As Part two of Fr. John's three-part French cycling-pilgrimage series, this week's episode introduces the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Under the theme of the ardent and fiery love of God, it is paired with the Alpe d'Huez - the most iconic climb of the Tour de France, featured in the coming weeks of this year's tour.
Fr. John and Fr. Sean discuss the life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, an American priest who gave his life to serving the poorest of the poor in Korea, Mexico, and beyond. Through his witness, the podcast takes up the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, with special attention to what poverty means for priests, lay people, Americans, and even those discerning how to tithe after retirement.
This week's episode begins a three-part series by Fr. John, pairing French saints with famous Tour de France stage climbs. These reflections, born from his recent pilgrimage, begin in the farmtown of Ars with St. John Vianney and make their way to the acclaimed Col du Galibier in the French Alps. Fr. Sean, having visited Ars and himself an avid cyclist, brings his own thoughts to bear on the first of these curious pairings.
In this week’s episode Frs. John and Sean explore the baptismal call to share in Christ’s threefold office as priest, prophet, and king. What do these titles actually mean for ordinary Catholics? Drawing from Scripture, tradition, and everyday life, the podcast examines how all the baptized are called to offer sacrifice, proclaim truth, and exercise stewardship. Far from being reserved for clergy, the mission of priest, prophet, and king belongs to every Christian as a participation in the life and mission of Christ Himself.
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean talk about their various experiences with family ministry and emphasize the importance of communities of families living out the Catholic faith.
In this week's episode Frs. John and Sean take up Wendell Berry's Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition. Laying out his critique of Edward O. Wilson's Consilience, the podcast discusses how the Enlightenment worldview seeks to enshrine empiricism and adorn science as the capstone of reality. In Berry we find a compelling argument for the true unknowability of creation, which as gift, is nothing short of a miracle.
This week guest host Fr. CJ Mast takes the lead on discussing the educational ideal of St. John Bosco. Known as the "preventive system," Bosco's approach is informed by the experience not just "being loved" - but "knowing that you are loved." Reflecting on his six years of high school chaplaincy, Fr. CJ unpacks with Fr. John the varying themes that lie within this authentic human approach to education.
This episode explores the profound importance of confession in the Catholic faith. Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob offer practical guidance on how to make a good confession, the sacramental theology of it, and the spiritual benefits of this sacrament.
Fr. Sean and Fr. John unpack the mystery of the Ascension through the lens of Scripture. Far more than Jesus floating into the sky, the Ascension reveals Christ’s heavenly enthronement as king and high priest. Drawing from Acts 1, Daniel 7, and Hebrews, they explore the cloud of glory, the heavenly Temple, and the heavenly glory.
Fr. Jacob and Fr. John welcome a special guest Anthony D'Ambrosio, the director of the film Triumph of the Heart. Between Fr. Jacob and Anthony nerding out about film and the creative process, they talk about the journey of faith, passing through trials, Catholic art, and the creative spirit.
Concluding our three-series on Dante, Fr. John and Fr. Jacob walk through the finale of Dante's Divine Comedy, the Paradiso. This "highlights reel" serves as an overview of the work for anyone every interested, but intimated by a poem of such stature. We hope it inspires a reading, as the poetry of Dante is truly inexhaustible. If you are interested in more, check out Fr. John's nine-part lecture series at Our Lady of Lourdes: https://www.youtube.com/@LourdesDenver/streams.
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean look at some of the compelling contemporary scientific evidence for the existence of God before discussing St. Thomas' 2nd and 3rd cosmological proofs. Join this discussion of causality, contingency, beauty and wonder at the universe and it's creator.
As the second installation of his three-part series, Fr. John offers an introduction and overview of the second canticle of Dante's Divine Comedy - The Purgatorio. He is joined by guest host Fr. CJ Mast, a fellow companion and long time friend. If you are looking for more on Dante, check out Fr. John's nine-part lecture series at Our Lady of Lourdes: https://www.youtube.com/@LourdesDenver/streams.
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. John talk about the hinge pin of the liturgical year, Holy Week, the Triduum and the Easter Octave. Launching from the Easter season they discuss the liturgical year at large and how it all flow from and to the greatest of solemnities Easter!
