Catholic Sphere
In this weekly podcast, host Doug Keck moderates a panel of three experts discussing issues relevant to Catholics. The conversations range from theology and church teaching to social media and everyday family life. Each episode aims to offer clear, solid answers for Catholic listeners navigating the modern world.
Episodes
Conscience: Is America’s Catholic Conscience Unconscious?
Join Doug Keck and his expert panelists as they explore the state of America's Catholic conscience, defining what it means and why both a right and a certain conscience are needed.
The Life and Times of a Deacon
Join Doug Keck and his panelists as they discuss how a Deacon is called to live out his vocation and explore the unique roles of Catholic Deacons in the Eastern and Western Church.
Why Is Christ Called the Alpha and the Omega? It's Greek to Me!
Join Doug Keck and his panel of experts as they explore what it means for Christ, the Alpha and Omega, to leave His imprint on creation and call us to our ultimate destiny in Him.
Assuming the Assumption: Why Do Catholics Believe in the Bodily Assumption of Our Lady When Others Don't?
Join Doug Keck and his expert panelists as they explore the biblical and ancient roots of Mary's Assumption and the Church's solemn journey toward its definition by Pope Pius XII.
Did Job Get Jobbed? or Is There More to His Sad Story?
Join Doug Keck and his panel of experts as they draw from the story of Job to explore why God permits suffering, how trials bear spiritual fruit, and the mystery of redemption.
Thy Kingdom Come, or Utopia Come?
Join Doug Keck, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, and expert panelists as they examine how moral relativism and political correctness are corrupting the Church's magisterial teaching.
What and Who Is a Deacon?
Join Doug Keck and his panelists as they explore the calling and role of Catholic deacons in the East and West, including the difference between permanent and transitional deacons.
It's Popular Today to Say We Are Church, but Is That What Jesus Meant?
Join Doug Keck and his expert panel as they explore what Jesus meant when He declared, "I will build my Church," examining ekklesia, Peter's authority, and His unbreakable promise.
Original Sin or Original Blessing? Why It Matters!
Doug Keck and his panel discuss original sin and original blessing, explaining key differences between them and examining theological concerns surrounding the concept.
Is Confession Real Good for the Soul or Just Another Catholic Guilt Trip?
Doug Keck and expert panelists explore Confession's deep scriptural foundation, examining priestly absolution, the seal of confession, and the profound spiritual healing it offers.
Was Jesus a Pyromaniac Since He Said He Came to Set the World on Fire?
Join Doug Keck and expert panelists as they examine Christ's words about fire, division, and the sword in their biblical and Catholic context, alongside His call to peace and love.
Did Jesus Really Ask Us to Be Perfect?
Join Doug Keck and his expert panelists as they explore what it truly means to be perfect, as they examine the high and holy standard we are each called to live out in Christ.
Money, Camels, and the Eye of the Needle
Join Doug Keck and his expert panel as they explore what separates people from God, whether prosperity and faith can coexist, and how wealth, fame, and power shape the human heart.
God's Merciful Love Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry?
Join Doug Keck and his panelists as they examine whether God's merciful love removes our need for repentance, and dive deeper into what His love, mercy, and forgiveness truly mean.
If They Persecuted Me, They Will Persecute You
Join Doug Keck and his expert panel as they explore how Christians should engage a divided culture, why young Catholics leave or rediscover the faith, and the Church's role today.
If God Provides, Why AM I Still Working?
Join Doug Keck, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Fr. Gerald Murray, and Colin Donovan as they examine faith and ambition, why diligence matters, and pursuing God's kingdom above all material gain.
Was the Sabbath Really Made for Man?
Join Doug Keck and his panel as they discuss how the idea of the Sabbath evolved from Jewish practice to Christian understanding within the confines of both rules and compassion.
Catholics & Political Engagement
Doug Keck and EWTN experts explore faithful civic engagement, offering practical guidance for Catholics navigating politics and public discourse while putting God first faithfully.
War: What Is It Good for?
Doug and his panel explore Jesus’ teachings on peace, violence, and “taking up the sword,” tracing interpretations through history and whether they signal that war is justified.
Does Heaven Have a Dress Code?: Or Is It Come as You Are?
