Episodes

  • Meet Saintifi: The Catholic Digital Book App

    Meet Saintifi: The Catholic Digital Book App
    Feb 18 2026
    Guest: Charlie McKinney, Publisher of Sophia Institute Press

    More and more people are listening to audiobooks or ebooks. Recent studies report up to 50% of millennials read an ebook last year compared with 15% who read a physical book. Capitalizing on this growing trend, Sophia Institute Press has entered the digital book market with their new app, Saintifi. The app has quickly gained notoriety because of the low cost and vast selection, with over 250 audiobooks and 350 ebooks. Every new book published by Sophia will be duplicated on Saintifi, adding as many as 10 new, current titles to the library each month. Included are popular Catholic authors like Scott Hahn, Dan Burke, Fr. Spitzer, and Fr. Mike Schmitz. Sophia is also creating a digital library of classic books which were out of print and out of reach for most people.
    Saintifi has a plethora of offerings, including popular Catholic podcasts and books on topics such as spiritual warfare and self-help, church history, marriage and family life, and much more. Whereas apps like Audible charge for every book you want to read, Saintifi seeks to make good, curated Catholic material available for the incredible price of just $9.99 per month. Imagine….unlimited Catholic audiobooks for one low price!
    Guest biography: Charlie McKinney is the Publisher of Sophia Institute Press and President of Sophia Institute for Teachers, CatholicExchange.com, and CrisisMagazine.com. A proven innovator and business talent, Charlie has worked in politics and academia and appeared on numerous Catholic radio and television programs. Charlie and his wife, Carolyn, converted to Catholicism in 2008. They have five children and live in New Hampshire.
    Resources:Saintifi website
    Sophia Institute Press websiteSophia Institute for Teachers websiteCatholic Exchange websiteCrisis Magazine website
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    55 mins
  • Being a Digital Missionary

    Being a Digital Missionary
    Feb 11 2026
    Guest: Bobby Fredericksen, digital missionary, podcaster, author

    In our modern culture, "influencers" on social media are becoming more and more prevalent, even in the area of faith. But are they making the right impact? Bobby Fredericksen's article titled "Influencers vs. Saints: Why Teaching the Faith Requires Character, Formation, and Maturity" addresses how we're seeing a negative side of this digital age: influence without formation. Bobby shares how, when he first became Catholic, he was zealous but not formed or mature enough. He also didn't have the life experiences he's gained over the past 16 years since converting, experiences that have put him in a unique position to help other people like himself who are unchurched or far away from the Church or think the Church isn't for them. He says, "I was rescued; rescued people rescue people."

    Bobby prefers the term "digital missionary" over "influencer" because that's how he sees his mission: committed to making disciples rather than having the goal of just becoming popular or going viral. He makes sure he stays grounded through things like active involvement in his parish, daily Mass, regular recitation of the rosary, and going to the Lord first in prayer before every post to ensure it's the Holy Spirit working through him.

    Guest biography: Bobby Fredericksen experienced a miraculous conversion over 15 years ago after attending a midnight Mass—an encounter that forever changed his life. Bobby co-hosts The Catholic Couple Podcast and the Purposely Catholic Podcast. Bobby is happily married for 15 years and father to two great kids. He also leads a men’s group, bible study, and a connect group. His mission is to inspire others through his down-to-earth approach to Catholic living and normalizing Catholicism.

    Resources:
    Bobby's article on Catholic Exchange: "Influencers vs. Saints: Why Teaching the Faith Requires Character, Formation, and Maturity"
    PurposelyCatholic.com - where you can find Bobby's articles, podcasts, blog, and more
    Great Catholics who have influenced Bobby: Archbishop Fulton Sheen and especially his book, Life of Christ.
    Dr. Peter Kreeft and especially his book, Jesus-Shock. C.S. Lewis, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. John of the Cross
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    55 mins
  • The Desert Walk

    The Desert Walk
    Feb 4 2026
    Guest: Leslie Albizzatti, wife, mom, ministry leader, and author

    Most of us walk right up to Ash Wednesday without any idea of the transformative power hidden in the 40 days of Lent.

    As a young mother, Leslie Albizzatti began to understand her responsibility to pass her faith to her children, just as her mother and grandmother had for her. Familiar with the typical Catholic pattern of reciting prayers written by others, she was intrigued when she met a woman who wrote down what she felt God was teaching her. Called journaling, this method of prayer became Leslie’s preferred pattern and a conduit to a deeper understanding of God’s love for her. However, she realizes prayer can take many forms, including silence or walking in nature. There is no best way to pray; just a desire to develop a personal love language with God. Everyone’s path is unique.

