Swimming Upstream

In the 100th episode of this podcast, I make a special announcement, plus I also share a talk I recently gave on the Four Last Things.

I recently gave a talk to a women's group on the topic of "Sanctification Through Work." We spend most of our lives working, whether it's paid or not, and so we need to make sure work draws us closer to—rather than farther away from—God. I'm sharing the recording of the talk on this episode of Swimming Upstream.

I recently taught a class for my parish and the topic was marriage. I covered a number of areas related to the sacrament, but in particular I focused on the three purposes of marriage, and their corresponding importance. Topics covered: Origin of marriage Marriage defined Purpose of marriage Essential elements of marriage Christ elevates marriage […]

There’s a lot of in-fighting in the Catholic world, among traditional Catholics, among conservative Catholics, and particularly between traditional and conservative Catholics. In this episode, I go full Rodney King and ask, “Can we all just get along?” Topics covered: A desire to “Unite the Clans” “He that is not against us is for us.” […]

In today's Church, there are many different kinds of Catholics, with three main categories: liberal, conservative, and traditional. I take a look at these labels and what they mean in this episode of "Swimming Upstream".

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have left the public spotlight since their highs in late 2017. What is going on in the cryptocurrency industry these days? Is the promise of blockchain technology still possible? Or was it all hype?

With Lent approaching, it's time to re-look at a traditional Christian practice that has been sadly forgotten: fasting.

An examination of the Church and its role in salvation.

This week it was announced that the Vatican approved a 2nd miracle attributed to Bl. John Henry Newman, which clears the way for him to be canonized a Saint of the Catholic Church. I have a devotion to this great man, and so I use this announcement as an opportunity to talk about his life […]

I've finally said "enough is enough" and won't be giving to my diocese's annual appeal this year.

Shows like Doctor Who and Star Trek have made time travel a staple of science fiction. And we all dream about time travel as well: can I go back and pick the winning lottery numbers? Can I go forward to see how my life turns out? But is time travel even possible, not just scientifically, but philosophically?

In this episode, I present a lecture I recently gave at my parish on the creation and origin of man. It's obviously a controversial subject, and I tried to present what the Church allows and doesn't allow to be believed, while focusing on how to interpret the Biblical account from Genesis 1.

The Government Shutdown continues, which means that all "non-essential" personnel are currently furloughed. But this raises the question: what functions of government are essential? In this episode, I take a closer look at anarcho-capitalism, which would answer: no government functions are essential.

Today is the March for Life and next week is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Although legalized abortion has been a tragedy beyond comprehension, God has brought good out of the pro-life movement, including my conversion to Catholicism.

This week two institutions I admire—Opus Dei and the Franciscan University of Steubenville—were hit with separate scandals. This has led me to think about how we typically react to scandal and what our proper reaction should be.

Helping the poor has in modern times become a "liberal" issue. But if you are a Christian, no matter your political leanings, you are obligated to help the poor. But what are the best ways to do that?

t's the end of the year, which means it's time for New Year's Resolutions. In this episode, I discuss my own resolution to live a simpler 2019, which is something Pope Francis also called for in his recent Christmas Eve homily.

In a recent interview, Ben Shapiro asked Bishop Robert Barron, "I’m a Jew. I follow the Law. Can I go to Heaven?" Bishop Barron's response has led to a vigorous debate as to what is necessary for salvation. I tackle this issue in this episode, outlining my main practical and theological criticisms of Bishop Barron's answer. 

Today we face massive gender confusion in our culture. Men and women are said to be the exact same, and men can claim to be women, and women can claim to be men. I would argue that one of the best ways to combat this confusion can be found in how we celebrate the Mass.

Recently my pastor asked me to sub for him in our adult catechism class at our parish. The topic to be covered was "faith." I decided to use the class to distinguish between the five different meanings of the word "faith".