The World Over with Raymond Arroyo page is being updated.

For more information on The World Over, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• etc.

Hosted by the brother-sister team of Franciscan Fr. Albert Haase and Ursuline Sr. Bridget Haase, Spirit and Life examines traditional aspects of Catholic spirituality and how they are lived out and experienced by 21st century Catholics. Adapted from their popular segments on Morning Air, Spirit and Life with Father Albert and Sister Bridget draws the listener in, encouraging them to grow in their Catholic faith with infectious laughter and conversation.

For more information on Spirit and Life, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Facebook

The November Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Msgr. Jeffrey Ingham, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Southern Pines.  

Msgr. Ingham was born in Cleveland, Ohio.  He attended Borromeo Seminary College in Cleveland from 1965 to 1969.  He received a BA in Scholastic Philosophy.  He then attended St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland from 1969 to 1972.  He finished his studies at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas in 1975.

In 1975, he became Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh until 1977.  He then was assigned to be Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick in Fayetteville until 1980. He became Pastor of Sacred Heart, Whiteville in 1980.  From 1983 to 1988 he was Chancellor for the Diocese of Raleigh.  He then was assigned the Pastor to Our Lady of Lourdes in Raleigh until 2000. Msgr. Ingham took a one year Sabbatical in Lynton, England being Chaplain to Poor Clares, a very small parish and mission. Msgr. Ingham came to his current assignment as Pastor at St. Anthony of Padua, Southern Pines in 2001.

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Show Notes

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Southern Pines

The December Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Sharon Legere, a local parishioner, whose life took her on a journey from atheism to Catholicism.

Sharon spoke to us about her many years as an atheist with no interest in any religion until she saw a medal from Medjugorje, heard the story of the six visionaries and believed in the authenticity of the visions. This began a journey which took her from her life in Albany to Emmitsburg, Maryland, and finally to the Wilmington area and to pilgrimages to Medjugorje, Italy, and France.

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For the October Carolina Catholic show, we speak with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge about his first five years as our shepherd in the Diocese of Raleigh.

In this show, we talk to Bishop Burbidge about many topics such as:

• his plans for the new Cathedral Campus Project and Cape Fear High School
• the social issues he and Bishop Jugis have prioritized with their Catholic Voice-NC outreach
• the implementation of the revised Roman missal
• many other items of interest to his sheepfold

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Show Notes

• Diocese of Raleigh
• Bishop's bio
• Cathedral Project
• Catholic Voice NC
• Revised Roman Missal

The September Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Alex Hill, Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Wilmington.

Since January of 2010, Alex Hill has been the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Mark's. Alex, the father of six children, earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and his Masters of Music in Conducting. His musical resume includes 18 years as the Musical Director of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra, as a guest conductor of various orchestras, symphonies, and chorale groups, as a co-founder of a ballet company and a music conservatory, and as a composer of liturgical music.

The show will have Alex's music featured throughout. The show will cover his biography, his conversion story, and his current job as Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Mark's.  That all will lead into talk about the revised Roman Missal, the changing role of the liturgical music, and how Catholics and choirs should be preparing for the changes.

To quote Alex on the importance of liturgy:

I always say "The liturgy made me do it!" Many people believe that "liturgy" is just a formal worship structure, a set of rules or rubrics which are limiting. But like so  many other things in Catholicism, there is a paradox in the idea of limits and freedom. In liturgy, the closer we get to the exactitude of the Church's teaching on liturgy and worship, the more free we become to have a real actual encounter with Christ. When we experiment with the Mass (which is a sacrament), when we apply an "anything goes" philosophy to texts or music or style or structure, we become slaves to popular taste or the whims of pastors or music leaders, or to parishioners who want music which THEY like. This is why following the Church on embarking on this new translation is so important - Christ gave the Church the Holy Spirit to infallibly lead the faithful in true sacramental worship. We must trust this, and discover Christ anew in the Mass every time we attend. Each Mass is the same in many ways, but each Mass is a one-time event - the actual sacrifice of Jesus Christ who offers himself to the Father on our behalf, in our presence and for our benefit. Its pretty amazing when you stop to think about it, and Catholicism demands that we "think about it" much more than we are willing to do sometimes!

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Show Notes

St. Mark's Catholic Church

The August 2011 show is about the  Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church.  We talk with St. Mary’s parishioner, Jan Rack, a convert to Catholicism who has a great love of the Byzantine liturgy.

Within our Church there are seven Canonical rites of equal dignity, descendants of the liturgical practices that originated in centers of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria. One of these rites is the Byzantine rite which is the largest of the Eastern rites. The Byzantine liturgy was developed by St. James but modified by Sts. Basil and John Chrysostom. After the schism between Rome and Constantinople, many churches remained separated from Rome. After these churches returned to the fold, they have generally been treated as separate rites based on their particular location. Churches using the Byzantine liturgy include the Albanian, Belarussian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Greek, Hungarian, Italo-Albanian,  Romanian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian.

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Show Notes

The Rite of Constantinople

The July Carolina Catholic show features Gerard Hall of the Office of Divine Worship for the Diocese of Raleigh. Gerard has spearheaded our diocesan adoption of the revised, or third, edition of the Roman Missal which will take effect on the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, this year.

In this show, we cover the reasons behind the revision, the translation and implementation process, but more importantly, we will learn about what to expect as we begin the new liturgy during Advent. We will learn some of the new prayers, the new responses, and some new vocabulary. If you are unable to attend any of the training sessions offered for the laity by the Diocese, this show will give you an excellent overview of the changes being implemented.

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Show Notes

Welcoming the Roman Missal, Third Edition
Diocese of Raleigh's Office of Divine Worship
Bishop Burbidge's Announcement on the Revised Roman Missal

The May Carolina Catholic show is all about saints.  There are two shows this month. The first features a Secular Franciscan, Linda Perunko, who is also an artist and teacher. She talks about her favorite saint, Francis of Assisi, as well as the process of becoming a Secular Franciscan.

The second show focuses on some Italian saints. I chat with two fellow pilgrims to Italy this past year, Diane Harris and Catherine Veres. We chat about Italian saints such as Maria Goretti, Padre Pio, St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Rita of Cascia, and Sts. Benedict and Scholastica from Norcia Italy.

Show Notes

Padre Pio

Padre Pio: The True Story by C. Bernard Ruffin

Italian Sacred Destinations

Castel Gandolfo (Papal summer residence)
Nettuno (St. Maria Goretti)
San Giovanni Rotondo (Padre Pio)
Mont Sant'Angelo
Lanciano (Eucharistic Miracle)
Assisi (Sts. Francis and Clare)
Cascia and Roccaporena (St. Rita)
Norcia (Sts. Benedict and Scholastica)

In Rome

St. Pudentiana and St. Praxedes
Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major)
Santa Scala

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
And Nennolina
San Giovanni in Laterano: St. John Lateran
St. Peter/Vatican City

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Matthew Kelly

Dr. Brant Pitre

Deby Schlaprizzi

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For our March show, we talk to the founders and co-chairs of the Wilmington St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Steve McEnaney and Jim Quinn.  The annual parade which takes place this year on Saturday, March 12 at 11 am.

We talk to Steve and Jim about their Irish roots, their love of all things Irish, the history of the parade in Wilmington and their work at bringing the parade to downtown Wilmington starting in 1999. We also chat with them about the luncheon at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside that is served to the Marines after the parade.

For our February show, we report from the Rally for Life in Raleigh, the March and Mass for Life in Washington DC and the Prayer Vigil for Life in Wilmington.

Rally for Life

The January Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, given at the Evening of Sacred Arts held on December 3, 2010 at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Wilmington.

Fr. Groeschel's Bio

Father Groeschel, born July 23, 1933, is a Roman Catholic priest, retreat master, author, psychologist, activist and host of the television talk program Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel, which is broadcast on the Eternal Word Television Network. He is the director of the Office for Spiritual Development for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York as well as associate director of Trinity Retreat and the executive director of The St. Francis House. He is professor of pastoral psychology at St. Joseph's Seminary in New York and an adjunct professor at the Institute for Psychological Sciences in Arlington, Virginia. He is one of the founders of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.

Born as Peter Groeschel in Jersey City, New Jersey, he entered the Capuchin Order in 1951. The following year, he was admitted to temporary profession of vows and given the name Benedict Joseph. He made his perpetual profession in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1959. He received a Masters Degree in Counseling from Iona College in 1964 and a Doctorate in Psychology from Columbia University in 1971.