Doug Keck and his panel of experts discuss what it really means to be properly clothes for the kingdom and how feasts point to heaven, eternal life, the Mass, and the Eucharist.
St. Joseph: the Strong, Silent Type- a Model for Men!
Doug Keck, Fr Joseph Mary, Colin B. Donovan and Dr. William A. Ghomas shed light on some of the unknown parts of the life of the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, Saint Joseph.
Living in the Fatherhood: Is It Just Biological?
Doug and his panel discuss the departure from a father’s absolute authority of the family, and the role feminism has had in the general demeaning of masculinity and fatherhood.
Was the Miracle of the Loaves and the Fishes Multplication or Division?
Doug and his panel of experts discuss the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, its larger meaning, and how it is one of John’s seven signs affirming the divinity of Christ.
Mary as a Model for Women Today
Doug and his panel of experts discuss why Mary is the ultimate model for women in a world where feminism has taken a secular model of success, from what has been a man’s world.
State of Catholic Digital Ministry
Doug and his panel discuss ways to manage tensions between the digital and physical world appropriately, and EWTN’s plans to bridge broadcast audience to the digital world.
The Blessings and the Risks of AI
Doug and his panel discuss how to handle the benefits and hazards of using artificial intelligence when engaging in evangelization efforts without diminishing the human encounter.
End of Life: Dignity of Care
Doug Keck, Sr. Deirdre Byrne, Fr. John Paul Mary, and Colin B. Donovan discuss the medical and pastoral dimension of treating those who are passing from this world to the next.
Feminism Is the New Pagan Mega Church
Doug and his panel of experts discuss the serious problems with the feminist ideology and break down the ways in which feminism is hurting women, instead of helping.
Beginning of Life: the New Genetics
Doug Keck and his panel of experts discuss what acceptable uses of genetic technologies Catholics can morally participate in for the good of mankind in the battle against evil.
It's a Wonderful Life! The Ups & Downs!
Doug and his panel of experts consider the pastoral priorities, look at diocesan and religious data, and also speaks with a priest about the ups and downs of the life of a priest.
Deacons Or Deaconesses?
Doug Keck and his panel of experts answer questions about Deaconesses, their origin in the Eastern Catholic Church and if deaconesses are in the future of the Catholic Church.
Stating Your Rights: the Mob, the People, Or the Party
Doug and his panel discuss rights, how governments and ideologies are involved and who can provide clarity when determining who is capable of possessing a common vision of justice.
Do We Still Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident?
Doug and his expert panelists discuss the origin of our rights in America, America’s founding documents, the Church’s take and the nature of “self-evident” in political philosophy.
Vatican II: Rapturous Rupture Or Comforting Continuity? Which Is It?
Doug Keck and his expert panelists discuss whether Vatican II was a “development” or a “rupture” of the tradition of what had come before by pastorally trying a new approach.
Dr. Newman, Is My Doctrine Still Developing? Is Doctrinal Development Good for the Church?
Doug Keck and his panelists discuss St. John Henry Newman’s essay on the development of doctrine and the fruit of his movement toward the Catholic Church and away from Anglicanism.
The Theology of Home: Cultivating Prayer and Peace in the Home, Pt. 2
Debbie Cowden and her panel of experts discuss hospitality and offer ways for Catholic moms to find God-centered ways to evangelize through hosting at home in the domestic church.
Saintly Inspiration for the Youth: St. Pier Giorgio Frassati & St. Carlo Acutis
Ryan Penney, alongside Christine M. Wohar and Courtney Mares, reflects on the lives of the newly canonized saints, Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati and Saint Carlo Acutis.
Does Truth Have a Future in a Subjective World?
Doug Keck, with Dr. David Anders, Noah Lett, and Colin B. Donovan, discusses the definition of truth, its relationship to subjectivity, and explains whose “truth” is really true.
The Theology of Home: Cultivating Prayer and Peace in the Home Pt. 1
Debbie Cowden and her panel of experts offer suggestions for Catholic moms who aim to discover God centered ways for designing their homes as domestic churches for their families.
Soon-to-Be-Saints: Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati & Bl. Carlo Acutis
As the canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Actus approaches, Ryan Penney and his panel of experts dive into the lives of these soon-to-be-saints.
