Episode Guide

This week on Bonus Points, it's time for more questions from you, the listener. We'll talk about conspiracy theories in general, as well as a few Catholic ones. I wasn't trying to make an episode with mostly conspiracy theories, it just happened that way. Maybe it was a conspiracy. 

Questions:

• What do you think of conspiracy theories, and do you believe any of them?

• What's in the Vatican Secret Archives?

• Was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene?

• What's the deal with indulgences?

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 7/25/22
Length: 27 minutes

Intro: Natalie P. and Kate Y.

References

"Was the JFK Assassination a Conspiracy?" episode of Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World, a podcast that explores mysteries from the perspectives of faith and reason.

"Was the 'New Coke Fiasco' Just a Clever Marketing Ploy?" article from Snopes.com

"Apostolic Letter in the Form of a Motu Proprio for the Change of the Name of the Vatican Secret Archive to the Vatican Apostolic Archive" As the descriptive title suggests, this is Pope Francis's declaration, recorded in the Vatican's daily bulletin from October 28, 2019, changing the name of the Secret Archive to the Apostolic Archive. 

"Secrets of the Vatican Secret Archives" episode of Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World podcast.

"Was Jesus Married?" article from Catholic Answers

25th Session of the Council of Trent. The third decree addresses indulgences, including the strict prohibition of their sale

Every summer, thousands of young people attend a Steubenville Youth Conference and encounter the Lord in a powerful way. On this episode of Bonus Points, Mrs. Astle joins me to talk about our experience at one of the main campus conferences earlier this summer.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 7/18/22
Length: 40 minutes

Intro: Sam Y.

References

"2015 Summer Conference: Celebrating 40 Years" article from Franciscan University's website. Includes some history about the conferences.

Steubenville Youth Conferences main website.

Main Campus 4, the specific conference we attended.

Steubenville Adult Conferences, for you non-high-school listeners.

All statistics indicate that anxiety disorders are more prevalent now than ever before. In this episode of Bonus Points, occupational therapist Valerie Allard joins us to talk about a Catholic Christian approach to generalized anxiety disorder. Whether you experience anxiety or interact with those who do, you won't want to miss this one!

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 7/11/22
Length: 61 minutes

Intro: Oliver B.

References

CatholicPsych.com, the website of Dr. Greg Bottaro and the Catholic Psych Institute. Dr. Bottaro is a Catholic psychologist who speaks and writes about integrating Catholicism with psychology.

CatholicTherapists.com, an online directory of Catholic therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. CatholicTherapists claims to be the largest such directory, and that all of their therapists are faithful to the magisterium.

"Choosing a Therapist: A Guide for Catholics" article from CatholicCounselors.com. The article discusses what a Catholic should consider when choosing a therapist, whether that therapist is Catholic or not.

"Generalized Anxiety Disorder" page from the Mayo Clinic.

John 14. In the Last Supper discourse, Jesus says "Do not let your hearts be troubled" both in verse 1 and in verse 27.

Philippians 4. In verse 6, St. Paul says "Have no anxiety about anything"

Luke 12. In verse 22, Jesus tells his followers not to be anxious about life, especially food and clothing. (See also: Matthew 6)

The Mindful Catholic by Dr. Greg Bottaro. An authentically Catholic approach to mindfulness that avoids the common New Age pitfalls common to discussions of mindfulness. 

For hundreds of years, the Pope has been protected by an elite Swiss military unit known as the Swiss Guards. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about how "the world's smallest army" was formed, the famous Last Stand of the Swiss Guard, and how guardsmen are trained today. Trust me, they're more than just the funny uniform. 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 7/4/22
Length: 20 minutes

Intro: Mallory M.

References

"The Swiss Guard" article from Encylopedia Britannica 

Official website of the Swiss Guard

"The Last Stand" a song by Swedish heavy metal band Sabaton about the Last Stand of the Swiss Guard

"The Sack of Rome in 1527" article from Smart History

Castel Sant'Angelo tourist information/ticket website

"The Pontifical Swiss Guard" video produced by the Swiss Guard

"May 06 2022 Swiss Guard Swearing-In Ceremony" video from Vatican News. Actual swearing-in begins around the 49 minute mark.

"An Interview With a Swiss Guard" episode of The Catholic Talk Show

When studying any piece of literature, one of the first questions you have to ask is "What's the genre?" After all, a history book and a fairy tale should be read very differently. This applies to the Gospels, too. Are they meant to be read as legends? Nuggets of wisdom framed on a (mostly unimportant) story? In this first-ever "Guest Speaker" episode of Bonus Points, I'm joined by Jonathan Allard as we discuss how we can know the genre of the Gospels.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 6/27/22
Length: 36 minutes

Intro: Morgan R.