In 1960, Fr. Groeschel became the chaplain for the Children’s Village, a Dobbs Ferry, New York-based facility for emotionally disturbed children. In 1965, he joined the staff of St. Joseph's Seminary and has taught classes at Fordham University, Iona College and Maryknoll Seminary. In 1967, he founded The St. Francis House in Brooklyn which provides a safe haven for young men looking for a new start in life. The results of his counseling, teaching ability and the manner in which he treated his subjects attracted the attention of many, including Terence Cardinal Cooke, then Archbishop of New York. In 1974 at the request of Cardinal Cooke, he founded the Trinity Retreat in Larchmont, New York, which provides spiritual direction and retreats for clergy. In 1984, New York's John Cardinal O’Connor appointed Fr. Groeschel to the position of promoter of the cause of Canonization of the Servant of God Terence Cardinal Cooke. In 1985, he co-founded with Christopher Bell the Good Counsel Homes for homeless pregnant women and children. In 1987, Fr. Groeschel and seven Capuchin colleagues left their order to begin the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal with the mission of preaching reform and serving the poor. Since joining the Institute of Psychological Sciences in 2000, he has taught an annual intensive course focused on how to give practical assistance to people experiencing trauma, extreme stress, and sorrow - while at the same time integrating religious values with counseling and psychotherapy.

Fr. Groeschel is Chairman of The St. Francis House and the Good Counsel Homes. He is on the board of Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida and is a member of the American Psychological Association. Other works of charity Fr. Groeschel is involved with are: the Padre Pio Shelter, St. Anthony Residence, St. Francis Youth Center and St. Benedict Joseph Medical Center in Honduras.

Fr. Groeschel has received wide public attention through his preaching engagements, writing and television appearances. He is the author of over 30 books and has recorded more than 100 audio and video series. He publishes articles in several Catholic magazines on a monthly basis. His most recent books include The Tears of God (2008), Questions and Answers About Your Journey to God (2007), The Virtue Driven Life (2006), Why Do We Believe? (2005) and There Are No Accidents: In All Things Trust in God (2004). His weekly television program, Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel, offers a mix of interviews, answering viewer questions, and discussing spiritual and social matters relating to the Roman Catholic faith.

Fr. Groeschel has also been a highly visible Roman Catholic activist, first in the civil rights movement. He publicly criticizes what he perceives as insulting depictions of the church in popular culture and the media. In September 1998, he led protests outside of an Off-Broadway theater in New York City against the production of Terrence McNally’s play Corpus Christi.In his 2002 book From Scandal to Hope, he accused The Boston Globe, The New York Times and The San Francisco Chronicle of showing anti-Catholic prejudice in their respective coverage of the sexual abuse scandal that disrupted the church. “Seldom in the history of journalism have I seen such virulent attacks on any institution that is supposed to receive fair treatment in the press,” he wrote.

In April 2005, he again questioned the anti-Catholic sentiments of the U.S. media by charging distorted coverage of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who had become Pope Benedict XVI. Fr. Groeschel noted the new pope had "been very badly abused by the American media," adding that the pontiff’s World War II biography was negatively distorted and incorrect reports of his personality were published.

On January 11, 2004, Fr. Groeschel was struck by an automobile while crossing a street in Orlando, Florida. He received a head injury and broken bones, and had no blood pressure, heartbeat or pulse for about 27 minutes. A few days later, the trauma triggered a near-fatal heart attack. While he was recovering from his injuries, he collaborated with John Bishop on the book There Are No Accidents: In All Things Trust in God, and he broadcast his first live program on EWTN on October 24, 2004. Although the accident left him with limited use of his right arm and difficulty in walking, he was back out preaching and giving retreats by the end of 2004 and he has continued to keep a full schedule. Many consider his recovery close to a miracle. As he told the New York Times nearly four years after his accident: “They said I would never live. I lived. They said I would never think. I think. They said I would never walk. I walked. They said I would never dance, but I never danced anyway.” Today he remains a well sought after teacher, counselor, preacher, retreat master, author and spiritual director.

Musical Accompaniment

St. Mark's Director of Music and Liturgy, Alex Hill, composed a song for the occasion.  He performed this for the event accompanied by Angela Daughtry and Heather Latham. 

          THE IMAGE OF GOD

[Verse 1: 2 Corinthians 3:16 – 18]
When a person turns to the Lord,
A veil is removed from their heart.
And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

All of us, gazing with unveiled face
On the glory of the Lord who is Spirit,
Are transformed into that image, from glory into glory.

     [Refrain: Colossians 1:15, 19-20]
     He is the image of the unseen God
     The first born of all creation.
     In him all fullness was pleased to dwell
     Through him all is reconciled
     Making peace through the blood of his cross.

[Verse 2: 2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4]
Even though our gospel is veiled,
It is veiled for those who perish,
As the god of this age blinds the minds of unbelievers.

So that they may not see the light
Of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
Of Christ, who is the image of God.   [refrain]

[Verse 3: 2 Corinthians 4:5 – 6]
For we do not preach ourselves
But Jesus Christ as Lord,
And ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

For God who said, "Let light shine from darkness,"
Has shone to bring to light the knowledge
Of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.   [refrain]

Musician Bios

Alex E. Hill is a choral and orchestral conductor and a published liturgical composer.  Since January 2010 he has served as Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Mark Catholic Church in Wilmington .  For 22 years before that he resided in Central Pennsylvania.  Alex and his wife of 25 years, Andrea, have 6 children.

Angela Daughtry has been involved with liturgical music for over thirteen years and has been the Coordinator of Liturgy and Music at St. Therese Catholic Church since 2006.  She humbly considers herself a vocalist although she has had no formal training.  Angela studied the flute privately during her school years, and taught herself to play guitar at age 30.  She graduated from UNCW with a BA in Environmental Studies.  Being a wife and mother of three keeps her happily occupied when she is not singing.  Angela really appreciates and enjoys the Coastal Carolina lifestyle in contrast to her childhood in Minnesota.

Heather Latham is an ECU graduate, an accomplished cellist and vocalist, who has been a cantor at St. Mary's Catholic Church for several years. She and her husband are the proud parents of two children who are both serving in the military. Both Heather and her husband, David, give generously of their time despte their demanding careers, and together they have operated the St. Mary's Bookstore for the past five years.

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Show Notes

EWTN Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Web Site

The December Carolina Catholic show features interviews with the women at the pro-life vigils in Wilmington.

We talk with these women who are regulars at the pro-life vigil just steps from the Wilmington Health Center, a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, where both medical and surgical abortions are performed and where referrals for abortions later than 13.6 weeks after their last menstrual period are made.

These women (and men) have been prayerfully and bravely standing at 16th Street near the Tradd Court abortion facility for over 10 years now, and several women planning abortions have changed their minds in favor of life after being "sidewalk counseled" by these women. But the essence of what these women and men do is pray for the moms and their unborn children at risk of abortion while witnessing to the horror of abortions. 

Show Notes

New Hanover County Pro Life Council

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The November Carolina Catholic show continues an interview with the Parocial Vicar of Infant of Prague Catholic Church in Jacksonville, Father Anthony "Tony" DeCandia.  In October, Father spoke about his incredible conversion to the Catholic faith from his Methodist Baptist roots, and he spoke about those who witnessed to him about our faith including his Grandma Grace whose daily rosaries for him, said in secret, proved instrumental in his conversion.

In this part of our show with Father, we will speak to him about the call that led him to the priesthood as well as some important issues facing Catholics today.

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Show Notes

Infant of Prague Catholic Church

Profiles in Priesthood

The October Carolina Catholic show features an interview with the Parocial Vicar of Infant of Prague Catholic Church in Jacksonville, Father Anthony "Tony" DeCandia.  Father Tony is a convert to the Catholic faith and the son of a Marine pilot. His fascinating story of conversion to the faith which ultimately led to the priesthood is full of inspirational men and women who lit his path to our faith.

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Show Notes

Infant of Prague Catholic Church

Profiles in Priesthood

Fire on The Earth is produced by Ave Maria Radio and hosted by Peter Herbeck. This show provides a compelling look at the new evangelization and what the late Pope John Paul II called the “unfolding of a new missionary age” for the Church. Through inspiring teaching, interviews and testimony, Peter documents concrete signs of hope that point to the realization of this new missionary age in our time. The program can help listeners respond personally to what the Holy Spirit is saying at this important hour in the history of the church.

Food for the Journey is hosted by Sister Ann Shields. Sister Shields believes there is a major division in the lives of many Catholics: a separation between God's word and the circumstances of daily life. Many of us do not seem to know how to apply the Scriptures we hear or read to our personal lives. This radio program is intended to inspire and teach and to show people how God's word can feed, strengthen and give hope in our daily circumstances.

Show Notes

 Annual Seminar Draws Parish Pro-Life Co-ordinators

Jacqueline Bonk to Head Doicesan Pro-Life Office

Bishops' Joint Statement on UNC Student Health Care Provision for Abortion Coverage

FDA report on ELLA, the "week after pill"

CatholicVoice NC

Life Chain 2010

NC Choose Life License Plate Status

New Hanover County Pro Life Council

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The August Carolina Catholic show features interviews from the closing Mass of the Year For Priests.   The following were interviewed after the Mass on June 29, 2010.

• Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh
• Rev. Msgr. Jeffrey A. Ingham, V.F., , Pastor, Saint Anthony of Padua Church, Southern Pines
• Rev. Ned Schlesinger, Vocations Director, Diocese of Raleigh
• Rev. Vic Gournas, Parocial Vicar, St. Paul Catholic Church, New Bern
• Msgr. David D. Brockman, Vicar General, Diocese of Raleigh
• Brian Wright, Seminarian

Show Notes

Diocese of Raleigh

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Southern Pines

St. Paul Catholic Church in New Bern

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The June Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Father Charles Sikorsky, LC, JD, JCL.  Father Sikorsky is the current president of the Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Arlington, VA. This graduate school, which offers Masters and Doctoral degrees in Psychology, combines this discipline with Catholic philosophy and theology. The Institute is training psychologists to treat the mind and soul of their clients, and so the psychologists are trained in both the secular science and theology/philosophy bringing a Catholic and Christian worldview in counseling and treatment.

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Show Notes

IPS on FaceBook

YouTube video on "What exactly is the IPS philosophy?"

Patrick McCaskey

Father Dwight Longenecker

Dr. John Bergsma

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Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcak

John Martignoni

John Martignoni is a well-known international Catholic Speaker and the Founder and President of the Bible Christian Society, an apologetics and evangelization apostolate dedicated to teaching and explaining the truths of the Catholic Faith. Early in his career, he earned an MBA at the University of Alabama and experienced the beginning of a profound awakening in his Catholic Faith while working as a teaching graduate student at UNC in 1988-1989. He is also the host of EWTN Open Line, a live, internationally telecast call-in program of Bible apologetics weekly on EWTN Radio. In May of 2009, John was named the Director of the Office of New Evangelization and Stewardship for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. He is the Founder and President of Queen of Heaven Catholic Radio in Birmingham, which began in 2005. In addition, John also established the Catholic Businessmen and Professionals Association to bring Catholic men together for the purpose of deepening their Faith and promote evangelization.

John travels throughout the country and Canada speaking at parishes and conferences about the Catholic Faith and the Bible. Close to half a million copies of his talks have been distributed in all 50 states and more than 40 foreign countries. He has been married for 14 years to his wife, Janel, and is the father of four children.

Website: www.biblechristiansociety.com

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For our March show, we talk with Alfred Schnog.

Since the Holocaust...we see human atrocities taking place but feel helpless in preventing them. Yet, there is one thing that we can do - speak out against such crimes and teach our children about them and their cause. Only in this manner can we hope to stem the universal disregard of such human suffering."

- Alfred Schnog, Holocaust Survivor

Alfred Schnog’s family escaped from Nazi Germany on the morning after Kristalnacht. Their harrowing escape and his mother’s heroic resistance saved Alfred from certain death in the Holocaust. He relates his story as well as his memories of Nazi oppression directed against Jews which he witnessed as a youngster growing up in Cologne, Germany.

Alfred’s family left Holland to come to the United States where they arrived barely one month before the Nazis invaded Holland, thus narrowly escaping from the Nazi grasp once again.

Alfred is married to Anita M. Schnog and together they have 4 children who have blessed us with 11 grand children aged six to twenty-four. Anita and Alfred share their time between Bald Head Island and Wilmington.

Alfred is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Electrical Engineering and received an ROTC commission in the U.S. Army. He practiced engineering briefly before entering active duty in the Army Ordinance Corp where he served during the Korean War as commanding officer of a Field Supply Company stationed near Inchon and Seoul. He also assumed duties as the Battalion Education officer. After his tour of duty, he returned to civilian life and entered the world of business.

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For our February show, we report from the Rally for Life in Raleigh and the March and Mass for Life in Washington DC.

Rally for Life

March for Life

Sister Marie Jean, Sister, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, MA
Diane and Alexandra Harris, Members of St. Mary's Respect Life Group
Father Pat Keane, Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Newton Grove
Congressman Chris Smith, Republican, NJ
Father Tim Christy, Pastor, St. Magdalen di Pazzi Roman Catholic Church, Flemington, NJ

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The January Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Dr. Diane Harris. We address the topic of abortion as we commemorate the 37^th year that our country has legalized the killing of the unborn. This program highlights the medical side of the abortion debate as we speak to a doctor about the medicine behind abortion and contraception and the physical consequences of both.

Pro life events for January 2010

Show Notes

Local pro-life links:
New Hanover County Pro-life Council
NC Right to Life
March for Life
National RTL
LifeLine Pregnancy Center, Wilmington
National Association of Pro-Life Nurses
Coalition on Abortion-Breast Cancer

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The December Carolina Catholic show is on Christmas and Advent Traditions in the Catholic Home.  In this show we discuss the true Christmas and Advent traditions of the Catholic Church. We also want to separate fact from fiction so that we can truly understand this wonderful time of year.

Christmas really doesn’t begin until Christmas Eve and then ends on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the 1st Sunday after the Epiphany, 1-10-10.

There were three tendencies among early Christians as these traditions developed:

1. 1. They had a high respect for symbolism (light over darkness);
   2. They had a natural tendency to borrow from their real world experience; and
   3. They were attempting to offset the influence of pagan festivities. Now, it may be said that the pagans of consumerism and commercialism are trying to snatch these beautiful traditions back from Christianity.

Advent

1. What does the word “Advent” mean?

    
   The word Advent derives from the Latin word “adventus” meaning coming. The Lord is coming. Advent marks the beginning of the Christmas season and the liturgical year for most Western churches. This “arrival" or "coming" in Latin represents the approach of Christ's birth (and fulfillment of the prophecies about that event) and the awaiting of Christ's second coming.
    
   According to present usage, Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (30 November) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as 27 November, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as 3 December, giving the season only twenty-one days.
    
   With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches. During this time, the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love, thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and Thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world. 
     
2. What is the historical origin of Advent?
    
   It cannot be determined with any degree of certainty when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church. Christmas (or the Nativity of Our Lord) was first celebrated around the fourth century, when, it was celebrated throughout the whole Church, by some on 25 December, by others on 6 January. In the 4th and 5th centuries, Advent was the preparation for the "Epiphany" rather than Christmas.
    
   Sometime in 6th century Rome, the focus of Advent shifted to the second coming of Christ. In the 9th century, Pope St. Nicholas reduced the duration of Advent from six weeks to the four weeks we currently observe. And finally, sometime in the middle ages--approximately the 1500's--an additional focus on the anticipation before Christ's birth was added to that of His second coming.
    
3.  What are we celebrating during Advent?
    
   Advent is a time of reflection about the amazing gift that God gave to us in the person of Jesus. It is also an opportunity to restore Jesus to His rightful place as the center of our holiday celebrations! Advent is, appropriately, both somber and joyful! The prevailing themes of the Advent season and the symbolism behind the activities which churches and families share are expectation and hope, preparation and peace, joy and sharing, and most of all, love. These themes are represented in the 5 candles of the Advent wreath.
    
   In the CCC 524, it states, that “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for His second coming.
    
   No Gloria is prayed or sung during Advent, but the Alleluia remains. Both joyous and penitent.
    
4. What is the history of the Advent wreath?
    
   The practice of lighting Advent candles began in Germany by non-Christians. They lit candles surrounded by evergreen branches in their windows on cold winter nights to signify their hope for the coming warmth and light of spring! Later, German Lutherans kept the practice alive and gradually the symbolism of the Advent wreath was added: evergreens represent everlasting life (because they do not die during winter) and Christian growth; the wreath is a symbol of God's unending love and of victory; candles represent Christ, the light of the world, and their purple or blue color signify the royalty of Jesus our King! Another tradition saying is that the four candles signify the 4000 years of waiting from Adam and Eve until, at long last, Jesus' birth.
    
5. What is the meaning of the wreath and the three purple and one pink candle?
    
   The Advent wreath has no liturgical connection, and it is not a sacramental of the Catholic Church. There is no special blessing for it, but we can have our wreaths blessed. The wreath is an ancient symbol of victory and glory. Evergreen is used as a symbol of eternity representing our eternal Lord, Jesus Christ.
    
   And there are four themes for the four weeks of Advent that help us prepare for Christmas:
   1st week: expectation: We are waiting for Christ to come at Christmas/ Isaiah foretold of His coming.
   2nd week: hope: We hope to make Jesus a part of lives at Advent and all year long/ The Bible
   3rd week: joy: When we light the pink candle, we rejoice in the love of Jesus./ Mary
   4th week: acceptance: This is our week to say “yes” to what is asked of us, like Mary said yes to be the mother of God. /John the Baptist
    
   Purple candles: symbolize a time of preparation & penance
   Pink candle/Gaudete Sunday: a time to rejoice for what is to come. Listen for the word “rejoice” in the readings at mass.
   Wreath: the evergreen is a sign of eternity like our eternal Father in Heaven.
    
6. What else can we do during Advent to prepare for Christmas?
    
   The Christmas Novena: (Traditionally, this is prayed 15 times a day, beginning on St. Andrew the Apostle's feast day, November 30th, until Christmas.) 
    
   Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. 
   In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, (State your intention here) 
   Through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
    
   Straw for the crib: This custom, which originated in France, helps children see that their good deeds have benefit; for every good deed they do, they get to place a piece of hay or straw into the crèche to make a soft bed for the Baby Jesus.
    
