. Joseph's communications; how the content is vetted for orthodoxy; the current campaign to provide catechesis to parishes, e.g. Lighthouse Catholic Media; the combination of business and personal apostolate, etc...