    Leslie has collaborated with Ligouri on a series of books called The Sacred Pathways. In The Desert Walk: A Journey Through Lent with Jesus, she lays out forty different themes with quotes and Scripture to help readers reflect. Written as a devotional, this book can lead you into a much deeper relationship with God.

    Guest biography: Leslie Albizzatti is a Catholic Christian author and ministry leader based in Atlanta. A wife and mom, she writes from a life shaped by prayer, Scripture, motherhood, and healing ministry to help others encounter God's presence daily. Leslie has her B.A. from Sweet Briar College and her MBA in International Business from the University of Miami. Leslie is also a board member of The Barnabas Initiative which seeks to introduce and support evangelistic and discipleship initiatives in the Atlanta area. She has an ardent heart for women's ministry, inner healing, and prayer groups. She shares weekly faith-based reflections and a monthly devotional newsletter at lesliealbizzatti.com. Leslie is blessed with a loving husband and three wonderful adult children.

    Resources:
    Leslie Albizzatti's website, where you can find her book and blog
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    55 mins
  • Where Have All The Fables Gone?

    Where Have All The Fables Gone?
    Jan 28 2026
    Guest: Sylvia Dorham, wife, mother, and author

    Stories teaching virtue and vice were foundational to most American children fifty years ago. Every family knew what you meant when you referenced “The boy who cried wolf” or “The tortoise and the hare.” They were called “fables.” Realizing these beautifully-teachable stories were being lost to current generations, Sylvia Dorham set out to recapture the wonder and awe our youngsters experience through creative storytelling that expresses a concrete truth.

    Using rhyme and rhythm to help children remember, Sylvia shares lessons learned by a group of fictionalized monks in a monastery. Certain tenants of Christianity we should transmit to our children, such as “God will provide” became the book, The Monks' Daily Bread. The Monks' Stormy Night helps youngsters understand God will not abandon them. The Monks Stand Guard introduces taking your thoughts captive; how many adults allow our thoughts to carry us down negative paths before we even realize it?

    The ubiquitous cell phone has been cleverly designed to entice idle minds, offering customized options based on our scrolling habits. These habits can become addictive. The early years are such a critical time of learning, and The Monk series will help guide children’s minds down healthier paths.

    Guest biography: Sylvia Dorham grew up Protestant and, while attending the Naval Academy, heard an upper-classman was becoming Catholic and set about to convert him. She was convinced his journey into the Catholic Church destined him to Hell. This man became her husband, and their story is one of beautiful submission through compromise and listening to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. As the parents of 10 children, both adoptive and natural, and three grandchildren, their journey through different duty stations around the world brought them to the Melkite Catholic Church. Sylvia’s husband, Elias, is now a Melkite Catholic priest and pastor of St. John Chrysostom Melkite Church in Atlanta.

    Resources:
    Sylvia Dorham’s books published by TAN Books
    Information about the Melkite Catholic Church
    St. John Chrysostom Melkite Catholic Church in Atlanta
    The Family Room "Forgivness in Marriage" episode with Fr. Elias Dorham
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    55 mins
  • Drama-Free Discipline

    Drama-Free Discipline
    Jan 21 2026
    Guest: Dr. Ray Guarendi, clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and national radio/television host

    It was a plea for parenting help from a colleague which took Dr. Ray Guarendi’s career down a trajectory that has become his trademark: common-sense wisdom combined with self-deprecating humor. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Ray has written more than 20 books that give practical, no-nonsense guidance that helps people cut through the confusion of daily life.

    His book, Drama-Free Discipline: Dr. Ray Coaches You to Parenting Success, lays out eighteen of the most common problems parents face with children between the ages of 2 and 18. As the father of 10 adopted children and with decades of hands-on clinical experience, Dr. Ray created humorous, believable scripts for each scenario, giving parents concrete examples of typical dialogue and ways to navigate these conversations down healthy paths. Understanding that each parent has different tolerance levels for specific behaviors, Dr. Ray gives parents techniques that complement one another rather than add to the chaos. No psychobabble. No gimmicks. Just clear communication.

    This book teaches parents how to diffuse sibling rivalries and settle incessant bickering, use “blackout” discipline to calmly establish authority, and build bedtime routines that actually bring peace. Parents learn to claim their rightful roles as calm, confident leaders in the home.

    Guest Biography: Dr. Ray's radio show, “The Doctor Is In,” can be heard on over 500 stations and SiriusXM® channel 130. His EWTN television series, “Living Right With Dr. Ray,” is in its 14th season and airs in 140 countries. Dr. Ray has given over 3,000 talks on various topics including parenting, marriage, family, and the Catholic faith. He captivates audiences with his compelling humor-laced presentations providing practical advice and proven techniques.

