Shows / Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Catholic Stuff You Should Know
A lighthearted exploration of various prominent and obscure Catholic topics.
Episodes
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Missionaries without Boats
In this week's episode, Fr. John and Fr. CJ welcome Andrea Polito - long-time friend (and notable mention) of the podcast. Interviewing her on the topic of her…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Memento Mori
As we approach the end of the liturgical year, All Saints and All Souls days, and the month of November where we intentionally pray for the faithful departed…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Homesick for Heaven
Have you ever heard a song, gazed at a beautiful landscape, or recalled a childhood memory that awakened a deep longing for something you couldn't quite name?…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The 5th Gospel
In this episode, Fr. Jacob and Fr. CJ welcome Fr. Andrew Dalton to the podcast to discuss his work with Othonia spreading the biblical, historical, and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Prison Ministry and Christological Solitude
In this week's episode, Fr. John presents on solitude of Christ by way of his recent ministry hearing confessions in a local prison. With Fr. Sean, they draw…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Best Prayer Ever
Fr. John and Fr. Sean discuss obedience and the freedom that comes from surrendering ourselves to God. Looking at obedience and surrender in the lives of Jesus…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Love Much, Forgive Much
In this episode, Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean explore the themes of forgiveness, mercy, and humility in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:21-35) and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
OCIA
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean walk through the OCIA process and the Church’s wisdom in accompanying people into the Catholic faith. They discuss the different stages…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Hope For Restless Hearts
Fr. Jacob reads Fr. John some excerpts of Pope Leo's reflections on St. Augustine and the two of them riff on the themes and topics of the restless heart…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Worst Prayer Ever
Surgeon General's Warning! Beware of the dangers of the litany of humility! In this week's episode, Fr. John and Fr. Sean break down the structure, intention…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Trust
Fr. Jacob leads Fr. Sean on a reflection of the erosion of trust between people today, and though it seems understandable, Fr. Jacob asks the question, is this…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
A Catholic Stuff Announcement You Should Know
Almost as exciting as Fr. Jacob's attempt at blond hair which turned out leprechaun orange, Fr. Jacob welcomes guest host Fr. CJ Mast for a Catholic Stuff You…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Loss, Grief, Hope and Joy
Fr. Jacob, Fr. John, and Fr. Sean gather while they are at summer conference and they share stories in memory of the life and death of both Fr. Jacob's mother…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Patron Saints
Why does the Church encourage us to have a patron saint? In this episode, Frs. Sean and Jacob explore the meaning of patronage in the communion of saints. The…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
De Sales, de Chantal and the Col de la Croix de Fer
As the final installment of Fr. John's cycling-French saint pairings, this week's podcast explores the charisms of one of the great friendships of Church…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Sacraments, Sacramentals, and Relics
Why does God use material things to communicate His grace? In this week’s episode, Frs. John and Sean explore the Catholic understanding of sacraments…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
St. Margaret Mary and the Alpe d'Huez
As Part two of Fr. John's three-part French cycling-pilgrimage series, this week's episode introduces the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Priest and Beggar
Fr. John and Fr. Sean discuss the life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, an American priest who gave his life to serving the poorest of the poor in Korea…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Curé d'Ars and Col du Galibier
This week's episode begins a three-part series by Fr. John, pairing French saints with famous Tour de France stage climbs. These reflections, born from his…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Threefold Office of Every Christian
In this week’s episode Frs. John and Sean explore the baptismal call to share in Christ’s threefold office as priest, prophet, and king. What do these titles…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
A Family Affair
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean talk about their various experiences with family ministry and emphasize the importance of communities of families living out the…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Life is a Miracle
In this week's episode Frs. John and Sean take up Wendell Berry's Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition. Laying out his critique of Edward O…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Before They Set Something on Fire
This week guest host Fr. CJ Mast takes the lead on discussing the educational ideal of St. John Bosco. Known as the "preventive system," Bosco's approach is…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Spring Cleaning Your Soul
This episode explores the profound importance of confession in the Catholic faith. Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob offer practical guidance on how to make a good…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Clouds, Thrones, and Glory
Fr. Sean and Fr. John unpack the mystery of the Ascension through the lens of Scripture. Far more than Jesus floating into the sky, the Ascension reveals…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Triumph of the Heart
Fr. Jacob and Fr. John welcome a special guest Anthony D'Ambrosio, the director of the film Triumph of the Heart. Between Fr. Jacob and Anthony nerding out…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Dante's Paradiso
Concluding our three-series on Dante, Fr. John and Fr. Jacob walk through the finale of Dante's Divine Comedy, the Paradiso. This "highlights reel" serves as…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Cosmological Evidence for God
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean look at some of the compelling contemporary scientific evidence for the existence of God before discussing St. Thomas' 2nd and 3rd…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Dante's Purgatorio
As the second installation of his three-part series, Fr. John offers an introduction and overview of the second canticle of Dante's Divine Comedy - The…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Keep the Party Going