   Advent Calendar: some of these have Scripture, some have daily activities for the family to do (like pray for someone, write a letter to Jesus, etc.)
    
   The Jesse Tree: This seasonal tradition recalls the family tree of Jesus; “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom (Is. 11:1.) This chapter of Isaiah is about the rule of Emanuel, or God be with us, to come. Using any type of tree, we make symbols to represent the genealogy of Christ including: David (crown); Adam (apple); Noah (ark); Jacob (ladder); Moses (Ten Commandments); Joseph of Egypt (coat of many colors); Mary and Joseph; Ruth (wheat or corn); Holy Spirit (dove); and Christ (the Chi Rho symbol).
    
   Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th: On the eve of St. Nicholas’ Day, we should tell our children the story of this wonderful saint and Bishop of Myra who suffered a dreadful imprisonment under Emperor Diocletian. Nicholas, an orphan himself, spent his life making the poor of our world feel welcomed and cared for. 
    
   Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th: Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin. What a gift she was to us all.
    
   Reconciliation services: 
   Wed., Dec. 9 7 p.m. St. Jude Hampstead
   Thurs. Dec. 10 7 p.m. St. Stanislaus Castle Hayne 
   Mon., Dec. 14 10:30 a.m. St. Mary Wilmington
   Tues. Dec. 15 7 p.m. Sacred Heart Southport
   Wed., Dec. 16 7 p.m. Our Lady of the Snows Elizabethtown
   Mon., Dec. 21 7 p.m. St. Brendan the Navigator Shallotte
    
   The Christmas Pageant: If your Church doesn’t do one, start it. Call me if you need a script. This tradition really brings home that the meaning of Christmas is Christ centered.
    
   O Antiphons: Beginning on December 17th, we sing the Antiphons. An antiphon is a brief, scripturally based song or prayer based on the titles for Christ as revealed in Isaiah, and they are chanted in a responsorial fashion. They have proclaimed the seven nights before the vigil of Christmas for many centuries. They are normally said while praying the Liturgy of the Hours. The seven O Antiphons of Advent summarize the hopes of the chosen ones in the Old Testament waiting for the Messiah: O Wisdom; O Lord of Might; O Flower of Jesse’s Stem; O Key of David; O Dayspring; O Desire of Nations; and O Emmanuel. So we sing, O Come, O Wisdom…(the song, O come, o come Emmanuel is based on the Antiphons.)
    
   The Latin names are O Sapientia (wisdom), O Adonai (Lord), O Radix Jesse (root of Jesse), O Clavis David (key of David), O Oriens (rising sun), O Rex Gentium (king of the people), and O Emmanuel (God with us.) In acrostic if read backwards, it reads, ERO CRAS (tomorrow, I will be there.)
    
   Each antiphon has three parts: an invocation to the Messiah under an OT title; an attribute of the Messiah; and a petition from His people.
    
   O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with Your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation 

   Las Posadas: One of the most colorful traditions is the posada party, celebrated every evening from December 16 to 24. These celebrations commemorate Mary and Joseph's cold and difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter. "Posada" in Spanish, simply means lodging or shelter. Nowadays, the posada has evolved into a religious and social celebration, paying a festive homage to the journey. Each one of these nights before Christmas, a party is held in a home in the neighborhood. There is plenty of food and drink, with candies and fruit for the children. At dusk, all the guests gather outside the house. A small child dressed as an angel leads, followed by children carrying figures of Mary and Joseph. Boys and girls dressed in silver and gold robes constitute the procession, followed by the adults and musicians. Everyone sings melodious songs as they walk slowly along, carrying their lit candles. When they reach the house, the group divides in two. One half remains outside and begs for shelter from the other half, which is inside the house. The doors are then opened, the religious part of the celebration ends, and the fun begins.

    

   The happy end to each posada has always been the piñata. A piñata is a fragile earthenware jar covered with paper mache, traditionally made in the shape of a star, to recall the one that so mysteriously guided the Three Kings to the newborn Jesus. Now piñatas come in all shapes and sizes and are filled with candy, toys, and sometimes money.

    

   In the old days, the last posada held on December 24 was most popular, because it was followed by midnight Mass. In the provinces of Mexico, this tradition lives on.

    

   The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 4:40 am Procession with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe;5:00 am Mañanitas with singers & mariachi; 5:30 am Mass; 7:00 pm "Las Nochecitas".

    
7. Our Bishop has some suggestions: slow down, pray more, offer a daily rosary while meditating on its mysteries, go to Confession, reconcile with a person with whom you are at odds.
    
   A Christmas countdown candle:  Such a candle has 25 lines.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

1. Where did the word “Christmas” originate?
   
   The word “Christmas” comes from the English “Cristes maesse” which means “Christ’s mass.” The use of “X” in “Xmas” represents the first letter of the name of Christ in Greek, and it was frequently used as a holy symbol by the early Christian church.
   
2. What are some Catholic traditions regarding Christmas Eve?
   
   Many cultures refrain from eating meat today as a type of penance; Italians, for example, eat the 7 fishes (La vigilian or la festa dei sette pesci) for the seven sacraments: bacalà (salted cod fish), whitefish, eels, shellfish, calamari (squid), octopus, squid (scungili), and flounder.
   
   Many families decorate their Christmas tree this night.
   
   Irish families do a deep cleaning to prepare their homes for the Lord.
   
   Farolitos and luminarias: line your foot paths and homes with farolitos (little lanterns) and/or luminarias (New Mexican adobe homes line the top of their flat roofs with them.)
   
3. What about the Christmas tree? Does it have liturgical significance?
   
   The Christmas tree is completely religious in origin. The whole idea and symbolism of the tree in entirely religious and based on the radiation of liturgical thought into Christian homes.
   
   Christmas tree: combination of 2 religious symbols:
   The Paradise Tree: This originated in the “mystery play” which was a play that used to be performed in churches (e.g. Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Garden of Eden.) Garden of Eden represented by fir tree hung w/apples (Paradise Tree); Eden play held on 12-24; plays were eventually discontinued but the children loved the fir tree hung with apples which was moved to the home.
   The Christmas Light: A candle inspired by the liturgical usage of a burning candle to represent Christ. Originally, it was placed on top of a wooden structure (pyramid) and adorned with balls and tinsel and called a Christmas Pyramid.
   
   The Christmas tree is born!
   
   In 16th century W. Germany, the two customs were combined. The candles and decorations and the lights, glass balls and tinsel were put on the Paradise Tree which already bore apples. The “Star of Bethlehem” that had adorned the top of the Christmas Pyramid was kept and fastened to the top of the tree. Sweets and cookies were added to represent the sweet fruit of Our Lord’s redemption (remember, it used to be a “tree of sin”.)
   
   Today’s Christmas tree: Our Christmas tree stands in our homes as a symbol and reminder that Our Lord is the “Tree of Life” and the “Light of the World,” “Lumen Christi.”
   Lights: symbols of His divine/human traits/virtues
   Decorations: His great glory
   Evergreen: ancient symbol of eternity
   Sweets: sweetness of Redemption
   Star of Bethlehem: light that leads us to Christ
   
   Prayer to bless your tree before you turn on the lights:
   Lord, bless this tree in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
   May it serve to remind us that Jesus is our tree of life and the light of the world.
   Amen.
   
4. What is the history of the Christmas Crib/crèche? (French)
   
   This tradition originated with St. Francis of Assisi through his famous celebration at Greccio, Italy on Christmas Eve, 1223.
   
   St. Francis wanted to relive the Nativity, so he created a real life reenactment of the original Bethlehem scene with real people and animals. St. Francis wanted, “For once…to see all this with my own eyes.” Mass was said right in front of Nativity scene.
   
   Our manger scenes: honored position in our homes
   Central theme of this holy feast.
   Character of a religious shrine in our homes. 
   Unveil the crib on Christmas Eve only.
   
5. What about candy canes & gift giving?
   
   Candy Canes: symbol of the crook of the shepherds who were the first to witness the birth of Jesus. The white stripe represents His purity, and the red represents His sacrifice.
   
   Gift giving: originated with both St. Nicholas and Saturnalia and the gifts of the Magi.
   
6. Where did the traditions of Christmas Lights in the window originate? 
   
   Brought to America by 19th Century Irish immigrants.
   Originated during religious persecution in Ireland (17th C.)
   Churches closed, priests in hiding, Mass in secret.
   Yearlong prayer and desire for home to be chosen for Christmas mass in one’s home.
   Irish Catholics left doors unlocked and candle in window as a signal that priest was welcome.
   
7. When did we start attending Midnight Mass on Christmas?
   
   Tradition has roots in early monasteries where the faithful would gather to seek forgiveness first then pay homage to the Newborn King and then to receive Eucharist. After mass, they would celebrate to daybreak.
   
8. Why do we burn a Christmas candle?
   
   The Christmas Candle: Ancient symbol of Christ as light of the world (Lumen Christi). It can be placed in middle of the Advent Wreath or anywhere in a place of honor in our homes.
   
