Host Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn reflect on William Butler Yeats’ poem "The Second Coming" and what a waning Christian influence means for Western civilization. They connect Yeats’ warning to recent social unrest, cultural polarization, and the erosion of civility seen during the Christmas season. The episode explores the need for a countercultural return to Christian values, practical ways to restore goodwill and community, and a reminder to keep hope alive as the new year begins.

Deacon Al Lundy reflects on this weekend’s readings (Isaiah, Acts, and Luke) and explains why Jesus—though sinless—was baptized, how baptism prepares us for a life with Christ, and how the Trinity is revealed at the Jordan. He shares personal stories from parish life (a 99‑year‑old’s funeral and longtime friends), news about parish dalmatics and Curcio retreats, and an invitation to consider baptism, OCIA, and living out the graces of baptism in daily life. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

On this episode of Catholic Conversations host David Liptak speaks with Mike Bull and illustrator Nancy Johnson about The First Night of Christmas — a child-centered retelling of Christ’s birth born from family loss, self-publishing challenges, and a mission to give back to anti-trafficking charities.Later, author Stephen Thomas discusses his novel Catholic Joe, the role of suffering and adoration in spiritual growth, and the call for Catholic men to lead by faith and compassion. The show highlights storytelling, community outreach, and living faith in daily life.

Deacon Al Lundy welcomes listeners to an Advent-themed episode filled with personal Christmas memories, light-hearted anecdotes about decorations (and a mischievous cat), and a preview of upcoming nativity stories. He reflects on Gaudete Sunday and explains the readings from Isaiah, James, and Matthew — highlighting the signs of the Messiah, John the Baptist’s questions, and Jesus’ reassurance that God comes in love and salvation. The episode closes with a call to prepare our inner “stable” for Christ’s coming and an invitation for listeners to submit faith questions to the show. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

On Catholic Conversations host Stan Ketcik speaks with Dr. Peter Howard about his open letter and campaign to advance Venerable Fulton Sheen’s beatification and canonization. They discuss the approved miracle, the unexpected diocesan delays, and why Sheen’s preaching and daily holy hour are urgently relevant today. The episode explains how listeners can help—prayer, contacting the Diocese of Peoria, sharing resources—and points to FultonSheenInstitute.com and FultonSheenMovement.com for more information, recordings, and ways to get involved.      

Deacon Al Lundy shares the recent loss of his mother-in-law and how her peaceful, faith-filled passing highlighted the Catholic focus on resurrection, hope, and the dignity of dying. He ties this personal story to the second Sunday of Advent readings (Isaiah, Romans, Matthew), calling listeners to repentance, unity, and bearing good spiritual fruit as they prepare for Christ and make use of the sacraments. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org    

Deacon Al reflects on Thanksgiving, family traditions, and the start of Advent, urging listeners to prepare both their homes and hearts for Christ’s coming through worship, repentance, and hope. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Deacon Al reflects on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King through this weekend’s readings from Samuel, Colossians, and Luke, and explains what it means to live under Christ’s rule. He shares personal moments — a silent retreat, assisting at Cursillo, turning 70, and the funeral of Monsignor Doug Hennessy — drawing connections between grief, joy, and faith. The episode closes with the gospel scene of the crucifixion and the good thief’s plea, offering a hopeful reminder to place Christ at the center of our lives. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Bob Johnston and Lynn examine the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes, Bernadette’s testimony, the Church’s investigations of miraculous cures, and the ongoing devotion at the grotto. The episode then explores speculative links between modern physics—particularly M‑theory and hidden dimensions—and reports of near‑death, out‑of‑body experiences to consider scientific frameworks that might help explain apparitions and miracles.

Bob Johnston reads Justin Lee’s "The Death of Halloween" and explores Halloween’s origins in All Saints and All Souls, its links to Samhain, and how commercialization and social change drained the festival of its play, meaning, and communal purpose. The episode calls Christians to recover a spirit of reverent play and communal memory—reminding listeners why Hallowtide once united the living and the dead and how that sacramental imagination might be restored.