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. John talk about the hinge pin of the liturgical year, Holy Week, the Triduum and the Easter Octave. Launching from the Easter…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Dante's Inferno
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John do a deep-dive introduction to the first canticle of Dante's Divine Comedy, The Inferno. Following the lecture series of Fr…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Arma Christi
Fathers Sean and Jacob reflect on the Arma Christi, the weapons of Christ, which were used as the instruments of Christ's Passion. In addition, they dive into…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
(Sage) Against the Machine
In this week's episode, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John unpack one of the key features of Paul Kingsnorth's Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Questioning Your Vocation
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean reflect on the questions asked during the rites of marriage and ordination as a means to explore what it is we promise when we…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The "Aesthetics" of Sin
In this week's episode, Frs. Sean and John take a deep dive into two theological topics often untreated (and rarely ever in common) - sin and beauty. The…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Trinitarian Theology of John the Apostle
While searching for his notes, Fr. Jacob quizzes Fr. John on Augustine's Trinitarian Theology, and then he leads us through the writings of St. John the…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Fire and Ice: The Life of Sigrid Undset
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John welcome friend and Sigrid Undset aficionada Danielle Coon to the podcast. Our conversation covers the life of the great…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi
Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob discuss the different prayer postures that happen during the liturgy. Understanding prayer postures will then help us to better…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Authenticity and Resonance
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. John take up the question of what makes a teacher truly excellent in the classroom. Taking up the theme "Authenticity is the…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Given for Others
Fr. Sean and Fr. John talk about how to discern vocation in todays world. They discuss the importance of charisms, discernment, the councils, and more. Tune in…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Priests in Film
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean discuss the representation of priests in film, especially the priests in the new film from Rian Johnson, Wake Up Dead Man. They then…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Pass the Torch
On the heels of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John discuss the symbolism of the Baptismal and Easter Candle and how we pass on faith…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The School I Seek
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John hash through the difficult challenges that face parents in selecting a high school. Distilling down the four basic motives…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
New Year, Same God
As the new year begins, Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob reflect on why most resolutions fail and propose a more Christian approach: ordering our lives around love…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Merry Christmas!
Father Sean, Father John, and Father Jacob wish you all a Merry Christmas and share a few graces from the year. Merry Christmas and thanks for listening to…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
O Antiphons
In the final days of Advent, Fr. Sean and Fr. John talk about the ancient O Antiphons, names for Christ drawn from Isaiah, that express Israel’s longing for a…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Show Don't Tell
Using the film and literature adage of "Show, don't tell," Fr. Jacob leads Fr. Sean down a reflection of Catholic life using the analogies of light and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Illuminate, Part II
As the second installation on Fr. John's new book "Illuminate," Fr. Jacob and Fr. John unpack some of the deeper contours of the opening verses of the Gospel…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
In Hope of Health and Well-Being
Fittingly published on Thanksgiving Day, Fr. Sean and Fr. John delve into the modern culture of health and well-being. Starting from the perspective of the…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Bitcoin and Catholicism
Father Sean and Father Jacob are joined by Wyatt O'Rourke to talk about what the morality of the monetary system and how Bitcoin plays a role in that. They…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
So Is Mary Still The Co-Redemptrix?
Father Jacob and Father John discuss the recent document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding Mary, exploring her roles as Co-Redemptrix…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Illuminate, Part I
Only a few weeks from Advent, Fr. John and Fr. Sean offer an introduction to Fr. John’s latest book, “Illuminate: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Fathering Sons
Fr. John and Fr. Sean welcome their friend and author Dominic Polito for a discussion on his book Fathering Sons. In it they explore the need to rescue and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Self-Determination and Self-Gift
A Day after St. John Paul II's feast day, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John riff on JPII's philosophical ideas of the human person as they try to come to a greater…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Untangling the Five Solas
Fr. Sean and Fr. John unpack the Five Solas of the Reformation — Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria — and explore how…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Can We Still Build Wonders?
After his recent travels with his parents, Fr. Jacob reflects with Fr. Sean about tourism, pilgrimage, art, architecture, and the consumption of past wonders…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
A.I. and the Crisis of Western Education
Fr. John leads Fr. Jacob through part two of his reflections on the rolling effects of the rise of artificial intelligence. They explore contemporary western…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Not Graduation
Fr. Sean and Fr. John do a deep dive into the understanding of the Sacrament of Confirmation. If Confirmation is not a graduation, then how do we properly…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
The Parish - Sojourning Together
Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob answer a couple of questions from a long time listener about how to bring dead parishes back to life. Tune in to hear their thoughts and…
- Catholic Stuff You Should Know
Life as a Creative Act
Fr. Jacob and Fr. John were able to get together in person for a quick episode to celebrate CSYSK’s 700th episode and they are even interrupted with a surprise…