9. Do any of the Christmas Plants have religious meaning?
   
   Holly: believed holly was used in Crown of Thorns. Its points and red berries symbolize His drops of blood.
   Mistletoe: Called “all heal” it is used as a Christian symbol of Christ, the divine healer of all.
   Poinsettias: with its flaming color symbolizes the divine love of our Newborn King, with its red bracts (leaves) resembling the Star of David.
   Ivy: Clinging ivy is a picture of weakness upheld by unseen strength. We “cling” to Jesus to be strong & holy.
   
10. When did Christmas pageants originate?
    
    In early church, custom to “act out” the mysteries of the life of Jesus as educational tool (e.g. the Nativity.) 18th century Germany revived these plays, and German immigrants brought them to America. It retells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
    
11. What about Christmas Carols?
    
    “Carol” comes from Old English “carolen” which means to “sing joyfully” Originally Latin hymns from 5th century; Modern: 13th c. under St. Francis of Assisi ; Caroling: Introduced in colonies by British.
    
12. Are St. Nick and Santa Claus one and the same as they are portrayed and sung about every year?
    
    Let’s start with Kris Kringle. This came from the German word for Christ Child (Christ Kinder) & was popularized by Germans in Pennsylvania.
    
    St. Nick was Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in 3rd C. (Turkey)
    Patron of small children; feast day is December 6.
    Rich family but orphaned.
    Gave possessions to the poor.
    As Bishop, devoted to children and poor.
    Emperor Diocletian put him in prison.
    At his  death, 1000’s of favors granted to those who asked his intercession.
    In Europe, feast celebrated December 5 in which St. Nick visits, admonishes children/rewards with candy.  
    He is dressed as bishop, with mitre & crosier, and comes as a heavenly messenger.
    
    However, veneration of all saints was banned during the Protestant Reformation. Only the Dutch Protestants kept the visit of St. Nicholas alive (Sinter Klass), and the Dutch immigrants brought this tradition to America. Their first New York City church was named Sinter Klaas. Dutch lost control of New York to the English whose children envied the annual visit from St. Nick.) 
    
    Santa Claus
    He is not St. Nick.
    Dutch immigrants brought Sinter Klaas with them to New Amsterdam.
    English children wanted to have similar celebration but English could not honor a Catholic saint; the secret gifts of St. Nick was transferred to the eve of Christmas which the English celebrated with Father Christmas.
    Combined two traditions: transferred St. Nick’s visit to Christmas and changed Bishop to Santa Claus, who is a combination of Father Thor, Christmas Man, Father Christmas and St. Nick.
    
    Christmas Man was a secular version of St. Nick in Protestant cultures. Father Thor (Thursday is Thor’s day) from Germanic mythology; He was god of peasants/common people.
    Elderly, jovial, friendly, heavy set, long white beard, lived in palace of ice, fire element was red and he rode a chariot (sound familiar?)
    Lived in Northland, palace among icebergs, loved fireplaces and came down chimneys.
    Chariot drawn by goats, Cracker and Gnasher.
    Called a Yule god because he fought the ice/snow.
    St. Nick’s red and white vestments were borrowed.
    Christmas Man was the European custom and he had a sleigh, reindeer, and loved chimney visits.
    Father Christmas was England’s Christmas man.
    
    The fine tuning came from Washington Irving’s article called Knickerbocker’s History of New York (chubby, Dutch, pipe, rooftops, presents), Clement C. Moore’s poem: Twas the night before Christmas, and cartoonists like Thomas Nash painted a picture based on Thor as Santa Claus to lighten hearts during the Civil War.
    
13. What does the word Yule mean and what are the twelve days of Christmas?
    
    Yule is the Anglo Saxon word for feasting/drinking. It comes from the word geol. The Yule Tree reflected the green of spring to come.
    
    The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days between Christmas until January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany which is also called Christmastide and the Epiphany is the Twelfth Night. A bit of modern folklore claims that the song's lyrics were written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn their faith, at a time when practicing Catholicism was discouraged in England (1558 until 1829).
Why and when did we start sending Christmas cards?

2 billion sent each year.

19th Century, began as seasonal greeting.

English artist probably designed first card in 1842.

Boston lithographer Louis Prang began printing cards which depicted Christ’s birth.

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Sources

Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs by Francis X. Weiser, S.J.
Religious Customs in the Family by Francis X. Weiser, S.J.
Catholic Customs and Traditions by Greg Dues
The Catholic Home by Meredith Gould
The Essential Advent & Christmas Handbook AND Advent Begins at Home by Liquori Press. 

The November Carolina Catholic show is on 20th century Marian apparitions. We all love Our Lady so much, and we dedicated this show to her from the start. She has graced many parts of the world with her presence including Lourdes, France, Fatima, Portugal, Akita, Japan, Betania, Venezuela, Kibeho, Rwanda, and many other places. We had the pleasure of speaking to Chris Bately who has been to sites where Our Lady has appeared, and she will share how these places affected her faith.

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Show Notes

The September Carolina Catholic show features an interview with Bishop Burbidge as he speaks to us about the Year for Priests which began June 19, 2009 and will end June 19, 2010 with a World Meeting of Priests in Rome.  He will speak about our own diocesan observations of this wonderful celebration, including features in our diocesan magazine and on the diocesan website, and the events which will mark this special Year for Priests. Bishop Burbidge stresses the need for priests to spend a year in prayer to strengthen them in their vocations, and he asks all the faithful to pray daily for our pastors and all priests serving in this most sacred consecrated ministry.

This show also features Mike Burbeck, a diocesan seminarian who served at St. Mark’s Catholic Church this past summer.  Mike speaks about his conversion to Catholicism and the wonderful experiences he has had while studying for the diocesan priesthood.  Mike is a seminarian at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary outside Philadelphia.

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For earlier interviews with Bishop Burbidge click on January 08 and March 08.

Show Notes

• Diocese of Raleigh
• Bishop's bio
• The Year for Priests from CatholicCulture.org
  
• The Year for Priests from Our Sunday Visitor (Prayers, Blog, Vocations, Indulgences, and more)
• St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
  

Father Frank Pavone

Father Frank Pavone talks about the current pro-life battles being fought as well as how we as Catholics must stay faithful to the Catholic teaching on respect for all human life.

Father Pavone is the National Director of Priests for Life which has spread internationally in upholding the Sanctity of Life in all its stages. His popularity from visits on EWTN and his program "Defending Life" have made him extremely in demand throughout the United States and beyond.

His fame and respect is not limited only to the Church for he serves on numerous Christian and pro-life boards of directors such as the Advisory Committee for the Caring Foundation, Board of the National Pro-life Religious Council, Board of America's Crisis Pregnancy Helpline, Advisory Council for Ramah International, Advisory Board for the Ivy League Coalition for Life, and the Board of the Center for Bioethical Reform. In addition he is active with the Board of A Baby's Prayer Foundation, Theological advisory Board for the Culture of Life Foundation, Board of Saints' Stories, and the National Board of Advisors for K-IHM Catholic Radio. He is also a member of International Right to Life, the Catholic Press Association, National Religious Broadcasters, Roe No More Ministries, and the Common Ground Network for Life and Choice. He is also an Honorary Advisor to the Society of Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla.

Show Notes

Michael Clancy

Michael Clancy is a photo-journalist turned speaker.  He is the one who took the photograph of an unborn child undergoing fetal surgery to correct Spina bifida. Michael Clancy talks about how his photograph, called the Hand of Hope, changed him from a pro-choice photographer to a pro-life Christian and speaker whose photo has already saved babies from abortion.

"What began as a regular assignment turned into a life changing event when i captured the reaction of an unborn child to the touch of his surgeon during in utero surgery.  I've told my story at over 60 eventss in the past two years and will continue until the world knows the true story of the little boy that reached from the womb and changed the world."

Show Notes

www.michaelclancy.com

The Photographer Whose Amazing Pro-Life Picture Changed the World

Struggling Photographer Chooses Principle over Money

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For our July Carolina Catholic show, which also celebrates the start of our 3rd year, we will have a music filled show featuring the St. Mary Gospel Choir.  This choir has sung at St. Mary’s Catholic Church for 28 years, and every weekend it fills the church with its joyous and spiritual music. Our show features interviews with the musical director Warren Murphy, president Deloris Bryant, and AAMEN representative Bill Gibbs.  The show features some of our favorite Gospel hymns which you will surely love.

Show Notes

St. Mary Catholic Church Music Ministry

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The June Carolina Catholic show again features Father Dan Oschwald, the current pastor of St. Mark's Catholic Church.  Unfortunately for us, Father Dan will be leaving at the end of June to assume his new assignment as rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh.  Our loss is the diocese's gain.

This show has two parts:

• Father Dan will answer listener's questions on the faith. These questions were sent in during April.
• Father Dan will answer far tougher questions from the Second Grade students of St. Mark Catholic School.