References

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, edited by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. An invaluable resource for understanding the New Testament. 

"An Introduction to Biblical Genres and Form Criticism" by Felix Just, SJ.

"Are the Gospels Myths?" by Carl Olson. 

The Case for Jesus by Brant Pitre. Chapter 6 addresses the genre of the Gospels.

What Are the Gospels? by Richard Burridge. Breaks down the evidence that the Gospels are biographies in the ancient Greco-Roman style.

The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli. Chapter 9 addresses the genre of the Gospels.

Exemplary Lives by Plutarch. Also called "Plutarch's Lives", perhaps the most well-known collection of ancient biographies.

It seems like no matter where you're from or what you do for a living, there is some saint in heaven who is especially looking out for you. We call them patron saints, and there seems to be one for just about everything, from lost items and lawyers to whales and Wales. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about where the Catholic custom of naming patron saints originated and how a saint is named as a patron. Then, we'll look at a collection of odd and interesting patron saints, including:

-Disappointed mothers (St. Monica)

-Ugly people and coffee (St. Drogo)

-Headaches (St. Denis of Paris)

-Pilots (St. Joseph of Cupertino and Our Lady of Loreto)

-TV (St. Clare)

-The Internet (St. Isidore of Seville)

And, as a bonus, we'll talk about how St. Anthony became the famous patron of lost items.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 6/20/22
Length: 30 minutes

Intro: Ella L.

References

"List of Patron Saints" on Catholic.org

"Patron Saints" entry from The Catholic Encyclopedia

St. Monica profile

St. Drogo profile

St. Denis of Paris profile

St. Joseph of Cupertino profile

"Holy House of Loreto" article on The Catholic Travel Guide

St. Clare profile

St. Isidore of Seville profile

Etymologies by St. Isidore of Seville

"Here's Why Saint Anthony is Invoked to Find Lost Things" article on Aleteia

Let's face it, the Bible is not always easy to understand. Even a passage that seems straightforward on the surface often has many layers of deeper meaning. How can we go deeper with our reading of Scripture, and how do we know whether an interpretation is good? That's what we're talking about on this episode of Bonus Points

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 6/13/22
Length: 24 minutes

Intro: Ashley L.

References

Acts 8. Philip encounters the Ethiopian eunuch on the road.

"What Is Biblical Criticism?" article from Catholic Answers.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 115-119. Describes the four senses of Scripture.

Dei Verbum, Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation.

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, edited by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. An invaluable resource for understanding the New Testament. 

2 Thessalonians 2. In verse 15, Paul encourages the Thessalonians to hold fast to tradition.

Lectio Divina ("Sacred Reading") is an ancient way of praying with the Bible. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're going through the steps of Lectio Divina and talking about how to prayerfully hear and respond to God's Word.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 6/6/22
Length: 29 minutes

Intro: Patrick D.

References

Letter to Gregory by Origen. Chapter 3 encourages Gregory to prayerfully study the Scriptures. This may be the oldest extant use of the phrase lectio divina (~325 AD)

The Ladder of Monks by Guido II. A 13th-century treatise on prayer by a Carthusian monk. This is where we first see the classic four steps of Lectio Divina (lectio, meditatio, oratio, contemplatio)

General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI, October 24, 2007. The pope speaks about the importance of Lectio Divina to St. Ambrose of Milan, and refers to it as "prayerful listening to the Word of God"

Verbum Domini by Pope Benedict XVI. This is the pope's post-synodal apostolic exhortation, "On the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church." In paragraph 87, he talks about a fifth step of Lectio Divina, actio (action).

Mark 4. The Calming of the Storm at Sea.

We all know some Bible stories, but do we know THE story? In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're summarizing the main plot of Sacred Scripture. Spoiler alert: It's a love story. 

Today's episode is on the longer side, but when you consider that we're summarizing a 1,500 page book...well, 40 minutes is still a pretty good deal.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 5/30/22
Length: 39 minutes

Intro: Asa R.

References

"Mr. Astle Wonders" episode of The Gracious Guest, a podcast by Mike Creavey. Mike is a friend who taught at Saint Joe's when I first started, and he was kind enough to invite me onto his show a few weeks ago.

A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament by John Bergsma and Brant Pitre. The opening section provides a fantastic overview of the Catholic understanding of Scripture and its interpretation. 

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, edited by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. An invaluable resource for understanding the New Testament. 

You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft. A must-have guide to reading the Bible for beginners. 

The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension Press. This Bible uses my favorite translation (RSV-2CE) and has the Great Adventure Bible Timeline built right in. It will change the way you see Sacred Scripture.

Bible Basics for Catholics by John Bergsma. If you're looking for a summary of the Bible that's longer than what we did today, but not as long as the Bible, this is the book for you. Bergsma tells the story of the Bible as the story of covenants, complete with some pretty rad stick figure drawings. 