    Resources:
    Dr. Ray's website
    Dr. Ray's podcast episodes of The Doctor is In
    Books by Dr. Ray
    EWTN television series, Living Right With Dr. Ray
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    55 mins
  • Holistic Wellness Through a Catholic Lens

    Holistic Wellness Through a Catholic Lens
    Jan 14 2026
    Guest: Samantha Worthing, wife, mom, author, and nutritional therapist

    Pope St. John Paul II described the unique spiritual, emotional, and intellectual strengths inherent in women as the “feminine genius.” It is their innate desire to bring the world and the family together which drew Samantha Worthing and her co-authors into a collaboration to create an authentic integration of wellness and faith in our fast-paced world. They realized that as we journey through nature’s cycles, our human spirits yearn for the simplified life, nourishing the body and tending to the soul. The Ember Journal, a beloved seasonal print magazine for women which provides holistic wellness through a Catholic lens, became the springboard for their book, Feast Faith Flourish: Holistic Wellness in Light of Eternity.

    From the desire to integrate the cyclical nature of the Church and the liturgical seasons, Samantha calls Feast, Faith and Flourish a “retreat in print” composed of carefully selected reflections from nearly four years’ worth of favorite entries in The Ember Journal. In these exquisite pages, you will enjoy delicious recipes made with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients. Be uplifted by beautiful, full-color photos, original meditations on the great celebrations of the year, explorations on the mysteries of the Rosary, and inspiring quotes from the saints.

    Guest biography: Samantha Worthing is a wife and mom of three young children, nutritional therapy practitioner, photographer, plant lady, and lover of all things wild and free. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with a city yard packed full of every kind of flower and growing thing she can get her hands on.

    Resources:
    Feast, Faith, Flourish: Holistic Wellness in Light of Eternity, published by Sophia Institute Press
    The Ember Collective website
    The Ember Journal subscription
    The Ember App
    The Ember Collective Blog
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    55 mins
  • Should We Adopt Frozen Embryos?

    Should We Adopt Frozen Embryos?
    Jan 7 2026
    Guest: Matthew McKenna, PhD candidate in theology

    The Catholic Church has always taught the dignity of a person must be recognized from the moment of conception through natural death. However, new biomedical technologies have been introduced in the critical area of human life, introducing ethical issues that aren’t easily settled. In particular, the advent of in-vitro fertilization, or IVF, has not only given infertile couples the ability to have a child, but in that process has also spawned the creation of millions of fertilized eggs, or preborn humans, which are kept in a frozen state indefinitely. What happens to these nascent children?

    As Christians, what are we supposed to do about frozen embryos brought into existence as a result of IVF? Are we called to adopt and raise these children of God, or would that necessitate further evil? In his article titled, "Even if Embryo Adoption is Moral, You Shouldn’t Do It," PhD candidate Matthew McKenna offers moral clarity to this critical dilemma. Listen as Matthew discusses the angst brought on by technology which appears to be compassionate, but focuses on the end goal of a live child without fully comprehending the ethics of destroying or discarding preborn children in the process.

    Guest biography: Matthew McKenna is a cradle Catholic who attended Catholic schools all his life, but credits a supernatural encounter on a college retreat with helping him abruptly change focus. As the top graduate in business school, he left it all behind when he distinctly heard God tell him to pursue theology. Today Matthew McKenna is a PhD candidate in theology at Ave Maria University. He studies and teaches on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, G.K. Chesterton, and J.R.R. Tolkien. His dissertation-in-progress explains the link between the masculine genius and the priesthood.

    Resources:
    Article “Even if Embryo Adoption is Moral, You Shouldn’t Do It”
    Catholic Exchange website
    “Instruction Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Questions” from Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
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    55 mins
  • Everyday Evangelization

    Everyday Evangelization
    Dec 31 2025
    Guest: Susan Milani, parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, Georgia

    Raised in a very Jewish home in Charleston, South Carolina, Susan is the only child of immigrant parents, a Polish Jewish survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and a German Jewish escapee from East Germany. Through beautiful experiences and people Susan encountered from a young age, God wooed her into the Catholic Church. Susan lives her faith out loud in practical and winsome ways that draws others to Jesus and the Catholic Church. Her witness encourages us to step into opportunities to evangelize in our everyday lives.

    Susan and her husband, Bob, are parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, GA ,and own the Lazy Labrador Coffee House in downtown Kennesaw where they offer God’s love to all who enter.

    Resources:
    Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
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    55 mins