Respect Life Radio

Dr. Ray Guarendi: On what it takes to be married and raise "upright kids"

The decline of marriage among the younger generation is a "natural byproduct of a culture that says let's put God on the shelf, let's remake Him in our image, if we allow Him to come around," said Dr. Ray Guarendi, "a Catholic father of ten adopted children, a clinical psychologist, author, professional speaker, and national radio and television host," as described on his website, drray.com. He is the author of many books, including the recently published, "Raising Upright Kids in an Upside-Down World: Defying the Anti-Parent Culture."

As a parent, "you do need to be fearless, you cannot parent in anxiety," said Guarendi. "You can't do it. You won't be able to make the decisions you need to make because you'll be attacked, assaulted, critiqued as a Neanderthal throwback, out of touch, your kids are going to get resentful, they're going to rebel, they're going to hate you, etc."

Fr. Robert Sirico: Making public policy decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The Acton Institute is "focused on the intersection of morality, theology, economics, human freedom. It's really the question of the relationship between liberty and the truth of who human beings are," said Fr. Robert A. Sirico, president of the Acton Institute, based in Grand Rapids, Mich. "The organization itself isn't a Catholic organization, as such, it's an ecumenical effort to understand moral responsibility in the market economy."

Fr. Sirico discusses how considerations of science and public health, the market economy, and faith intersect in the approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charles D. Fraune on "Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know"

Exorcists all over the world are seeing "the same thing. Demons are acting the same way, people are getting into trouble in the same way. And people are being healed, and being pulled out of possession and obsession and oppression, in the same way," said Charles D. Fraune, author of Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know. "We should not fear the devil at all. Actually, if we do fear the devil, he's winning..."

For more about Fraune and his book, go to TheSlayingDragonsBook.com.

 

 

Debbie Perry-Smith: Combatting sex trafficking in Colorado

"A call came to me from the Lord to step into this," said Debbie Perry-Smith of S.A.F.E. Rockies, the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation, which works with organizations combatting human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the Rocky Mountain region. "We actually have more illicit massage parlors in the state than we do Starbucks."

Kevin Knight: Subjecting everything, including the news, to Jesus Christ

"I've put together a personal feed of about 500 blogs and wire services," said Kevin Knight, editor, webmaster and founder of NewAdvent.org, a must-read website that presents Catholic news and commentary worldwide, as well as hosting The Catholic Encyclopedia and historic Church content. "I rely a lot on submissions by readers, as well. Some people really have a good eye for what's out there. I like to find quirky stories, too. It's fun to do that because, really, it's bringing all of this in, seeing it with the eyes of Christ and subjecting everything to Christ. That's the idea, and to have fun while doing it."

Fr. Donald Calloway: Now is the time for consecration to St. Joseph

In these crazy times, "We could really use a model of a man, and a head of a family, and a protector of the good, the true and the beautiful. So I thought 'St. Joseph is perfect,'" said Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, author of "Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father." "So that's the intention behind it, to bring some clarity to the confusion of our times."

The book, available in print or e-book download, guides readers — either as individuals or in a group — through a 33-day consecration to St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and earthly father to Our Savior Jesus Christ.

The phrase, "Now is the time for consecration to St. Joseph!" is from an endorsement of the book from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers.

Calloway's conversion story, "No Turning Back," (available as a book, CD or DVD) describes his journey from "drugs, crime, and the Japanese Mafia, to the mercy of God" and his ordination as a Catholic priest in 2003.

Joe Condit: Redeploying the Catholic Speakers Organization in wake of COVID-19

"We started a series of conversations, which will be online, with our speakers" on InspireWord.com, said Joe Condit, whose Catholic Speakers Organization represent 400 Catholic speakers and others. "We are going to bring you into the living room," via social media platforms, of speakers offering "words of inspiration during these hard times, these challenging times, where folks' lives have been turned upside down due to this coronavirus."

 

 

Fr. Ed Broom: How to resist the attacks of the devil

St. Ignatius of Loyola presents our spiritual life as a "combat zone. We are in constant battle between the devil, the flesh and the world," said Fr. Ed Broom, OMV, the author of a recent article on Catholic Exchange, titled "Five Ways to Resist the Devil's Attacks."

 

Rusty Reno: Should Catholic politicians act on what the Church teaches?

"A lot of what the Church teaches about public affairs is really the common stock of Christian wisdom, so the sanctity of life is something that obviously we share with Evangelicals and thoughtful Christians of all stripes," said Rusty Reno, editor of First Things. "Catholicism, at least in the modern era, has really been characterized by — in this sense it shares with Judaism — a very strong concern about the common good. That's a distinctive mark of a Catholic political outlook."

Deacon Geoff Bennett, host of Respect Life Radio, asked Reno, "So are practicing Catholics who are running for office, or are already elected to office, are they obliged to believe everything the Church teaches on faith and morals?"

Listen to Reno's answer and the rest of the interview on Respect Life Radio.

Fr. Gallagher: Overcoming spiritual discouragement in a time of pandemic

Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, "there's a certain sense of just human helplessness" and also "anxiety, how long is this going to last, where is it going to go, will it affect anyone close to me? Those are just very natural reactions and they're very clearly in the air," said Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V, author of Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement: The Wisdom and Spiritual Power of Venerable Bruno Lanteri, and many other books.