Most of us know that we should be reading the Bible more...but if you've ever picked it up and tried, you know that this isn't always easy. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're beginning a new series on how to start reading Sacred Scripture. We'll start with "What is the Bible?" and why we should read it. In future episodes, we'll get a "bird's eye view" of the story, talk about how to pray with Scripture, and give some practical advice about understanding and interpreting what you read. 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 5/23/22
Length: 31 minutes

Intro: Natalie P. and Kate Y.

References

"Mr. Astle Wonders" episode of The Gracious Guest, a podcast by Mike Creavey. Mike is a friend who taught at Saint Joe's when I first started, and he was kind enough to invite me onto his show a few weeks ago.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 115-119. Defines what it means to read the Bible "literally" as a Catholic.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 105-108. Defines what it means to call the Bible inspired and inerrant.

A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament by John Bergsma and Brant Pitre. The opening section provides a fantastic overview of the Catholic understanding of Scripture and its interpretation. 

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, edited by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. An invaluable resource for understanding the New Testament. 

You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft. A must-have guide to reading the Bible for beginners. 

Most Catholics accept Pope Francis, formerly known as Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio, as the legitimate pope. But if you ask a (very) selective group in Kansas, they’ll tell you that it’s really Pope Michael, formerly known as Dave. 

Is Pope Michael the real pope? Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nooooooooooo.
Find out more in this episode of Bonus Points.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 5/16/22
Length: 33 minutes

Intro: Sam Y

References

"Mr. Astle Wonders" episode of The Gracious Guest, a podcast by Mike Creavey. Mike is a friend who taught at Saint Joe's when I first started, and he was kind enough to invite me onto his show last week.

Vatican in Exile. Pope Michael's website.

"Pope Michael" 2010 feature-length documentary

"The Errors of Sedevacantism". Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers responds to a caller's question about sedevacantism.

"Answering Sedevacantism" episode of The Counsel of Trent, a podcast by Trent Horn of Catholic Answers.  

Eye of the Tiber articles about Pope Michael. Eye of the Tiber is a satirical news site, like a Catholic version of The Onion. 

Since I started this show, no topic has been suggested as frequently as this one. Do the movies get it right when they depict exorcisms? Are demons real? What can they do to us and what can we do to them? In this episode of Bonus Points, we talk about how demons interact with us and what we can do to fight back.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 5/9/22
Length: 37 minutes

Intro: Oliver B.

References

An Exorcist Tells His Story by Fr. Gabriele Amorth, the late exorcist for the Diocese of Rome

An Exorcist: More Stories by Fr. Gabriele Amorth

The Rite by Matt Baglio. Fr. Gary Thomas shares his experience as a newly-trained exorcist for his diocese. 

Hauntings, Possessions, and Exorcisms by Adam Blai, a Church-recognized expert on demonology. 

Manual for Spiritual Warfare. A concise presentation of the Church's teaching on demons, as well as a treasury of deliverance prayers.

Deliverance Prayers for Use by the Laity by Fr. Chad Ripperger, a diocesan exorcist.

Prayers Against the Power of Darkness. A book of deliverance prayers published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

App: "Exorcism" by the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal. Contains deliverance prayers, including a section for use by laity. (Apple | Google Play)

Ben Kenobi may have said, "Trust your feelings," but should you? Jedi philosophy has a lot to say about emotions and attachments, and in this episode of Bonus Points, we'll see how that compares with the Catholic approach. This is part three in our "Star Wars & Spirituality" series; check out episodes 004 and 009 for the first two parts.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 5/2/22
Length: 29 minutes

Intro: Mallory M.

References

How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor. The history of the Star Wars saga.

Master and Apprentice. A canon novel featuring Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, shortly before the events of Episode I. 

"The Jedi Code" on Wookieepedia.

"Of Myth and Men" 1999 Time Magazine interview of George Lucas. Much of their discussion is about the connections between Jedi philosophy and real-world religions.

Spiritual Theology by Jordaan Aumann, OP

The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross

John 11. The Death of Lazarus

It is simple, yet profound. It is a way of simultaneously calling upon the powerful name of Jesus and obeying St. Paul's command to "pray without ceasing." I'm referring, of course, to the Jesus Prayer. A classic from the Byzantine world, there is something here for everybody. In this episode of Bonus Points, we talk about what the Jesus Prayer is, where it comes from, and how to do it. 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/25/22
Length: 26 minutes

Intro: Morgan R.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

Way of a Pilgrim, the classic story of a pilgrim who learns to pray without ceasing. 