"Quo Vadis" Reason
Doug Keck and his expert panelists discuss how society got to sub-atomic realities and how they connect and contrast to spiritual truths when connected to man’s existence for God.
Bearing the Cross in Parenthood, Pt. 2
Debbie Cowden and her panel of parents observe how St. Rose of Lima’s statement about the cross and heaven, applies to the times of suffering, grace, and holiness, in family life.
Are We Entering a Catholic Revival?, Pt. 2
Kim Zember, Adrian Lawson, and Cameron Riecker join Ryan Penney to see if Catholicism is becoming cool again, as they discuss a potential Catholic revival in the United States.
Condition Critical! Why Catholics Need to Be Concerned About Critical Theory!
Doug Keck and his panelists, Carrie Gress, Msgr. Charles Pope, and Colin B. Donovan, explain “critical theory,” its Marxist history, and why it will continue to divide people.
Bearing the Cross in Parenthood, Pt. 1
Debbie Cowden and a panel of parents share how, through God’s grace, holiness can be attainable amidst the kind of suffering St. Maximillian Kolbe once called “the school of love.”
Are We Entering a Catholic Revival?, Pt. 1
Ryan Penney and his panelist discuss a possible Catholic revival, how to stay motivated to take up the cross and work in the vineyard as interest in Catholicism grows in America.
Has the Smoke of Woke Entered the Church?
Doug Keck and his panelists explain the cultural chaos which has evolved in the last few centuries, and also learn how to navigate popular culture’s error masquerading as truth.
Storytelling: Building Blocks of Faith for Families, Pt. 2
Katie Warner, Adalee Hude, and Mary O’Neill join Debbie Cowden to offer their insight into using children’s literature as the building blocks of faith for families.
Storytelling: Building Blocks of Faith for Families, Pt.1
Debbie Cowden and her panel of moms, who are also accomplished authors, discuss how beautiful imagery and age-appropriate storytelling can help parents build faith at home.
Heroic Motherhood: Finding Holy in the Hard, Pt. 2
Michaela Harrison, JuliaMarie Woolbright and Lisa Canning join Debbie Cowden to continue sharing their stories of motherhood and how they find “holy in the hard” seasons of life.
Are We Turning a Cultural Corner, Pt. 2
Ryan Penney and his panel examine the current state of the Nation and discuss if the United States is becoming a God and Family First Nation and experiencing a cultural shift.
Does Welcoming the Stranger Know No Borders? What's a Catholic to Think?
Join Doug Keck, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, and Colin B. Donovan as they discuss our responsibility to love our neighbors, and what the Church teaches on immigration.
Heroic Motherhood: Finding Holy in the Hard, Pt. 1
Debbie Cowden and her panel of courageous women share their stories of motherhood, its beautiful redemptive suffering, and how they find “holy in the hard” seasons of life.
Are We Turning a Cultural Corner, Pt. 1
Ryan Penny and his panel examine how Gen-Z and younger millennials are pivoting toward more traditional values on faith and family, thus turning a cultural corner in this country.
Order in the Church: Love Or Charity, Which Gets Priority?
Doug Keck, Fr. Pacwa, Fr. Kirby, and Colin B. Donovan discuss the importance of the Order of Love and also an Order of Charity, revealing how both can help families and society.
Financial Freedom- Can Families Actually Attain It in Today's Economy?
Debbie Cowden and her expert panel offer tools and skills that can equip families to better plan for a fruitful and free financial future that assists their everyday needs.
The Life and Times of a Deacon
Doug Keck and his panelists discuss how a Deacon is called to live out his vocation, his role in the church and the varying roles of Catholic Deacons in the East and West.
Faithful Family Finances- How to Make a Family Budget and Stick to It!
Jessica Chominski, Amanda Teixeira, and Chris McMahon share why it’s necessary for Catholic families to create and maintain a family budget, while offering concrete ways to do so.
What and Who Is a Deacon?
Doug Keck and his panelists discuss the role of Catholic Deacons in the East and West, the jobs of Deacon and the difference between a permanent Deacon and a transitional Deacon.
Pms, Pcos, Ivf, Nfp, Etc! Finding Root Causes of Female Reproductive Health Issues
Dr. Blaise Milburn, Dr. Teresa Hilgers, and Laura Ducote, FNP answer questions about endometriosis, infertility, and hormone imbalances, while also offering ways for women to heal.