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John do a deep-dive introduction to the first canticle of Dante's Divine Comedy, The Inferno. Following the lecture series of Fr. John at Our Lady of Lourdes, they provide a comprehensive overview, the first of a three-week program from the podcast. To view the lectures at Lourdes by Fr. John, visit https://www.youtube.com/@LourdesDenver/streams.
Fathers Sean and Jacob reflect on the Arma Christi, the weapons of Christ, which were used as the instruments of Christ's Passion. In addition, they dive into the brutality of the sufferings that Christ experienced and then reflect on redemptive suffering.
In this week's episode, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John unpack one of the key features of Paul Kingsnorth's Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity. Understanding the modern world from the perspective of the "machine," the hosts draw us into a conversation about the inner logic of lent, and how to avoid making it an instance of machine-like faith.
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean reflect on the questions asked during the rites of marriage and ordination as a means to explore what it is we promise when we freely enter into marriage or holy orders. They explore these missional vocations and reflect on the missions we promise to carry out by entering them.
In this week's episode, Frs. Sean and John take a deep dive into two theological topics often untreated (and rarely ever in common) - sin and beauty. The reality of sin, itself a privation, offers a kind of "photographic negative" of the meaning of the beautiful. In a condensed form, Fr. John presents his research on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and Hans Urs von Balthasar, as well as arguing for the complementarity of their theological visions.
While searching for his notes, Fr. Jacob quizzes Fr. John on Augustine's Trinitarian Theology, and then he leads us through the writings of St. John the Apostle, his Letters, his Gospel, and The Book of Revelation with an eye toward the Trinitarian Theology in John. As they ponder the Trinity, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John close the episode by reflecting on the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus found in the Gospel of John, chapter 17.
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John welcome friend and Sigrid Undset aficionada Danielle Coon to the podcast. Our conversation covers the life of the great Norwegian convert, a survey of her greatest works, and most importantly, an attempt to delve deeply into the genius of her literary witness to the Incarnation. For more from Danielle, check out https://daniellecoon.substack.com.
Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob discuss the different prayer postures that happen during the liturgy. Understanding prayer postures will then help us to better understand what we believe and how we live.
This week Fr. Jacob and Fr. John take up the question of what makes a teacher truly excellent in the classroom. Taking up the theme "Authenticity is the universal language of resonance" (from a friend Weston), they work to source it in the thought of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas.
Fr. Sean and Fr. John talk about how to discern vocation in todays world. They discuss the importance of charisms, discernment, the councils, and more. Tune in to understand how to best discern a consecrated call.
Fr. Jacob and Fr. Sean discuss the representation of priests in film, especially the priests in the new film from Rian Johnson, Wake Up Dead Man. They then discuss various themes that the film wrestles with.
On the heels of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Fr. Jacob and Fr. John discuss the symbolism of the Baptismal and Easter Candle and how we pass on faith from one generation to the next as we receive the light of Christ. They further discuss the role of anointing before public ministry and how sin mars our baptismal garment and dampens our flame, yet God is always working to restore even a smoldering wick.
This week Fr. Sean and Fr. John hash through the difficult challenges that face parents in selecting a high school. Distilling down the four basic motives, they hope to offer a deeper engagement of the question, one that offers salient and helpful suggestions for the cultivation of faith and the impartation of a worldview.
As the new year begins, Fr. Sean and Fr. Jacob reflect on why most resolutions fail and propose a more Christian approach: ordering our lives around love rather than self-improvement. They explore practical ways to love God more through attention and silence, to love the Church with fidelity rather than critique, and to love priests with prayer and charity.
Father Sean, Father John, and Father Jacob wish you all a Merry Christmas and share a few graces from the year. Merry Christmas and thanks for listening to CSYSK!
In the final days of Advent, Fr. Sean and Fr. John talk about the ancient O Antiphons, names for Christ drawn from Isaiah, that express Israel’s longing for a Savior. Hidden within these prayers is God’s reply, "tomorrow, I will come” revealing Christmas as the fulfillment of centuries of hope.
