Swimming Upstream

Recently, the USCCB released a statement regarding the possible repeal and replacement of Obamacare. It reminded me, once again, that most Catholic bishops don’t understand economics and should refrain from speaking about topic. Resources: USCCB Letter To Senate Regarding Affordable Care Act The Church and the Market: A Catholic Defense of the Free Economy by Thomas […]

Last night I went to a Cincinnati Reds game, and in this podcast I’m going to talk about my lifetime love of the Reds. Resources: Cincinnati Reds Official Page Redleg Nation

Last week Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI made some controversial remarks, noting that the “Lord does not abandon His Church, even if the boat has taken on so much water as to be on the verge of capsizing.” Is the Church about to capsize? If so, what can we do about it? Resources: Pope Benedict’s Message […]

During this week’s All-Star festivities, there was a lot of talk asking “Who is the ‘Face of the Game?'” The media wanted to anoint Aaron Judge, but I argue that there is no “Face of the Game,” and that’s okay. Resources: All-Star Game: Yankees’ Aaron Judge could be the next face of baseball Aaron Judge […]

I recently published my first work of fiction, a short story titled “The Profession.” It was a fascinating and fun process to write, and so I thought I discuss what I learned in the process, as well as how it compares and contrasts to writing non-fiction. Resources: Free Download of The Profession Kindle version of […]

The Charlie Gard case has provoked global controversy, with even Pope Francis and Donald Trump getting involved. I’ll be discussing this tragic situation particularly in how it relates to parental rights. Resources: What to Know About Charlie Gard, the Terminally Ill Baby Trump Wants to Help The Vatican’s Statement On UK Baby Condemned To Die […]

What does it mean to be a Catholic patriot? What are the obligations of a Catholic towards his or her country? Are there limitations to our patriotism? If so, what are they? In honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, I’ll be discussing these topics in this podcast. Resources: Patriotism by Fulton Sheen Pious […]

Bitcoin might be the first – and biggest – cryptocurrency, but it isn’t the only one. Other cryptocurrencies are trying to fulfill Bitcoin’s original vision better than Bitcoin itself. Today I’m going to discuss one of those alternative cryptocurrencies: Dash. Resources: Dash Website Fulfilling Satoshi’s Vision An Honest Assessment of Dash, Today’s Hottest Cryptocurrency  

How was the New Testament formed? Who decided which books were inspired, and which books were not? What criteria did they use? I’ll be discussing these questions in today’s podcast. Resources: The Formation of the New Testament Canon The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance The Canon of the New Testament […]

In Part 2 of this two-part series, I look at the similarities and differences between Catholicism and Islam. I also discuss the question: “What should be the Catholic response to Islam?” (Hint: see Matthew 28:19-20.) Resources: Catholicism and Islam, Part 1 (The first podcast of this series) Should Catholics Fear Islam? (An article I discuss […]

With the rise of radical Islamic terrorism, everyone’s talking about Islam. Among Catholics exists a wide variety of opinion regarding Islam: from complete acceptance and tolerance to declaring it diabolical. How should a Catholic view Islam and interact with Muslims? This is such a broad topic that I’m taking two episodes to discuss it. Part […]

I recently went on a road trip with my son and daughter to some different MLB ballparks, and so I thought I’d compare the ballparks I’ve visited over the years: the good (Progressive Field, Camden Yards), the bad (Tropicana Field, RFK Stadium), and the boring (Riverfront, Three Rivers).  

Millions of people have left the Catholic Church in the past few decades. Why? We all have our guesses, but in this episode I look at some of the actual numbers to see what reasons former Catholics give for leaving the Church. I also give some suggestions on how to bring them back. Resources: Infographic: […]

What is the Bitcoin Blocksize Debate and why should you care? In this episode, I discuss the civil war going on in the Bitcoin community, and how it might impact the future of Bitcoin and all cryptocurrencies. Resources: Fulfilling Satoshi’s Vision Bitcoin is Sick. Will it Heal, Be Amputated, or Die? Is your Cryptocurrency Handicapped? […]

What is the relationship between the liturgy and evangelization? How does an impoverished liturgy harm evangelization efforts? How does a beautiful liturgy help evangelize? I’ll be discussing this in today’s episode: “Mass Evangelization”. Resources: My article on the purpose of the Mass: Making Mass “Relevant” is Irrelevant to Evangelization My article on how the Mass […]

Top 10 List! I reveal my 10 favorite active baseball players in the game today. I’ll give you a hint: neither Brandon Phillips nor any Yankee or Cardinal make the list. Resources: Original Article: My 10 Favorite Active Baseball Players My predictions for the 2017 season: 2017 Baseball Predictions  

Everybody is talking about the "New Evangelization," but I want to talk about the "Old Evangelization." What is it? How is it different from the New Evangelization?

A short explanation of Bitcoin, how it works, and how it differs from government-backed currencies like the U.S. Dollar.

I discuss seven myths that surround Catholic evangelization. Resources: Original Article for Catholic Answers: Seven Myths of Catholic Evangelization My book on evangelization: The Old Evangelization: How to Spread the Faith Like Jesus Did    

An introduction to this podcast and to the host, Eric Sammons.