Deacon Al explains how faith requires both God’s grace and our cooperation, using vacation-planning analogies and the readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Exodus, 2 Timothy, Luke) to emphasize persistence. Hear practical encouragement to persevere in prayer, practice obedience, love your neighbor, and make daily choices that prepare you for a deeper relationship with Christ. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Bob Johnston and Lynn explore scientific and spiritual perspectives on consciousness, from microtubule and quantum theories to organ-transplant cases, asking whether consciousness is produced by the brain or received from the universe and how this connects to Catholic faith. They discuss research findings, personal stories, and the implications for identity, the afterlife, and the presence of good and evil in a mysterious, intelligent universe.

Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn discuss recent mass shootings, including the attack at a Catholic parish school, and examine cultural factors the episode links to rising violence—abortion, sexualized youth programming, and debates over gender identity. The episode explores the idea of spiritual evil influencing society, calls listeners to rely on the sacraments (especially the Eucharist), prayer, and St. Michael’s intercession, and asks for support for Catholic Spirit Radio.  

Deacon Al Lundy reflects on faith and preparation this fall — from gardening as a spiritual metaphor to reminders about confession and Advent, plus a station Fall Appeal announcement. He answers a listener’s question about receiving Communion in the hand versus the mouth, explains the Church’s practice and canon law, and walks through the weekend readings that emphasize gratitude and God’s healing. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Dr. David Anders shares his journey from evangelical Protestant scholar to Catholic convert and EWTN host, explaining how study, Scripture, and encounters with Catholic media led him to the Church. He reflects on the role of Catholic radio in evangelization, the need to support local stations, and how media reaches listeners who wouldn’t otherwise seek out the faith. Anders also discusses his work on Called to Communion, his book about marriage and faith, and his hope that listeners will grow in gratitude, charity, and daily cooperation with God’s grace.  

Bob Johnston (with his wife Lynn) returns to Being Catholic on Catholic Spirit Radio to examine modern secular utopias—how Marxism and wokeism fell short and how a new "geneticism" promises a technological utopia. Drawing on articles from First Things, the episode critiques IVF-based eugenics, embryo selection services like Orchid, and the social pressures that can turn private choice into public expectation. The show also explores emerging bioethical dangers such as "bodyoids" and the erosion of a clear definition of death, warning against treating human life as a disposable resource. Throughout, the hosts frame these concerns from a Catholic perspective, emphasizing human dignity, the reality of suffering, and the limits of human attempts to remake creation.

Deacon Al Lundy uses stories about family, vacations, and planning to explore different ways people live their faith. Drawing on the readings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Habakkuk, 2 Timothy, Luke), he highlights patience, perseverance, and the courage the Holy Spirit gives believers. He challenges listeners to grow their "mustard-seed" faith, make room for prayer and worship in whatever way works for them, and serve with humility while trusting God’s timing and judgment. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

On this episode of Catholic Conversations, hosts Paul Garcia and Will Tatro speak with Kathy Fulton and several pilgrims who traveled to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament and EWTN in Alabama. Guests describe the shrine's golden beauty, cloistered nuns, times of adoration and Mass, behind-the-scenes visits to EWTN, and personal stories of prayer, healing, and renewed faith. Listeners will hear reflections on Mother Angelica’s legacy, the power of pilgrimage to deepen Eucharistic devotion, and encouragement to consider making a pilgrimage of their own. https://www.olamshrine.com/

Paul Garcia and co-host Will Tetreault interview David John, founder of iCatholic Mobile, about a Catholic-focused phone service that donates profits to ministries, supports priests, and offers parental controls and a purity browser. The conversation covers smartphone addiction, protecting children online, the role of Catholic media in evangelization, and how families can set boundaries to keep faith central in a digital age. https://www.icatholicmobile.com/

Deacon Al opens the show with reflections on online misinformation and the importance of sincere questions about faith, then examines the readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time. He walks through Amos and 1 Timothy and focuses on Luke's parable of the rich man and Lazarus, urging listeners to truly listen to God, care for the poor, and practice faithful stewardship of their resources. The episode encourages mercy for those who suffer, hope for the needy, and a challenge to respond to God's call with love and action. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org