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Show Notes

St. Mark's Catholic Church

St. Mark's Catholic School

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Father Larry Richards

A gifted and captivating speaker, preacher, and retreat master, Fr. Larry Richards holds the answer to some of life's most profound questions. He speaks from experience as a pastor of an inner city parish, a high school chaplain, a counselor, and evangelist. Fr. Larry Richards has directed hundreds of retreats, parish missions and conferences for young and old alike. His inspirational talks and presentations, always authentic and enthusiastic, have changed the hearts, minds and lives of millions of listeners worldwide.

Father Larry Richards was born on March 26, 1960, in Pittsburgh, PA. He entered St. Mark High School Seminary in Erie at the age of 17. After high school he attended the college seminary at Gannon University and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling in 1983.

Continuing his studies at the major seminary at St. Vincent in Latrobe, PA, Fr. Larry received his Masters of Divinity in 1987. He will soon conclude his studies and be awarded a Master of Arts degree in Liturgy from the University of Notre Dame.

Ordained to the priesthood on April 21, 1989 for the Diocese of Erie, Fr. Larry has served as pastor of St. Joseph Church/Bread of Life Community in Erie since July 2002. He continues the task of unifying two congregations into one community dedicated to Jesus through love, prayer and service. In addition, he is the Spiritual Director of the TEC (To Encounter Christ) Retreat Program for the Diocese of Erie.

Father Larry founded “The Reason for Our Hope Foundation,” a non-profit organization dedicated to ‘spreading the Good News’ by educating others about Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith through various media forms. The foundation promotes Catholic speakers who are effective instruments of evangelization and also supports charities that strive to make real the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Website: www.TheReasonForOurHope.org

Tim Staples

Tim Staples was raised a Southern Baptist. Although he fell away from the faith of his childhood, Tim came back to faith in Christ during his late teen years through the witness of Christian televangelists. Soon after, Tim joined the Marine Corps. During his four-year tour, he became involved in ministry with various Assemblies of God communities. Immediately after his tour of duty, Tim enrolled in Jimmy Swaggart Bible College and became a youth minister in an Assembly of God community.

During his final year in the Marines, however, Tim met a Marine who really knew his faith and challenged Tim to study Catholicism from Catholic and historical sources. That encounter sparked a two-year search for the truth. Tim was determined to prove Catholicism wrong, but he ended up studying his way to the last place he thought he would ever end up: the Catholic Church!

He converted to Catholicism in 1988 and spent the following six years in formation for the priesthood, earning a degree in philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, PA. He then studied theology on a graduate level at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, for two years. Realizing that his calling was not to the priesthood, Tim left the seminary in 1994 and has been working in Catholic apologetics and evangelization ever since.

Suggested Reading: Catholics and the Culture War, Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide for Explaining and Defending the Catholic Faith

Website:  www.catholic.com

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Immaculée was born in Rwanda and studied Electronic and Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Rwanda. Her life transformed dramatically in 1994 during the Rwanda genocide when she and seven other women huddled silently together in a cramped bathroom of a local pastor’s house for 91 days.  During this horrific ordeal, Immaculée lost most of her family, but she survived to share the story and her miraculous transition into forgiveness and a profound relationship with God.  Left to Tell, the triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.  Immaculée recently hosted a documentary titled "Ready to Forgive, An African Story of Grace," a project sponsored by The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The film focuses on the Acholi people of Northern Uganda and their desire to forgive their tormentors.

Video Links: www.immaculee.com or www.leftottell.com

Suggested Reading:
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Our Lady of Kibeho: Mary Speaks to the World from the Heart of Africa
Led By Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide

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The May Carolina Catholic show features interviews of two speakers at the 2009 Ignited By Truth conference: Joseph Pearce and Brad Watkins.  This is the last show emanating from Ignited By Truth.

Joseph Pearce

Joseph Pearce is an English-born writer, Writer in Residence and Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University in Naples, FL; previously he had a comparable position, from 2001, at Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, MI. Twenty years ago he was a radical activist, a skinhead, and the editor of two hate-filled, extremist magazines.  Today, Joseph Pearce is the author of several critically acclaimed, best-selling biographies of great nineteenth- and twentieth-century Christian authors.  He became a convert in 1989. He is co-editor of The Saint Austin Review (StAR). StAR features authors such as Fr. Aidan Nichols, Fr. James Schall, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, and Dr. Janet Smith. Dedicated to "reclaiming culture," each issue focuses on a specific theme; past topics include "Hollywood and the Culture War," "The Lord of the Rings," "Return to Aquinas," and "Decadence and Conversion." Pearce hopes that StAR can be a part of a Catholic literary and cultural revival similar to the "golden age" of Catholic literature that began with John Henry Newman in the 1840s and lasted until the 1960s.

The journey from angry agnosticism to joyful Catholicism was long and often harrowing. Pearce was raised in a staunchly anti-Catholic, nominally Protestant home in East London. By the time he was a young teen in the 1970s, he was an agnostic neo-fascist. Bitter about the economic inequality around him, Pearce rebelled against globalism and neo-Marxism and devoted himself to the ideology of neo-fascism.  By the time he reached his early twenties, Pearce had been imprisoned twice for editing magazines of the radical right wing group National Front. His love of reading was a light during this dark and turbulent time, a light that eventually led him out of the "Faustian pact" he had made with extremist politics. Convinced there existed an alternative to both capitalism and Marxism, Pearce stumbled across a book titled The Well and the Shallows, written by the renowned English journalist and Catholic apologist G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936).

At the time, Pearce (still a non-believer) was a member of a Protestant secret society opposed to "papism." Despite his hatred of the Catholic Church, Pearce was fascinated by the economic system of distributism outlined by Chesterton in his essay "Reflections on a Rotten Apple." Distributism advocates private ownership, small communities, agrarianism, smaller government, and the equitable distribution of goods and services within a society. Two of its most famous proponents were Chesterton and his close friend Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953). Pearce was soon fascinated by Chesterton’s arguments and couldn’t find fault in his logic.

Initially interested only in Chesterton’s views on politics and economics, Pearce eventually found himself reading Chesterton’s arguments on behalf of the Catholic Church and his defense of orthodox Christianity. The 1980s were "an arm wrestle" between Pearce’s political beliefs and his growing attraction to the Catholic Church. Catholicism would finally get the "upper hand" in the mid-80s. The turning point came in 1985 during his second incarceration. "I was teetering on the brink," Pearce explains. "When I was asked by the authorities what my religion was, I told them I was Roman Catholic—even though I wasn’t. It was there in prison that I began to attend Mass for the first time in my life." Pearce’s only prior experience with Mass was attending a Catholic wedding as a nine-year-old.  But the Catholic church he visited as a young boy was "different—there was something there. It was the Real Presence of the Eucharist working on me, even without my knowledge of it." The road to the Savior and His Church was filled with numerous obstacles, but Pearce came home safely. In 1989 he entered the Catholic Church of Our Lady, Mother of God, in Norfolk, north of London.

Suggested Reading:  Literary Giants, Literary Catholics, C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church, The Quest for Shakespeare:  The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome

Website: www.ignatiusinsight.com/authors/josephpearce.asp

Brad Watkins

Brad Watkins is currently the Administrative Secretary to the Bishop and the Assistant Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Raleigh. He has undergraduate degrees in Graphic Design and Art + Design from the College of Design at North Carolina State University. He also has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to his current positions with the Diocese of Raleigh he was an art teacher at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh. While at CGHS, he began the Frassati Society, a youth group with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati as its patron and model.

Happily married for 16 years, Brad and his wife Chantal have four children and one on the way. Their marriage and family are a beautiful testament to the sacrament and vocation of Holy Matrimony, as well as JPII’s civilization of love. This foundation led Brad to discern and ultimately enter formation for the Permanent Diaconate. God willing, he will be ordained as a Permanent Deacon, with 14 other men from the Diocese of Raleigh, in June of 2010. His talk will focus on his experience that true peace and happiness are found by discerning and following the path Christ has laid out for your life.

Blog: romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com

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Carolina Catholic welcomes Sara Bryant, Heather Latham, and Angie Edwards to its December show!

St. Mary's Music Director and Organist, Sara Bryant, along with cantors/singers Heather Latham and Angie Edwards, will appear on Carolina Catholic in the month of December to get us ready for the birth of Christ by deepening our understanding of Advent via the extraordinary music of the Catholic Church. We will explore the history of this music from the Gregorian Chants to more modern musical expressions of our longing and preparation for the coming of Christ.

This show, Singing our Way through Advent in the Catholic Church, airs on Saturday,December 6th at 11 am, Sunday, December 7th at 6 pm, and again the following weekend on Saturday, December 13th at 11am, and Sunday, December 14th at 6 pm.

Show Notes

St. Mary Catholic Church Music Ministry

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Carolina Catholic, in honor of Respect Life Month, features an interview of Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.  The show focuses upon the consistent ethic of life beginning with the right to life and the dignity of the human person, and our call to defend human life and other human rights, from conception to natural death, as our fundamental obligation as Catholics to respect the dignity of every human being as a child of God.

