Ignatius Press Podcast

Today, many Catholics feel a sense of urgency or even dread as they look upon the dark forces and ideologies that besiege the world, the Church, and the truth. Some people may even ask, “What can I do in the face of these forces and against so many injustices?” In their recent work, Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights, Matthew Daniels and Roxanne King provide many heroic examples of everyday Catholics who stood as lights for the rights and dignity of others. This book provides sixteen short but thorough biographies of Catholics whose faith inspired and motivated others to work for social justice and the salvation of all people.

In this episode, Matthew Daniels and Andrew Petiprin discuss how Catholics like Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, Venerable Father Agustus Tolton, Sr. Thea Bowman, and Diane Nash can serve as role models for Catholics today. While many of these Catholic heroes may be unfamiliar to many, their work is nonetheless crucial and the impact of their work and faith is beyond measure.

Find Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights at Ignatius.com.

In our busy schedules, it is often hard to find time to read a good book, and sometimes it is even harder to know which book to read. In his new book Classic Literature Made Simple, Joseph Pearce makes this decision easier by outlining fifty great works of literature that every person should read. Beginning in the ancient world and progressing all the way up to the present, Joseph provides a trusted list of books that are not only good aesthetically, but also morally.

In this episode, Joseph talks with the host Andrew Petiprin about his reasoning behind his choices and even admits why certain works were excluded.

Find Classical Literature Made Simple: Fifty Great Books in a Nutshell at Ignatius.com.

Author Kevin Wells felt like his marriage—his whole life, even—was falling apart. His wife, Krista, was mired in an addiction to alcohol that cut her off from God, family, and friends, and Kevin felt helpless and alone. When, at last, supported by the grace of the sacraments, Krista started to find her way to healing and sobriety, the Covid-19 pandemic plunged the whole world into confusion and isolation.

In his new book, “The Hermit,” Kevin tells the story of a remarkable priest, Fr. Martin Flum, who extended a life-line to Krista and to many others during the dark days of 2020.

In this episode, Kevin speaks with host Andrew Petiprin about the healing he and Krista have found through suffering, about the deep reservoirs of grace to be found in the sacraments, and about the profound witness of Fr. Flum in their family’s dark night of the soul.

Find “The Hermit: The Priest Who Saved a Soul, a Marriage, and a Family” at Ignatius.com.

There are multiple ways in which Abigail Favale’s conversion to Catholicism may be seen as unlikely. First as an ex-Evangelical, then as a feminist academic, Favale had built a worldview—and career—on the rejection of “patriarchy” and on the promotion of progressive causes. How could she enter a Church known for male-only leadership, and for rigorous opposition to contraception and abortion?

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Favale about her conversion—which in many ways began after she had entered the Catholic Church and began to explore its rich teachings and traditions in earnest.

Her conversion memoir, “Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion,” is available now at Ignatius.com, as is her bestselling book “The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory.”

Pope Francis wrote recently about the importance of literature in moral formation. For millennia, humans have used story-telling to communicate religious beliefs and moral values, and to ensure that history and culture remain alive for future generations.

As a teacher in Catholic classical schools, Abigail Palmer has a passion for using stories as vehicles for learning history, language, and the Faith. Her new novel for middle-grade readers, "Faelan and the Miracle Machines," grew out of that passion. It tells the story of a young British slave during the days of the Roman Empire, and is full of adventure and mystery as well as history and culture.

In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Palmer about the book, about the fascinating historical period in which it is set, and about why stories are indispensable for teachers and parents wanting to engage their children’s imaginations as they study a wide range of subjects.

Find "Faelan and the Miracle Machines" at Ignatius.com.