If All Roads Lead to Heaven, Why the Catholic Church?
Join Doug Keck, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Johnnette Williams and Colin B. Donovan as they explain how Catholics can more fully understand the concept of ecumenism.
What the Church Does and Doesn'T Say About Women's Health
Dr. Blaise Milburn, Dr. Teresa Hilgers, and Laura Ducote, FNP clarify how women can receive exceptional fertility care that fully aligns with Church teaching and human dignity.
Prayer: What, Why, and How, Pt. 2
Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, and his panel of religious, discuss the distinctive prayer life within and spirituality of the Benedictine, Dominican, Carmelite and Franciscan orders.
Making America Chaste Again, Pt. 2
Ryan Penny and his panel discuss how to tackle the warped “sacraments” of current depraved culture – pornography, birth control, and abortion – and instead, reroute to redemption.
Original Sin Or Original Blessing? Why It Matters!
Doug Keck and his panelist explain the difference between original sin and original blessing, describing the heretical complications with the concept of original blessing.
Prayer: What, Why, & How, Pt. 1
Accompany Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, Fr. Boniface Hicks, Sister Mary Juliana, and Fr. Matthias of the Immaculate Heart to discuss the ways in which to grow closer to God in prayer.
Making America Chaste Again, Pt. 1
Ryan Penney is joined by Brendan McCauley, Elizabeth Busby, and Mike Pantile for a discussion on chastity, explaining their mission to help others understand its importance.
How Revived Is the Eucharistic Revival
Doug Keck, Fr. Mark Mary, MFVA, Dr. David Anders, and Colin B. Donovan, S.T.L. discuss the impact of the Eucharistic Revival on the Catholic Church and how it is changing lives.
Bringing the Gospel to the World, Pt. 2
Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA, along with a new global panel of EWTN family members, shares what EWTN is doing throughout the world to spread the Gospel and change lives.
American Catholics and Ministering to Minorities
Ryan Penney, Roxie Beckles, Daniel Godinez, and Christopher Quinn discuss the many divisions between races and ethnicities in the Church today, and what can be done about them.
The Eucharistic Congress: What It Was & Why It Mattered
Doug Keck and his expert panelists discuss the Eucharistic Congress and explain how the source and summit of our Catholic faith allows us to experience the unity in Christ.
The Witness of Young Moms in the Pro-Life Movement
Join Debbie Cowden, Catherine Hadro, Kristan Hawkins and Patricia Sandoval as they discuss the strong contributions young mother’s make in the pro-life movement.
Bringing the Gospel to the World, Pt. 1
Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA brings a global panel of EWTN family members to share what EWTN is doing all over the world to spread the Gospel, and how the Network is changing lives.
Evangelizing Through Story on Social Media
Ryan Penney and a brilliant panel of storytellers including Jayden Remias, Gabriel Castillo, and Tanner Kalina discuss the ways they work to spread the faith on social media.
I’M Pro-Choice Not Pro-Abortion! That’s the Difference! but Is That Really Just Semantics? What’s a Catholic to Think?
Doug Keck and his expert panelists discuss the realities of abortion, and how they are camouflaged by the false threat that “someone wants to take away your freedom to choose.”
Can We Really Change Hearts & Minds on Abortion?
Debbie Cowden is joined by a panelist of women who have been in the trenches of the pro-life movement. They share their work to change pro-choice minds and hearts about abortion.
Whose Child Is This? the State vs the Family: a Catholic Perspective
Join Doug Keck, Fr. Gerald Murray, Mary Rice Hasson, and Colin B. Donovan, S.T.L. as they discuss whose responsibility it is to make decisions for children’s welfare.
Equiping Laborers to Go Into the Harvest
Every Catholic is called to spread the Good News and evangelize the world. Jim Pinto and his panelists will inspire you to propagate everything about EWTN Media Missionaries!
Catholic Marriage Masterclass: the Power of Prayer
Debbie Cowden welcomes Claire Dwyer, Jenna Guizar and John Sablan for another marriage masterclass, focusing on the amazing power of prayer and effects of praying together.
The Works of Mercy, Pt. 2
Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA is back with a panel to further discuss apostolates and the Works of Mercy, explaining involvement through both Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.
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