In this powerful show, Judi Paparozzi and Christine Vayo had the great privilege of speaking to Bishop Burbidge about Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship and the call to political responsibility that all Catholics have to live and vote according to a well formed conscience based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ and His church here on earth. Bishop Burbidge stressed the Catholic Church's protection of all human life and dignity regarding the issues of abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, the rights of prisoners and those living in poverty, and the need for immigration reform in the United States while emphasizing the great need for prayer during these difficult times in our country.

In the photo are, left to right, Christine Vayo, Bishop Burbidge, Judi Paparozzi and Frank Morock.  The photo was taken at the Catholic Center after recording the October 2008 Carolina Catholic show.

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Show Notes

• Diocese of Raleigh
• CatholicVoice NC
• Bishop's Respect Life Sunday Homily
• Bishop's bio
• US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Carolina Catholic, in honor of Respect Life Month, features interviews with two pro-life leaders of the Cape Fear Deanery: Bev Jolly and Chuck Dean.

We will be discussing some right-to-life issues facing our country in 2009.  We will address the current life issues, as well as speak about the hard decisions we must all face as Catholics in this pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia political environment.

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The September episode of Carolina Catholic features the St. Mary Parish Bookstore and Gift Shop which wouldn't be the success it is today without the dedication of the awesome duo - our head volunteers, David and Heather Latham. As many of you know, Heather and David are converts to Catholicism, so we will first learn about their journey to the Catholic faith. We will discuss the bookstore’s mission as a Catholic ministry, and we will also talk about what’s new and exciting in Catholic books, tapes, music, and gifts.

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Carolina Catholic focuses on the Hispanic Catholics in the Cape Fear Deanery. Guests Father Bob Kus and Vicki Retes Howard from St. Mary Catholic Church discuss the experience of the Hispanic Catholic, the issues they face as immigrants to this area, and the wonderful traditions they bring with them to the Catholic Church in North Carolina.

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Padre Marcos Leon, the former parochial vicar and seminarian from both St. Mary's and St. Mark's, is currently the pastor of The Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Whiteville. On this show of Carolina Catholic, Padre Leon spoke about his call to the priesthood, his early days at St. Mary and St. Mark, and his years as priest in the Diocese of Raleigh.

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The November episode of Carolina Catholic addresses the trend of Catholic parents deciding to home school their children in greater numbers every year. The show features two moms, Denise Cooper and Debbie Shinskie, who home school their children; and one student, Andy Shinskie, who has been home schooled from kindergarten to high school. We will discuss the reasons why Catholic moms choose to home school, what it takes to start a home school in North Carolina, and how the children do both academically and socially.

Show Notes

Mater Amabilis
Seton Home Study School
Kolbe Academy

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Carolina Catholic will interview three individuals about their conversion stories to the one true faith. These are our own Peter Lamporte and the married couple, Allison and Rich Dooley.

This is a return for Peter Lamporte and Allison Dooley. It's Rich's first appearance. Peter has co-hosted Carolina Catholic in the past. Allison was on the October show with Christine Vayo to talk about her pro-life work here in Wilmington.

The show will cover these topics:

• Peter's Conversion Story
• Allison's Conversion Story
• Rich's Coming Home Story
• The Dooley's Story
• Major Hurdles Non-Catholics Face When Becoming Catholic

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This is our first year anniversary show of Carolina Catholic.  It featured Part II of the Conversion Stories of Peter Lamporte and Allison and Rich Dooley. In this show, we covered the major hurdles which they had to overcome to fully embrace the Catholic faith, the reactions of their families, the impact converting has had on their everyday lives, and the resources which they used to help them in their journey home to the Catholic Church.

A few days after this show was taped, the Dooley family relocated to the Raleigh-Durham area where their children will attend St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Grammar School in Wake Forest. 

For the first part see the May 2008 interview.

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Carolina Catholic is proud to present an interview with Father Ned Shlesinger, vocation director for the Diocese of Raleigh. In this show, we get to know Father Ned, and learn what our 19 seminarians are doing this year, and what the process of discerning a vocation is all about.

This is the outline of the show.

• Father Ned's Biography
• Current Work as Vocations Director & Director of Seminarian Formation
  • The Call to the Priesthood
    • Priesthood Discernment Group
    • Many are called to serve God
  • The Diaconate program
  • Religious Communities of Women
  • Religious Communities of Men
  • Programs for the Laity
• Our Seminarians

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Show Notes

• Brad’s blog

Carolina Catholic is proud to present an interview with Clancy Must about the Sixth Annual Walk for Awareness sponsored by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) on Saturday, October 11th at Hugh McRae Park.  Clancy is one of the board members of NAMI here in Wilmington. Clancy and Pat, his lovely wife, have been involved as both teachers and facilitators for NAMI’s Family to Family Educational Program and the Caring and Sharing support group. Clancy will speak to us about his own journey into the world of those who have brain disorders, and the help that is available to all families who live with the challenge of mental illness.

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Show Notes

NAMI Wilmington contacts

The January Carolina Catholic spoke to Father James Garneau, pastor of St. Mary Church in Mount Olive, NC.  Father Garneau talks about how important it is for all Catholics to stand up for the unborn especially now as we face the greatest challenges to our Church's pro-life teachings with the possibility of the Freedom of Choice Act, FOCA, becoming a reality in the U.S.  FOCA will destroy all legal protections that we currently have in place. We also address what has happened to us as a nation since abortion was legalized 36 years earlier on January 22, 1973, and what we can do, even in the privacy of our homes, to aid in the cause of life.

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The February Carolina Catholic show features Father Dan Oschwald, the pastor of St. Mark's Catholic Church. Father Dan discusses his mission to increase priesthood and religious vocations and what he is doing at St. Mark's to promote vocations.  

Father Dan will also talk about impending legislation at the national level, the Freedom of Choice Act, that will make abortion the right of every woman in America, and at the taxpayers' expense.  

Lastly, Father Dan will talk about the Ignited By Truth conference in Raleigh.  

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Show Notes

St. Mark's Catholic Church

Ignited by Truth

Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)

Carolina Catholic is proud to present Part II of our interview with His Excellency Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh. In this show, Bishop Burbidge talks about the many exciting things going on in our diocese as well as some tough issues we all face as Catholics.

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For the first interview with Bishop Burbidge click here.

Show Notes

• Diocese of Raleigh
• Bishop's bio

Host Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann will bring inspiring messages, insightful interview, interesting commentary and music; plus news updates, weekly Saints discussions. Deacon Pedro is at Holy Martyr's of Japan Parish in Bradford, ON and lives north of Toronto, with his beautiful wife, Sheri, their two sons, Nicolas and Daniel, and Max, their dog. 

For more information on The Salt and Light Hour, check out their website here. You can also contact them by phone at 1-888-302-7181or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Host Monsignor Kieran Harrington will lead this fast-paced, weekly series exploring the latest news, current events, political topics and social opinions that define a generation.  Monsignor Harrington is the Vicar of Communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn, serves as the President and Chairman of DeSales Media Group.

For more information on In The Arena, check out their website here. You can also contact them by phone at 1-718-499-9705.

Host Paul Sadek helps us settle into the evening with a thoughtful 30 minutes of faith-based music, prayer and reflection.  A counterpart to Daybreak, the program will highlight the Saint of the Day, examine the daily readings and offer a variety of evening prayers.  Special musical selections, from popular contemporary Catholic musicians to sacred and traditional music recordings, all pertinent to the season and Liturgical calendar will also be presented each evening.  Evensong will be a great way to prepare listeners for the daily Rosary and Holy Mass which immediately follow this program.    

For more information about Evensong, go to www.relevantradio.com.

EWTN News Nightly is a Washington, DC based TV news program that delivers news and analysis from a Catholic perspective to viewers.

For more information about EWTN Nightly News, go to www.ewtn.com or call 1-205-271-2900.

Daily Mass originates from the Chapel of the Nativity located in the national headquarters of Relevant Radio in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

For more information, see the following resources:

• Relevant Radio

As a fiery preacher in the prime of life, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen hosted one of the most popular and influential broadcasts of his day. The title was to be, “Is Life Worth Living?” No, the bishop insisted, enough of pessimism and gloom—“Life Is Worth Living.”

During a 1979 visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Pope John Paul II embraced the elderly bishop and crowned his lifelong ministry of preaching and teaching: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus,” he said, “You are a loyal son of the Church.”

All that was old is made new again. That bishop, Fulton J. Sheen, is poised to become one of the shining examples of wisdom and holiness for the people of the third millennium. And as this Servant of God journeys down the path toward canonization, he lifts his voice in teaching and encouragement for all the world to hear. Now Relevant Radio® Classics presents a daily dose of Archbishop Sheen’s wit and wisdom.