1 Thessalonians 5. Verse 17 is St. Paul's command to ceaseless prayer.

Luke 18. Includes Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and tax collector in the Temple

Philippians 2. St. Paul's famous hymn about the Name of Jesus

Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft. Chapter 9 is about the Jesus Prayer.

"The Jesus Prayer" episode of the What God is Not podcast.

Since the Early Church, we have always venerated the physical remains of the saints. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about why we venerate relics, where they come from, and how we know that they're real. This is going to be a real first-class episode, no bones about it.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/18/22
Length: 37 minutes

Intro: Patrick D.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

2 Kings 13. A man is raised from the dead after coming in contact with the bones of Elisha.

Acts 19. People are healed after touching cloths which St. Paul had touched. 

The Martyrdom of Polycarp. Account of the death of St. Polycarp from the Early Church. Chapter 18 describes the veneration of his relics. 

The Martyrdom of Ignatius. Account of the death of St. Ignatius of Antioch from the Early Church. Chapter 6 describes the veneration of his relics.

Memoire sur les Instrumentes de la Passion. 1870 study by Rohault de Fleury that catalogued and measured every alleged relic of the Cross. (Warning: French)

"Relics" tract on Catholic Answers, which includes the findings of de Fleury (in English)

"Relics in the Church: Authenticity and Conservation," 2017 Instruction from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

St. Anthony's Chapel. Website of the shrine in Pittsburgh with the largest collection of relics in the world outside of the Vatican.

Four episodes in one week!? It must be a special occasion: the Sacred Paschal Triduum! There's so much that happens during our liturgies this week, and a lot of it is only seen once a year. On this episode of Bonus Points, we will go through Holy Saturday's Easter Vigil with a missal in hand and talk about some of the unique elements.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/16/22
Length: 16 minutes

Intro: Oliver B.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

The Roman Missal, the book that contains the prayers and rubrics (instructions) for the Mass

Welcome to the Sacred Paschal Triduum, the most sacred season of the liturgical year. There's so much that happens during our liturgies this week, and a lot of it is only seen once a year. On this episode of Bonus Points, we will go through Holy Thursday and Good Friday with a missal in hand and talk about some of the unique elements.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/14/22
Length: 25 minutes

Intro: Mallory M.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

The Roman Missal, the book that contains the prayers and rubrics (instructions) for the Mass

Since January, I have been participating in Exodus 90, a ninety-day spiritual exercise for men. Fasting, cold showers, holy hours, and more...it's a tough (but good) three months! As the 90 days draw to a close, I reflect on how my experience has been and which of the disciplines gave me the most trouble. It's another Bonus Points bonus episode!

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/13/22
Length: 27 minutes

Intro: Morgan R.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

Exodus 90 website

This week, I'm answering more questions submitted by you, the listener. Which apostle would I want with me in a fight? What's the deal with aliens? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this episode of Bonus Points!

Questions:

• What is the best Star Wars movie?

• Which apostle would you like to have with you in a fight?

• What is your opinion on Christianity in the Lorax cinematic universe?

• Do you believe that God created aliens along with us on earth?

• If we knew that intelligent aliens existed, would this disprove Catholicism? 

• Why do we call them the pearly gates?

• Could an angel possess somebody the way a demon does?

• Did St. Peter die by being crucified upside-down?

• Does the Bible mention dinosaurs? 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/10/22
Length: 33 minutes

Intro: Patrick D.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

"FAQ: Science, Religion and the Vatican Observatory" from the website for the Vatican Observatory

Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World. A podcast about all things strange and mysterious by Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin. Many episodes have considered extraterrestrials from the perspectives of faith and reason.

Revelation 21. Description of the New Jerusalem, including its "pearly gates"

The Acts of Peter. An apocryphal second-century document that contains an account of St. Peter's martyrdom.

The Epistle to the Corinthians by St. Clement of Rome. First-century letter that was written shortly after St. Peter's death. Chapter 5 describes the fact that St. Peter was martyred. 

Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius. Book III, Chapter 2, paragraph 2 describes how St. Peter, "having come to Rome, was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way."

Job 40. In his response to Job, God refers to the land-dwelling monster Behemoth

Job 41. In his response to Job, God refers to the ocean-dwelling monster Leviathan

How do you make a saint? In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll walk through the process of canonization, from the opening of the cause to the honors of the altar. Why is a miracle required, and how do we know it was a real miracle? Find out in this second episode of a series on the communion of saints.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Release Date: 4/4/22
Length: 33 minutes

Intro: Mallory M.

References

Christ-Centered Life, a new podcast that you should watch

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 954-962. Addresses the Communion of Saints.

"The Process of Beatification and Canonization" from EWTN

The Congregation (soon to be Dicastery) for the Causes of Saints page on the Vatican's website

"Saints" from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

"Canonization: Four Steps to Becoming a Saint"