• RelevantRadio
• Canonization Cause for Bishop Sheen
• Bishop Sheen's wikipedia entry

The Holy Rosary with Father Benedict Groeschel and Simonetta - Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR is our nation's pre-eminent Franciscan author, speaker and Catholic television personality. Simonetta is one of America's best-loved, Catholic musical artists. Together they have created a beautiful, prayerful, thought-provoking, spiritual journey through the Mysteries of the Rosary.

For more information on Father Benedict Groeschel or Simonetta, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
• The Saint Philomena Society

• RelevantRadio

Wendy Wiese keeps a variety of professionals On Call from an array of specialized fields to support you as you live out your “domestic Church” – helping you to keep your faith at the fore in your everyday life. Focusing on the important issues that families face through the lens of our Catholic faith, you’ll hear topics ranging from Post-Abortion Syndrome, eating disorders, pornography addiction, or substance abuse to Spiritual Direction. Our experts address issues that affect normal, everyday families, and they strive to help our listeners with their own struggles – you are the most important part of the conversation. Tune in for useful information and practical advice from a Catholic perspective.

The Drew Mariani Show is a current events and news driven program that reaches listeners with down-to-earth sensibility, sharp insight, good humor and intelligence. Tackling the hottest issues of the day, Drew and his guests blend reality with strong Catholic values complemented by sound orthodox teaching. As the world seemingly changes by the minute, it is more important than ever for Catholics to keep a close eye on the culture around us. Whether there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court, a new piece of legislation in Congress, a controversial film in theaters or the latest news on the Pro-Life front, Drew will keep listeners up-to-date and give them a place to talk about it every weekday.

Energize your drive! Join Drew in the afternoon and experience "life as you've never heard it."

For more information on The Drew Mariani Show, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Facebook

God has an individual plan for each of our lives. How do you develop a personal relationship with God and discern how His Holy Spirit is leading you in your life? Through spiritual direction. But there is a deep and widespread trend of spiritually starved Catholics searching for reliable spiritual direction. The Inner Life strives to serve listeners as a spiritual compass and as a teaching tool to learn about spiritual growth.

The Inner Life is hosted by Chuck Neff and a rotating panel of highly experienced Catholic priests whose full-time ministry is the guidance of souls through spiritual direction. They have encountered the endless variety and complexity of questions that arise in the concrete circumstances of the human pursuit of the divine. They encourage listeners to become well-informed by using additional resources and helpful materials for spiritual guidance.

For more information on The Inner Life, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio

When the word of God enters our minds and softens our hearts, nothing can ever be the same again. Our thoughts change, our habits change, our relationships change. But living the Truth isn’t about being changed. It’s about being Changed Forever.

Fr. Larry Richards speaks from experience as a pastor of an inner city parish, a high school chaplain, a counselor and an evangelist. His preaching comes straight from the heart, and it’s aimed straight at the heart of the listener. Fr. Larry brings his zeal, humor, and insight, which is always authentic and enthusiastic, to Relevant Radio, and lives will be Changed Forever.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1989 for the Diocese of Erie and is Pastor of St. Joseph Church/Bread of Life Community, also in Erie. In addition, he is the spiritual director of the TEC (To Encounter Christ) Retreat Program for the Diocese of Erie and Founder of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation.

For more information on Father Larry Richards, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• The Reason for our Hope's website
• Facebook

Sunday Mass is recorded live from the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in downtown Green Bay, WI.

For more information on Sunday Mass Live, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio

Father Robert Barron presents this compelling program of Catholic evangelical preaching that is an instrument of outreach and conversion. Touching upon art, architecture, poetry, philosophy, theology and the lives of the saints, Father Barron boldly proclaims Jesus Christ in outstanding sermons based on each Sunday’s upcoming gospel.

For more information on Word On Fire, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Word On Fire's website

Personally Speaking with Monsignor Jim Lisante features prominent people from the worlds of entertainment, religion, politics, sports, journalism, literature along with conversation with the ever-popular Monsignor Lisante about some of the most personal aspects of life, including their faith.

For more information on Personally Speaking or Monsignor Lisante, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Personally Speaking's website

American Catholic Radio explores the Catholic faith from a variety of perspectives, with an emphasis on catechesis in a popular, friendly format, with a pleasant musical setting. The program features: "Ask a Franciscan," a call-in question and answer segment, "Living Your Faith," and "Exploring Your Faith," the first spotlighting individuals and communities who put their faith into action in interesting ways, the second an interview with an expert on some facet of faith or morals. "Treasures in the Attic" and the humorous "Liturgy Corner With Nick Lavabo," both centering on things we find in and around Catholic churches; "Saints for Our Times," a first-person biographical quiz that ends with revelation of the saint's name, and "Minute Meditation," a short reflective, inspiring moment.

For more information on American Catholic Radio, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• American Catholic Radio's website

• Catholic Answers

Catholic Bookmarks gives Catholic sensibility of books and their authors. Host Frank Morock interviews authors from various genres and provides the Catholic Book Publishers’ Association weekly top ten bestsellers.

For more information on Catholic Bookmarks, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio
• Catholic Bookmarks's website

Morning Air is a classic drive-time format that combines inspiration & entertainment. The show's hosts are Sean Herriott and Wendy Wiese.

For more information on Morning Air, check out the following resources:

• RelevantRadio

This show features Sister Isaac Koenig, a sister of the Society of Saint Ursula, and the director of St. Mary-Tileston Outreach Center which services almost 6,000 people per year with financial assistance, food, clothing, diabetic food, hygiene, household items and Christmas and Thanksgiving baskets.

The following from the UNCW press release on the Schweitzer Award:

Sister Isaac began what is now called the St. Mary's Social Outreach Program serving the needy of the Wilmington area. In 1991, inspired by St. Mary parishioners and at the urging of doctors within the parish, Sister Isaac began the St. Mary Outreach Clinic, now the Tileston Clinic, one of the area's largest, self supporting, non-profit health clinics serving the working poor.

Sister Isaac was also instrumental in the development and construction of the Hadden Hall Apartments, HUD sponsored housing for low income senior citizens as well as Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, a facility now housed in Grace Methodist Church that provides food for thousands of individuals and families.

Sister Isaac has served the community on the Board of Good Shepherd soup kitchen in the early years of its development and has been recognized for her work with many awards including the North Carolina Human Relations Award.

Today, the St. Mary Social Outreach has 150 volunteers who are actively involved in serving the poor by handing out food or cleaning and folding donated clothes. Within the past 2 years, Issac developed a program for diabetics that provides with assistance with dietary needs, and she organizes volunteers who make sandwiches for patients at the Tileston clinic while they are waiting for appointments.

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Show Notes

• St. Mary Social Ministries
• Society of Saint Ursula

This show is entitled, “Meet Bishop Burbidge”. Peter Lamporte and I had the privilege of interviewing Bishop Burbidge about his life growing up in Philadelphia, his priesthood and his years as a bishop, his first year as our bishop here in NC, and his plans for the future of the Raleigh diocese. We also got to ask him some of the excellent and compelling questions that our listeners sent in to the station.

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For the next interview with Bishop Burbidge click here.

Show Notes

• Diocese of Raleigh
• Bishop's bio

This show is entitled, "Meet the Founders of WBPL-LP".

I had the privilege of interviewing the three founders of WBPL-LP: Bill Hamilton, Joe DeRobertis and Jim Eden. The show features the background of the radio station, how they were inspired to start a radio program in Wilmington, the technical and funding obstacles they faced, the best of being part of such a wonderful ministry and their goals for the future.

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This show is entitled the "African-American Catholic". I had the privilege of interviewing two of our most prominent Catholics in Wilmington, author James J. Hankins and St. Mary’s AAMEN president, William Gibbs.

In this fascinating show, we explore the history of the African-American as a Catholic growing up in North Carolina during the times of segregation and the civil rights. We will also explore the history of St. Thomas and the great priests and sisters who were a part of its history. Finally, we learn about AAMEN, the African Ancestry Ministry and Evangelization Network.

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Show Notes

• AAMEN

This show is entitled "Pro life Wilmington Part II" where we go right to the front line of this issue and talk to two women working with the woman in a crisis pregnancy. Our guests are Christine Vayo and Allison Dooley of the St. Mark’s Respect Life Committee. The show focuses how Christine and Allison reach out to the woman in a crisis pregnancy and the resources made available to her and her unborn child.

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This show is entitled "Pro life Wilmington" and features our guests, Father Pat Keane and Beverly Jolly. The show focuses on the different aspects of the pro life movement at work here in Wilmington and being done by Bev and other great pro lifers.

Father Pat also discusses the church’s teaching on abortion and how we should all respect the lives of all God’s children, born and unborn.

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This show features the work of Dr. Paul Covington, a medical doctor and a parishioner at St. Mark’s where he leads a Tuesday Morning Men's Rosary Group as well as an informal lay apostolate for Scriptural Scholarship. He discusses his own spiritual journey and the work we must do to deepen our relationship with the Risen Lord.

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Our first show features the story of Father Pat Keane as he journeys from the secular to the spiritual life. His story is inspiring and uplifting.

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Show Notes

• Father Pat's website
• The Least Among Us